We are pleased to announce that Max Wide has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive of the Leadership Centre.
Max Wide
Max brings extensive experience in transformation, leadership development and public service reform. He has worked across local government, the private sector and national programmes, including roles with BT Global Services, EY, and as a strategic director in Barnet, Suffolk and Bristol City Councils. He also brings significant commercial insight from his work in consultancy, combining public sector expertise with experience of delivering and growing work in complex environments.
Max is already a well-established part of the Leadership Centre, leading our work with strategic authorities and working closely with partners across the country. His deep understanding of the organisation and its work, alongside his wider experience, will ensure continuity as the Centre moves into its next phase.
Max’s appointment follows Mark Rogers stepping down as Chief Executive at the end of February 2026. We are hugely grateful for Mark’s fantastic contribution during his time as CEO. We are delighted that he will continue to work with the Leadership Centre on Future Vision and as an associate, focusing particularly on local and regional government projects.
David Lloyd
Chair of the Leadership Centre Board, David Lloyd, said: “I would like to thank Mark for his excellent leadership of the Centre during his time as Chief Executive. We are very pleased that he will continue to work with us on Future Vision and as an associate, and we look forward to that ongoing collaboration.
In appointing an Interim Chief Executive, we were clear that we needed someone who knows the Leadership Centre well, understands the public sector at first hand, has good commercial insight and can lead with both experience and credibility. Max brings all of these qualities. He has a strong track record of transformation, leadership development and programme delivery, alongside a deep understanding of our work and values.
His appointment provides stability alongside the opportunity to look at our model with fresh eyes, and I am confident he will lead the organisation well as we look to the future.”
Responding to his appointment, Max said: “I am humbled and delighted to be given this opportunity to help steer the Leadership Centre through its next phase of development, and I offer my personal thanks to Mark Rogers, who will continue to work with us even as he leads the Combined Authority in Sussex and Brighton. The public sector landscape is so different now to 2004 when we were first established and it is great to see the groundswell of opinion backing place and systems leadership present in initiatives like place-based budgeting, public service reform and Total Place 2.0. To these and other endeavours I will ensure that the Centre continues to bring the experience, insight and ability that will mean these are not passing fancies, but serious agendas capable of delivering real transformation.”