Jess Gibbons has been appointed as Brighton & Hove City Council’s new Chief Executive. Councillors agreed to the appointment on Thursday, December 14 at a meeting of the Full Council and she will start her new job on Monday, March 18, 2024.
Jess has been Chief Operations Officer at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council since December 2021. She is responsible for all operational services there including environment, infrastructure, regeneration, customer, arts and property, planning and destination and commercial operations.
Previously Jess was Director for Communities and Neighbourhoods with Wiltshire Council, and Director of Community Services at the London Borough of Camden.
Brighton & Hove City Council’s leader Bella Sankey said: “I’m extremely pleased to welcome Jess as our new Chief Executive, and myself, the rest of the political leadership and staff at the council are very much looking forward to working with her.
“Jess has a wealth of experience in both a big city environment like Camden and also a seaside location like Bournemouth. So she is an ideal Chief Executive for Brighton & Hove.
“She is joining us at a critical time for the city as we continue to set our budget for next year while continuing to deliver high quality services for our residents, businesses and visitors.”
Jess Gibbons said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to such a fantastic role in one of the most dynamic, creative and innovative cities in the country. I will bring all my knowledge and experience of working across the private, voluntary and local government sectors and am very much looking forward to starting in March.”
Jess added: “These are crucial times for the council, and local government in general.
“But I can assure everyone connected with the city that I’m a strong, determined and hard-working individual who thrives on challenges and will drive forward the council’s plan to be a proud, healthy, fair and inclusive city for everyone.”
Jess currently lives in Wiltshire but will be moving to Brighton & Hove as soon as possible.
Will Tuckley, the council’s current interim Chief Executive, was recruited to replace Geoff Raw who left in May 2023. Will assisted the council in the Chief Executive recruitment process and will ensure a smooth handover with Jess when she joins in March.
