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Andy Roe
Following a distinguished career rising through the ranks of the London Fire Brigade, Andy Roe was appointed London Fire Commissioner in 2020. Taking the helm in the aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, Andy was entrusted with steering one of the world’s largest emergency rescue services - over 6,300 staff and an annual budget exceeding £510 million – through a time of intense scrutiny and institutional change.
About Andy Roe
Before joining the fire service in 2002, Andy served as a British Army Office graduating from Sandhurst and rising to the rank of Captain in in the Royal Artillery, including being appointed Northern Ireland Operations Officer in 1999.
Driven by a deep commitment to public service and leading from the front, Andy’s strategic vision took LFB from its position as one of the UK’s lowest-performing services to one of its most highly rated, as recognised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate. He also spearheaded a comprehensive transformation of a service accountable for safeguarding a built environment of nearly 10 million residents, thousands of transport hubs, and hospitals, 20,000 heritage buildings and 70% of all high-rise buildings in the UK.
A value’s-driven leader, Andy placed great emphasis on ensuring equity, inclusion, opportunity and learning is at the heart of LFB. In 2021, he initiated an independent review of LFB’s culture to confront and address deeply embedded issues of racism and misogyny. This reflected his dedication to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment for all staff, and establishing a lasting cultural transformation within the service. Under his leadership, LFB became a thought leader in cultural reform, inspiring change across emergency services.
Beyond the fire service, Andy has helped shape national security policy as Chair of the National Security Board, in response to the recommendations of the Harris Review in London and the Manchester Arena Inquiry. He has also contributed to innovation and transformation in higher education as a member of the Kings College London Impact Board.
To book Keynote Speaker Andy Roe, contact The Speakers Agency on +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com
- Change and Transformation:
When Andy Roe became LFB Commissioner in 2020, he inherited an organisation resistant to change, deeply affected by the Grenfell Tower Tragedy and placed under special measures. Drawing on a lifetime’s experience of working in high-risk and dynamic environments, Andy looks at the challenges faced, and the process involved in devising a credible plan that a workforce, political leaders, media and regulatory stakeholders buy into. He also explores strategies to overcome internal and external resistance and drive lasting change, even under intense pressure.
Key Messages
- How to successfully communicate the case for change.
- Who are your change leaders and how do you use them?
- The structures, systems and governance needed to change quickly.
- Understanding risk and defining the outcomes you want.
- Assurance, evidencing change and holding yourself to account before others do.
- Building a change legacy, maintaining and improving outcomes.
- Leading a high performing team:
As CEO of one of the largest Emergency Rescue Services in the world, Andy led more than 6,300 staff across 103 Fire Stations and managed an annual budget of over £510 million. Successfully transforming a service under scrutiny, through strategic changes in governance, financial management and culture, Andy demonstrates the vital importance of resilience, clear and effective communication, and a balanced approach to reward and accountability, in building, leading and sustaining high-performance teams. He also offers valuable insights for leaders navigating complex, high-pressure environments.
Key Messages:
- How to identify and build resilience in your team
- The importance of the different voice and how you should include them properly in your team
- Communication under pressure
- Reward and accountability
- Clarity as a leader
- Risk and Consequence
As commander at some of the UK’s most high-profile and tragically consequential major incidents, Andy has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact when risk management fails. With unparalleled frontline experience, he is uniquely positioned to examine risk management through the lens of real-world outcomes. He also explores how organisations can better anticipate failure, respond effectively under pressure, and build systems that prevent future crises. He also looks at why and how, in an age of advanced technology, systems can never entirely remove the need for human judgment, adaptability and leadership.
Key Messages:
- How seemingly minor failures can have giant consequences.
- How systems can never entirely remove the human factor, so how can you humanise the understanding and management of risk.
- The importance of robust inspection, assurance and being ruthlessly honest with yourselves
- How to build a curious, learning culture.
- How to be an effective professional sceptic.
- How to build layers of effective safeguards and assurance.
