12 August 08 – New Chief Executive for Remploy
Tim Matthews has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Remploy, Britain’s largest employer of disabled people.
Announcing the appointment, James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:
“This appointment comes at an important time in Remploy’s history, with the company having begun work to implement their modernisation plan which will help thousands of disabled people into long term employment.
“Tim Matthews has a proven track record of managing change within the public sector. I look forward to working with him to provide a more sustainable future for Remploy and to create many more jobs for disabled people”.
Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, welcomed the appointment:
“I am delighted that Tim Matthews has agreed to his appointment as Remploy Chief Executive.
“The company faces important challenges and it is crucial that Remploy increase their sales and work with local stakeholders, to take advantage of public procurement opportunities. I believe that Tim Matthews has the experience and ability to lead the company’s efforts to achieve this and grow Remploy’s Employment Services and Enterprise businesses.”
Notes To Editors
- Remploy Ltd is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It is also a Company limited by guarantee and a Public Corporation. It receives grant-in-aid each year in exchange for delivering a range of employment opportunities for disabled people under the Government’s WORKSTEP programme. Remploy delivers this support by operating as a commercial organisation with around 54 business sites and also by providing support to disabled people working with other employers through its Employment Services business. The Company is also contracted separately to provide opportunities for disabled people under the Department’s Work Preparation and Pathways to Work programmes.
- The decision on the future structure of Remploy was announced by the Secretary of State in an oral statement to the House on 29 November 2007. The key point of the modernisation plan was that Remploy would quadruple the number of disabled people they support in mainstream employment, through their Employment Services business, during the period of their 5-year plan. This will be 20,000 people by April 2013.
- The plan also required Remploy to implement plans to close 17 factories (down from 32 under the original proposals) and merge a further 11 factories with other Remploy factories. The closures of the 28 factories have now been implemented. In addition, following the decision of all the employees to accept voluntary redundancy, the Wisbech factory also closed. The remaining 54 factories will continue, providing that additional work can be obtained through public and private contracts; and satisfactory progress can be made to achieving an acceptable cost per person in supported employment.
- Tim Matthews will be appointed as Chief Executive Designate from 1 September and will take over as Chief Executive of Remploy from 1 October 2008. His appointment will be for 5 years. Mr Matthews was appointed following a fair and open recruitment process
- Tim Matthews will succeed Bob Warner as Chief Executive. Mr Warner’s 5-year appointment is due to end in November 2008. The Secretary of State has written to Mr Warner thanking him for his work during the last five years, which included the period of developing the company’s modernisation plan.
- Tim Matthews was formerly Senior Vice President of global consulting engineering and project management company, Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. Mr Matthews had previously been the Managing Director of Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd. Tim Matthews has had several high profile jobs in the public sector, including Chief Executive of the Highways Agency from November 2000 to October 2003 and Chief Executive of Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Hospital Trust from March 1993 to November 2000.
DWP National Press Office: Liz Forster 020 3267 5122
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk
