GOVERNMENT chief executive Dr Andrew McLaughlin is to continue in post to “provide much-needed stability and continuity across the public sector”, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham has announced.
Dr McLaughlin – who accepted a nine-month secondment last September from NatWest – will be employed on a new contract from 1 July with a six-month review period – effectively a six-month contract with the option to extend. The JEP can confirm that Dr McLaughlin will no longer be on secondment from the bank.
He replaced Suzanne Wylie, who left the top role in public sector early last year after 12 months in office.
The government has confirmed that the States Employment Board has granted permission for Dr McLaughlin to honour a previous commitment to undertake a non-executive role as chair of the board of the Bank of Gibraltar.
Non-executive directorships became a contentious issue for the government four years ago, when it emerged that the then chief executive Charlie Parker had joined the board of a UK real-estate firm without the required approval.
Formal permission was subsequently given although Mr Parker was then told the appointment was incompatible with his position. He left the government the following year, receiving a £500,000 golden handshake.
Deputy Farnham said he was pleased that Dr McLaughlin – the government’s fourth chief executive in the last six years – had agreed to continue in his role.
“Retaining Andrew as our chief executive officer will provide much-needed stability and continuity across the public sector,” he said.
The Chief Minister added: “Since starting with the government last September, Andrew has provided clear leadership across the public service, ensuring good governance, sound financial control and a collaborative approach to management.
“As a long-standing Jersey resident, he also has in-depth knowledge of the local economy and community.”
Dr McLaughlin is known for his leadership roles as chief executive of Commercial and Institutional, Non-RingFenced Bank at NatWest, and his tenure as chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland International in Jersey.
He has also held advisory and non-executive roles, including chair of Prince’s Trust Scotland, member of the CBI Economics and Tax Committee, member of the Fiscal Policy Panel for the States of Guernsey, and visiting professor at the Centre for Globalisation at the University of Nottingham. He holds a first-class degree in Economics and Politics and a PhD in Public Policy.
Dr McLaughlin said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to extend my time as chief executive. It is a privilege to do this job and I will do all I can to help the government deliver the best outcomes for Islanders.”
The reappointment of Dr McLaughlin was flagged by Deputy Farnham at last week’s Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel when he said he hoped the chief executive would be in post for the duration of the current government and the subsequent hand-over of administration in two years’ time.
Fact box
In October 2020 it emerged that Charlie Parker had accepted a non-executive role with New River, having received verbal consent from Chief Minister John Le Fondré.
The SEB gave retrospective permission but, following a number of government resignations and a vote of no confidence in Deputy Le Fondré, Mr Parker agreed to resign. It later emerged that Mr Parker had received a pay-off of £500,000.
