Past Presidents
Serving as part of the PPMA leadership community is a significant commitment, but it is also a great professional honour. We are proud of the contribution made by those who have led the association and of the strong foundations they have helped to build.
PPMA values its history and the experience of those who have previously served as President. We remain connected with our community of Past Presidents and share regular updates with those who wish to stay engaged with the ongoing work and direction of the association.
The association was originally established as the Society of Chief Personnel Officers in Local Government (SOCPO). In 2006, it evolved into the Public Service People Managers Association, reflecting a broader focus across all public services. Today, PPMA’s membership spans central and local government, blue light services, the third sector, and partner organisations supporting public service delivery.
This history underpins our present and informs our future. The leadership, commitment, and vision of past Presidents continue to shape PPMA as it grows and adapts to the changing public service landscape.
Our roll call of Past Presidents is set out below.
| SOCPO Past Presidents | PPMA Past Presidents |
|---|---|
| D E Thomas – 1975
J Handel – 1976 A A Lawrence – 1977-78 F E Berry – 1979 R P F Hughes – 1980 D R Light – 1981 R Grove – 1982 C Bate – 1983 A Hood – 1984 R S Withers – 1985 B A McAndrew – 1986 Kevin Graves – 1987 Judith Lovelace – 1988 David B Metcalfe – 1989 Ron Patterson – 1990 Alwyn Rea – 1991 Alf Illingworth – 1992 John Tonks – 1993 David Phelps – 1994 Moira Holmes – 1995 Robert Cragg – 1996 Susan Thomas – 1997 Roger Bennett – 1998 Rita Sammons – 1999 Terry Gorman – 2000 Keith Handley – 2001 Francesca Okosi – 2002 Mary Mallett – 2003 Alan Warner – 2004 Jan Parkinson – 2005 |
Angela O’Connor – 2006 – 07
Phil Badley – 2007 Stephen Moir – 2007-09 Gillian Hibberd – 2009-10 Dean Shoesmith – 2010-11 Anne Gibson – 2011-12 Martin Rayson – 2012-13 Richard Crouch – 2013-14 Louise Tibbert – 2014-15 Barry Pirie – 2015-16 Sue Evans – 2016-17 Caroline Nugent – 2017-18 Karen Grave 2018-20 Steve Davies 2020-22 Gordon McFarlane 2022 – 24 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 |
If you would like more information on our structure, you can contact [email protected]
