Strategic Leadership Board

The Strategic Leadership Board (SLB) plays a fundamental role in determining the strategic direction of the council and makes sure we reach our goals.

Derrick Anderson

Chief Executive of London Borough of Lambeth

Mr Derrick Anderson, CBE, is the Chief Executive of Lambeth Council and started in post on 1 March 2006.

Mr Anderson, who was born in London, has nearly twenty years' management experience in local government and more than 25 years in the public sector.

Debbie Jones

Executive Director of Children and Young People's Services

Debbie Jones is the Executive Director for Children and Young People's Service, leading the services for children, young people and families in Lambeth. 

Debbie is a highly experienced senior leader in children and young people's services and previous to Lambeth worked as Corporate Director Children and Learning at Luton Borough Council, Interim Director Children's Services at Stoke on Trent City Council and Acting Director of Social Care and Health at Durham County Council.

Mike Suarez

Executive Director of Finance and Resources

Mike Suarez started as Executive Director of Finance in October 2005. He comes from his previous position as Strategic Director of Finance and Property and Deputy Chief Executive at Slough Borough Council. Mike joined Slough from Westminster Council, which he left as Assistant Director of Finance and IT. Prior to that he was at Southwark, where he started as a CIPFA trainee.

Jo Cleary

Executive Director of Adults' and Community Services

Jo started as Executive Director of Adults and Community Services in May 2007. Prior to her appointment, Jo Cleary was the Corporate Director of Housing and Community Living at Luton Borough Council. Jo has previously worked as Director of Social Services at the Corporation of London, and has held various roles at the former SSI, including that of Assistant Chief Inspector and Director of Older People and Children, NHS Regional Office, London, and Head of SSI Policy.

Sue Foster 

Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration and Environment

Sue joined the strategic leadership board in November 2010 as the Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration and Environment.

The department’s services include planning and building control, regeneration and enterprise, adult education, housing strategy and environmental services.

Sue has a wealth of experience in regeneration, housing and planning in both the voluntary sector and in local government. She was Director of Place Shaping and Enterprise at Enfield Council, and Assistant Director of Regeneration and Planning at Hackney Council. At Hackney Sue improved service delivery and brought forward London’s Olympic planning applications. In recognition of this work she was awarded an OBE in 2007 for services to planning.