Stephen Hughes

Stephen Hughes has been Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council since May 2006, following a period from July 2005 when he had the role of Interim Chief Executive.  He has led the Council’s ambitious Business Transformation programme, aiming to deliver high quality customer focused services, improved efficiency and productivity and increased job satisfaction.  He sees cultural change within the organisation as critical to underpin successful change in process and technology.

Stephen is also passionate about economic prosperity for Birmingham.  He chairs the City’s economic partnership and sees “succeeding economically” as the key priority for the community strategy, and as the only way to fundamentally address inequality in the city and support Community Cohesion.

Stephen began his career in the public sector in 1979 working as an economist for Coventry City Council.  Since then he has occupied a variety of posts including Deputy Secretary of the Association of London Authorities, Head of Finance and Property Services at London Borough of Islington, a year’s secondment at DETR where he was responsible for Business Rates and Council Tax policy, and Director of Finance at London Borough of Brent.  Stephen joined Birmingham City Council in February 2004 as Strategic Director of Resources.

Stephen has a BA Honours Degree in Economics from Cambridge University and is also a qualified CIPFA accountant although he always introduces himself as an “economist with an accountancy qualification!”