Islington Council appoints Keith Townsend as Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration

Keith has worked as a senior leader in the public sector for many years, most recently holding the role of Executive Director of Environment and Customer Service at Ealing Council.  He has significant experience of leading strategic operations, delivering borough investment programmes and a strong track record of delivering service improvements and major projects in a busy London borough.

Keith also currently acts as chief technical advisor to the West London Waste Authority and Commissioner for the Mayor of London’s Green Spaces Commission.

Cllr Claudia Webbe, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said:

“We’re delighted to appoint Keith Townsend to the role of Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration. We welcome the skills he will bring to help make Islington a welcoming and attractive borough and to create a healthy environment for all.  

“In Islington we believe making our borough a fairer place must include action to improve our environment. We are very excited we will be working with Keith on pioneering initiatives to tackle poor air quality, reduce our carbon footprint, change our roads to encourage more people to walk and cycle, as well as continuing our award-winning street-cleaning system, and protecting and promoting our vital parks and green spaces.”

On his appointment, Keith Townsend said:

“Islington is a vibrant borough in the heart of one of the greatest cities in the world, and as such it offers very particular, and very complex, place-based opportunities and challenges.

“Islington Council has been at the forefront of innovative approaches to address air quality and fairer energy solutions, and has a strong focus on supporting residents through improving their environment.

"I’m excited to work with new colleagues and partners to start getting the message out there that everyone has a role to play in helping to build a more sustainable, fairer Islington.”

Keith succeeds Kevin O’Leary, who will be retiring at the end of August after 18 years at the council.