The Government selects first LSB chief executive

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has named its first-ever chief executive with Chris Kenny securing the job.

The appointment, which was made by LSB chair David Edmonds, was announced today (2 October) and will see Kenny take up his full-time post on 1 January 2009, for an unspecified term.

It is understood he will receive a six-figure salary for the role.

Kenny is currently project director of the team responsible for setting up the LSB and will continue in this role until he becomes chief exec. Most recently he was project director for Lord Hunt of Wirral's review of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

He has previously served as a civil servant in the Treasury, Department of Health and Office of Telecoms as well as acting as director of life and pensions for the Association of British Insurers between 2004-2006.

Kenny's appointment follows the July launch of the LSB when the Government named those sitting on the nine-person board, with Financial Services Authority general counsel Andrew Whittaker and Irwin Mitchell senior partner Michael Napier QC among the group.

Edmonds said: "We are making rapid progress in building the LSB and this appointment will increase the pace further. Chris's experience in the public and private sectors, in regulation and in consumer redress policy will be invaluable in the development of the LSB as a fleet of foot, evidence-based regulator.

The board is another key plank of the Legal Services Act, which became law in October last year.
Under the new regime, the LSB will act as an overarching regulator for both the Solicitors' Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board, wielding the ability to strip underperforming professional bodies of their powers.

The LSB is expected to cost £3.9m to set up and is due to be fully operational by spring 2010.