New King's West Midlands representative appointed

Dr Derrick Anderson CBE, will take on the role in August

A new lord-lieutenant for the West Midlands has been appointed by the King.

Dr Derrick Anderson, CBE, DL will take on the position after Sir John Crabtree OBE retires on 5 August.

As part of the new role, Dr Anderson will be tasked with promoting civic, cultural and social initiatives across Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

It is the second largest lieutenancy in the country with a population of nearly 3 million.

“It is a great privilege to serve as the King’s representative in the West Midlands and to follow in the footsteps of Sir John Crabtree,” Dr Anderson said.

“I am committed to serving both His Majesty the King and supporting the people and organisations of the West Midlands.

Dr Anderson came to Wolverhampton in 1991 to work as director of leisure services at Wolverhampton Council becoming chief executive in 1996.

He then took on the role of chief executive of the London Borough of Lambeth in 2006 before stepping down in 2014.

Social inclusion

He was a non-executive director of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and a founding trustee of the Commonwealth Games Legacy Trust.

Dr Anderson, who lives in Sutton Coldfield, has also served as an independent member of the Strategic Board of the World Blind Games 2023.

He is a director of the WAVE Trust, an international charity dedicated to reducing the root causes of violence experienced by children, including abuse, neglect and domestic violence.

He holds honorary doctorates for his work on social inclusion and cultural policy, has a keen interest in sports and the arts, and works with aid and development organisations in Southern Africa and the Caribbean.

His CBE was awarded for services to local government in January 2003 and voted Public Leader of the Year in the Guardian Public Services Awards 2012.