Curriculum Vitae: Barbara Young - Baroness Young of Old Scone

Wide experience in leading and managing large public sector organisations in health, media and environment. Extensive experience in the leadership and strategic development of NGOs, and voluntary services. Knowledge and experience of regulation in media, environment and the voluntary sector.

Personal Details

BARBARA SCOTT YOUNG, MA, AHM

Date of Birth: 08.04.48

Profile

Leadership

Wide experience as chairman and chief executive leading large public bodies and NGOs. I have lead and taken forward strategically and in the public eye, prominent health service bodies, a major conservation NGO, the RSPB, and the largest environment protection agency, the Environment Agency for England and Wales. Public board experience as chair or vice-chair across a range of organisations, including the government's nature conservation agency, English Nature and the BBC. Non-executive directorship of a FTSE 250 plc.

Strategy

Led the development of strategies and implemented strategic change in a range of public sector organisations, engaging staff, stakeholders and the public and delivering outcomes for public benefit.

Management

Delivery of strategic outcomes in large, complex multi-stakeholder settings, including the Environment Agency, where I have 13,000 staff and a budget of £1.2 billion. Experience of managing dispersed organisations both nationally and internationally.

Policy

Experience in the development of public policy as a policy advocate and Life Peer. Policy advocacy engagement across government and internationally, in health, voluntary sector, media and environment. I chaired or vice-chaired policy commissions on the future organisation and funding of the NHS and on the future of the voluntary sector. Board experience in one of the UK's leading policy think tanks, IPPR. Extensive involvement in the development of regulatory policy, both in the UK and EU

Regulation

Wide experience both as a regulator (English Nature, Environment Agency) and in being regulated (AWG plc, BBC). I was also a Trustee of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, interfacing with the Charity Commission and government on the regulation of the voluntary sector, as a vice-chairman of the Commission on the Future of the Voluntary Sector. At the BBC, the nature of regulation of the BBC and its relationship with the new regulator OFCOM was a high profile issue on which the Board spent considerable energy. I chaired the BBC group which ensured compliance with Competition Commission regulation of the BBC's commercial activities. At the Environment Agency, I have personally led our strategic development as a modern regulator and have played a key role in influencing the government's development of its Better Regulation programme. The Environment Agency is committed to a risk based, proportionate, transparent, firm and fair model of regulation with an ongoing focus on reducing burdens while delivering outcomes for society and the environment. I set up and chair the Better Regulation Group of the EU Environment Protection Agencies and negotiate on their behalf round the better regulation agenda in Brussels and across the EU.

Health and Social Care

I spent 20 years in health services management with a strong commitment to high standards, patient care and public engagement. I led the Institute of Health Services Management as vice chair, chair and president and help shape health policy. I ran one of the first health districts to invest heavily in its quality of care process. In various NHS posts I had responsibility for the setting up of services under the Care in the Community programme for mental health and people with learning difficulties, working jointly with local authorities as social care providers.

Shaping organisations

In my career, I have led several restructurings, including bringing together health service organisations and services, to harness the commitment of staff and boards to producing an improved organisation with a new and distinctive homogeneous culture.

Stakeholders

Throughout my career, I have gained wide experience of building and sustaining positive relationships with stakeholders, including regulated business, representational bodies, the public, consumers, local, regional and national government, including parliamentarians, and the voluntary sector. I believe in a collaborative and engaging approach, with partnership in delivery as a key.

Current and Previous Roles

Life Peer, House of Lords (1997-date)

I was appointed as a life peer in 1997. Since becoming CE of the Environment Agency in 2000, I have sat on the cross benches.

Chief Executive, Environment Agency (2000-date)

Leadership of the government Agency responsible for the integrated environmental protection of air, land and water. The Agency has 13,000 staff, an annual budget of over £1bn. and operates across England and Wales. It has regulatory, advisory and operational roles. The CE is a full member of the Board.

Chairman, English Nature (1998-2000)

Leadership of the statutory nature conservation NDPB for England, with regulatory, advisory and facilitating roles for the conservation of nature and earth heritage.

Vice Chairman BBC (1998-2000)

Governor and Vice Chairman of the nation's public service broadcasting organisation with special responsibility for Scotland, fair trading and chairing the Governor's Complaints Committee. Helped steer the BBC to success through the licence fee review.

Main Board Member, AWG plc (1997-2000)

Main board member of AWG plc, a FTSE 250 company, with interests in the water, construction and infrastructure businesses in the UK and worldwide.

Chief Executive, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1991-1998)

Chief Executive of Europe's largest conservation charity. RSPB managed over 300,000 acres of land for conservation, campaigned for effective policies for conservation and the environment and advised and educated a wide range of specialist audiences, young people and the public on issues of the conservation of biodiversity and the environment. Developed the RSPB to one million membership and to a position of standing as a campaigning organisation across the UK and worldwide. Active in the foundation and development of BirdLife International, the worldwide bird and habitat conservation partnership, now active in over 110 countries worldwide.

Chief Executive, Parkside Health Authority (1985-1991)

Chief Executive responsible to the Health Authority for strategy, planning and management of health care services for a District of 100,000 population in NW London and for services to wider populations on a regional and national basis by virtue of the District's role as a medical teaching institution and in research. Responsible for the planning, implementation and management of services within an annual budget of £175 million per year. The District employed 8,000 staff and provided services from over 60 premises. I harnessed support for its creation from three health districts and managed the merger to create a single effective organisation.

Previous experience in health services (1971-1988)

A range of posts in operational management, strategic planning and service development and in public relations in health services in London and Scotland. I was chief executive of Haringey Health Authority, District General Manager in Kensington Chelsea and Westminster and Director of Strategy at St Thomas' Health District, Lambeth. I had a particular personal interest in the joint development with local authorities of mental health services and services for people with learning difficulties.

Chairman and President of Institute of Health Services Management (1984-86)

I chaired the Council and was President of the IHSM at a stage when it was a powerful advocate in health service management and policy. I chaired its Commission on the Future Management and Funding of Health Care.

Qualifications

Master of Arts (Honours, Classics, University of Edinburgh)

Dip.Sec.Sci., University of Strathclyde

Associate Member of the Institute of Health Services Management

Chartered Environmentalist

Main Professional and Voluntary Activities

King's Fund International Fellow (1985-1990)

Trustee, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (1993-1998)

Member UK Round Table on Sustainable Development (1995-2000)

Member of the Commission on the Future of the Voluntary Sector (1995-1996)

Member of Committee on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) (1996-1997)

Vice President, Flora and Fauna International (1998-date)

Vice President of BirdLife International (1999-date)

Trustee of the Institute of Public Policy Research (1999-date)

President of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough Wildlife Trust (2004-date)

President of the British Trust for Ornithology (2005-date)