Sean Hanson joins public sector advisory IMPOWER as CEO
Public sector consultancy IMPOWER has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer. Sean Hanson joins the firm after a 30-year career.
The UK’s public sector is the second largest market for consulting services in the UK. With the demands of Brexit, the pandemic, the digitalisation agenda, and economic turbulence all seeing the Government spread thin, state institutions have increasingly turned to external advisory professionals for support.
IMPOWER is a consulting firm which specialises in helping public sector entities with transformation agendas, and as such, it has been in keen demand of late. According to the firm’s website, it has worked with more than 140 councils, health bodies and other local organisations since 2000, supporting public bodies to provide better outcomes with lower costs. As it prepares for demand of this kind to rise, it has ushered in a new era of change of its own.
Since 2007, Chief Executive Officer Martin Cresswell had been integral in the leadership of IMPOWER. But as the firm looks to the future, he has stepped aside from the role – continuing to serve IMPOWER as a Non-Executive Director on the board instead. Stepping into Cresswell’s shoes is Sean Hanson, who has been announced as the new CEO of IMPOWER as of early August 2022,
Chair of IMPOWER, Quentin Baer, commented, “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Sean Hanson to IMPOWER. We were extremely impressed by Sean and are confident that he is well suited to build on IMPOWER’s strong foundations and take advantage of the significant opportunities that are opening up to the company. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Martin Cresswell for his dedication and contribution to IMPOWER and look forward to continuing our close relationship with him.”
An experienced leader in the sector, Sean’s most recent role was as the CEO of Local Partnerships, an organisation providing professional support and advice and facilitating change across the public sector. There, he concentrated on the development of a broader range of strategic propositions, focused on efficiency for the public sector in England and Wales. In 2019, this work saw him appointed as one of five non-executive advisors to Birmingham City Council.
His 30-year career also spans a number of key roles working in and with the public sector, including at Serco, Mouchel and London Borough of Camden and he has a real understanding of the complexity and potential in public services – all of which equips him well to lead in the delivery of IMPOWER’s strategy for growth.
Sean Hanson, Chief Executive of IMPOWER said, “It has never been more important to enable and supercharge the ability of public service leaders to improve lives by overcoming the complex challenges they face. IMPOWER knows that not only is it possible to produce lasting, positive change, but that it can be done in a way which saves money, allowing it to be reinvested in the services which are needed most. It is a privilege to be part of an organisation which goes above and beyond to improve the societies in which we operate and is deeply committed to enhancing the pivotal role public services play in our communities. I look forward to building on this vital work.”
