Tom has been Chief Executive of Leeds City Council since 2010 and during this time has overseen £300m of efficiencies across the organisation and a significant transformation of the city, which is halfway through a £10bn investment pipeline. Plans are set to double the size and economic impact of the city centre through regeneration of the South Bank, one of the largest city centre regeneration and growth initiatives in Europe. Tom’s top priority is for the city’s growth to be inclusive with a key ambition of reducing health inequalities and improving the health of the poorest the fastest.
In 2018, Tom was part of the regional leadership team which secured the new Channel 4 headquarters in Leeds, bringing over 300 new jobs and unlocking growth in Yorkshire and the North East. Tom is also a member of the Leeds City Region team on REAP — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s global programme aimed at driving economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship. He played a key role in securing and running the 2014 Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Yorkshire. In May 2020, Tom led the outbreak planning for the national NHS Test and Trace Programme, to bring a local perspective and ensure that the work is community focused and effective.