“I am not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship”, states one of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women in her semi-autobiographical classic novel. And indeed, learning to navigate through the political and economic winds that are buffeting the UK’s public sector organisations has never been more important.
Instability seems to be the order of the day, and the sector’s leaders face ever-growing challenges to deliver stability of public service. They must think more creatively and prove more resilient than ever before at a critical juncture during which all eyes are on the UK Government.
Through this edition of CANVAS, we explore the often complex balancing act that leaders need to master as they work to maintain their commitment to strategy alongside good governance and a need to adopt innovative solutions. We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak to Graham Farrant in his final weeks as Chief Executive of HM Land Registry as he prepared for a move back to local government to head up the newly combined Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.
As she steps into her second term as Chair of the Environment Agency, we are also fortunate to be able to include the thoughts of Emma Howard-Boyd. Emma talks about her passion for diversity and inclusion, and discusses her hopes for the future of sustainable finance as she takes on the challenging role of UK Commissioner to the Global Commission on Adaptation.
I hope you enjoy this edition and welcome any thoughts or comments you would like to share on the themes raised.
Stephen Bampfylde
Chairman, Saxton Bampfylde
