Joanna Killian – who led a major turnaround in Surrey County Council’s financial position and once served as director of finance at Essex County Council – has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Local Government Association (LGA).
She will join the LGA in March from her current role as chief executive at Surrey County Council, a position she has held since 2018.
Shaun Davies, chair of the LGA, said Killian’s “experience, skills and insight” would be a “huge asset”.
“Her local government expertise, networks and knowledge developed in previous high-profile roles – both in councils and the private sector – will be invaluable in ensuring the LGA continues to be a strong and united voice for local government in the debates that matter,” he said.
Of her appointment to the role, Killian commented: “Local government plays a vital role in communities up and down the UK, making a real difference every single day. It’s a sector I feel very privileged to work in, and I’m glad to be continuing that journey with the LGA.
“I know from my time at Surrey that councils are full of wonderful people, with bright ideas and huge energy, working hard to improve people’s lives. I look forward to working closely with local authorities of all types and political colours in my new role.”
She added that, working with the LGA’s political leadership, members, staff and wider stakeholders, she would ensure the organisation continues “to stand up for local government and the people and places we serve”.
Killian offers more than 30 years of experience in the public sector. As well as her role at Surrey, she worked for three years as a partner at KPMG in its local government services team and was also chief executive of Essex County Council for nine years, having previously been appointed as director of finance and performance at the authority in 2005.
Killian has also worked at the Audit Commission and served as chair of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) from 2011 to 2015.
In a recent interview with Room151, Leigh Whitehouse, deputy chief executive, executive director of resources and section 151 officer at Surrey County Council, offered some insight into how the financial turnaround at Surrey County Council – with Killian at the helm – had occurred.
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