Newham Council has formally appointed Maria G. Christofi as new permanent Chief Executive after a unanimous vote by members.
The Full Council met in East Ham Town Hall on Monday night with all 66 local councillors approving the appointment of Maria G. Christofi into the permanent role of Chief Executive. She will take up the position on Saturday August 1.
Maria: ‘I am delighted to be taking on this role and look forward to working with colleagues, partners and residents across Newham. My ambition is for Newham to be a high-performing council that consistently delivers for local people.
“Since joining the organisation last year, I have seen the commitment and dedication of our staff, and I am determined to build on that as we work towards the Mayor’s vision of a borough where residents can grow, connect and belong.
“Over the past year, Newham has made significant progress, including delivering a balanced budget, and securing an Outstanding Ofsted judgement for Children’s Services.
“While there is much more to do, we are in a stronger position than we were a year ago. My focus will be on continuing that momentum, driving improvement across the organisation and ensuring we deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents.”
Maria will take up the role on August 1 after joining the council last year as Interim Assistant Chief Executive, Corporate Director of Resources, Section 151 officer, and as an Independent Member for Finance & Transformation of the voluntary Newham Improvement and Transformation Board.
Her appointment to a permanent role followed a competitive recruitment process to replace interim Chief Executive Paul Martin, who joined the council last year to provide stability and leadership during a period of transition.
Paul said: “From both a personal and professional capacity I have enjoyed working with Maria and seeing her commitment to improvement, delivering and providing value for money for our residents.
“Maria’s appointment is excellent news for Newham, our staff, administration and residents, and places the borough in a very strong position for the coming years. Maria will bring a significant range of leadership qualities and experience to the role, and working with all of you, the sky is the limit for the borough’s future success.
Mayor of Newham Forhad Hussain thanked Paul Martin for his “outstanding service to Newham” during his time as Interim Chief Executive.
He said: “I am sure everyone agrees that Paul has provided commitment, strength and professional leadership during a significant period of change at the council.
“Over the past year, and particularly during the transition to a new administration, he has demonstrated intelligence, sound judgement and unwavering commitment to public services and Newham residents.
“I am also pleased to welcome Maria to the role of chief executive. Maria brings over 25 years of local government experience with a proven track record of leadership and transformation. She has already made significant contributions to Newham as interim chief executive and corporate director of resources.”
