Former Design Council chairman Lord Michael Bichard has 20 years’ experience in local government and nearly 10 in central government. He was CEO of two local authorities – Brent and Gloucestershire – and in 1990 became CEO of the Benefits Agency – with 65,000 staff and an administration budget of £2.5 billion.
In 2001 Michael left the civil service, becoming rector of the London Institute three years before it became University of the Arts London. This gave him responsibility for the largest art and design institute in Europe, complete with six constituent colleges – Chelsea College of Art & Design; London College of Fashion, London College of Communication; Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design; Camberwell College of Arts and Wimbledon College of Arts.
In January 2004 he was appointed by the Home Office to chair an independent inquiry following the Soham murders and from 2005 to 2008 he was chair of the Legal Services Commission. He is currently executive director of the Institute for Government.
Michael received a Knighthood in 1999 and was elevated to the House of Lords in 2010. He has honorary degrees from Leeds Metropolitan, Birmingham, Middlesex, and Bradford universities and the Southampton Institute.