Our governance
About our Commissioners
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) is led by a group of Commissioners from across the UK who are all leaders in their fields. They represent large and small employers, the public, private and voluntary sectors and further and higher education. Together, they guide our work and provide expert opinion and advice.
UKCES is both a non-departmental public body (NDPB) and a company limited by guarantee.
Commissioners
Our Commissioners are:
- Julie Kenny CBE, DL, Chair, UKCES
- Frances O’Grady, General Secretary, Trade Union Congress
- Gail Cartmail, Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Unite the Union
- Julie A Kenny, CBE, DL, Chairman, Pyronix Limited
- Liz Sayce, OBE, Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK
- Nigel Whitehead, CBE, Group Managing Director Programmes & Support, BAE Systems
- Mark Huddleston, Managing Director, jheSOLUTIONS and King & Fowler UK
- Paul McKelvie, OBE, Training and Development Professional
- Scott Johnson, Chief Executive, Chas Smith Shopfitters Ltd
- Scott Waddington, Chief Executive, SA Brain & Co Ltd
- Sean Taggart, Owner and Chief Executive of The Albatross Group
- Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive of Centrepoint
- Toby Peyton-Jones, Director of HR, Siemens UK & North West Europe
Meetings and minutes
Minutes from full commissioner meetings:
Meeting minutes from previous years can be found in the National Archives.
Commissioner appointments
Our Commissioners are appointed in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This is an open process and an advertisement will appear when any vacancy occurs. Commissioners are appointed by the Secretaries of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions. The Ministers of each of the Devolved Administrations of the UK also each appoint a Commissioner.
- The Terms and Conditions of Appointment set out the role and duties of our Commissioners:
- The Commission’s Conflict of interest Policy sets out the basis on which Commissioners should carry out their responsibilities:
- Like others who serve in public, our Commissioners are required to follow the Seven Principles of Public Life: