Appointed by the Department for Communities and Local Government, Commissioners independently oversee the Audit Commission's remit. They come from a range of backgrounds and their appointments are reviewed regularly.
Chairman
Michael O'Higgins, Chairman
Michael O'Higgins has been Chairman of the Audit Commission since October 2006, and became Chairman of The Pensions Regulator in January 2011, having previously been Chairman of Alexander Mann Solutions. He is also a Non-Executive Director of HM Treasury and Chair of the Treasury Group Audit Committee. He is Chairman of Investec Structured Products Calculus VCT plc and a Non-Executive Director of Oxford Medical Diagnostics plc. Michael is also the Chair of the charity Centrepoint.
Previously, Michael was a Managing Partner with PA Consulting, leading its Government and IT Consulting Groups, latterly as a Director on its International Board. Prior to that he was a partner at Price Waterhouse, worked at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris and held academic posts at the University of Bath, the London School of Economics, Harvard University and the Australian National University. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Bath.
Deputy Chairman
Bharat Shah, Deputy Chairman
Deputy Chairman Bharat has been providing business consultancy and executive mentoring since 2002. He is the Chair of Nijjar Holdings Limited, the Chair of the West Bromwich Building Society Staff Retirement Scheme, a Non-Executive Director of the Places for People Group and a Trustee of the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre.
He has been the Chairman of two private equity backed businesses, the Sure Group, (a long term property maintenance business) and the Picdar Group, (a Digital Asset Management business) and a non-executive director of the West Bromwich Building Society.
He trained as a certified accountant and worked for Eastman Kodak for 27 years where he rose from ‘shop floor’ to become the Chief Executive of EAMER, Kodak Consumer Imaging and Vice-President, Eastman Kodak. He was also a Vice-President of Singer, responsible for Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia.
Commissioners
Lord Adebowale, MA CBE
Victor is Chief Executive of Turning Point, the UK's leading social care organisation working with people facing a range of complex needs including substance misuse, mental health problems and learning disabilities.
Victor began his career in local authority estate management before joining the housing association movement. He worked with Patchwork Community Housing Association and the Ujima Housing Association. He was Director of the Alcohol Recovery Project and Chief Executive of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.
In 2000, Victor was awarded a CBE for service to the New Deal, for unemployed and homeless young people and in 2001 became a cross bench member of the House of Lords.
Janet Baker
Janet started her career in local government, and then as a management consultant at Coopers and Lybrand and Ernst and Young, before moving to PA Consulting Group where she was a Senior Partner.
She is highly experienced and expert in all forms of organisational restructuring, sale and outsourcing. She was a Board Member, and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Healthcare Purchasing Consortium (NHS) until May 2010, and is currently a Non Executive Director on the Board of the Defence Support Group, and on the Treasury Group Audit Committee.
She is also a Non Executive Director on the Board of the Rural Payments Agency (DEFRA) and a Member of its Audit Committee. Janet undertakes selected consulting assignments, and is currently providing expert advice to The Pensions Regulator.
Dr Jennifer Dixon
Jennifer is presently Director of the Nuffield Trust. She was previously Director of Health Policy at the King's Fund and has held numerous posts in health, including Policy Adviser to the Chief Executive of the NHS. She has a background in clinical medicine and holds a PhD in health services research.
Tony Harris
Tony was appointed to the Board on 1 November 2010. He has extensive business experience and has held a number of senior roles including Chief Executive of ADT Fire & Security plc, Managing Director of NTL Business Inc and President, Business Services at BT plc. Before joining BT, Tony was an Executive Board Member for 11 years at DHL Worldwide Express.
Tony has served as a Non-Executive Director of Telspec plc and is currently a Senior Adviser to a private Investment Company and a Non-Executive Director of DEX Corporation, the Norbain Group, Worcester Rugby Football Club and the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Councillor Stephen Houghton, CBE
Stephen has been Leader of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council for 11 years, and a member for 20 years. He is also Chair of the Barnsley Local Strategic Partnership; Chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA); Chair of Barnsley Miller Partnership Ltd; and was a member of the South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme Monitoring Committee.
Stephen was awarded the CBE for services to local government in 2004.
Brian Landers
Brian previously worked as Finance & Operations Director at Penguin Group UK, Finance & Support Services Director at Habitat, and Finance Director of the retail division at WH Smith.
He is currently a member of the Competition Appeals Tribunal, Treasurer for Amnesty UK and a member of the Audit Committee of the Parliamentary & Health Services Ombudsman. His public appointments have included Finance Director of HM Prison Service and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Sir David Williams
Sir David was previously an Audit Commissioner from 1997 to 2003. He was Leader of Richmond Council from 1983 until 2001 and Executive Member for E-Government and External Partnerships following the reorganisation of the Council from May 2001 to May 2002.
Other appointments include Liberal Democrat Group Leader (and Deputy Chair) of the Local Government Association from its start in 1996 to 2001 and IDeA board member from 2001 to 2005.
Sir David was awarded a CBE in 1990 and a knighthood (for services to local government and the Local Government Association) in 1999.
Councillor Robert Light
Robert has been a Kirklees Councillor since 1987 and Conservative Group Leader since 2000. He was the Leader of Kirklees Council from 2006-9 and was the first Chair of the Leeds City Region. He has also been Chair of the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service.
A leading member of the Local Government Association Robert is Deputy Chair and a member of the Leadership Board, Executive Board and Children & Young Peoples Board. He is also a member of the board of the Environment Agency.
A farmer by profession he runs his own Equestrian & Farming business in Birkenshaw West Yorkshire along with his wife Sharon. Robert is a sports fan being a keen follower of football & cricket.