16 Dec 2009
Parliament has approved the appointment of Tony Hobman as a new Electoral Commissioner.
Mr Hobman, who is Chief Executive of the Pensions Regulator, will join the six-member board of the Electoral Commission – the independent elections and party funding watchdog – from January 2010.
Commenting on the appointment, Chair of the Electoral Commission Jenny Watson said: “Tony will bring a wealth of valuable experience to this role, especially to our regulatory work. We’re delighted with this appointment and look forward to having Tony on board.”
Mr Hobman commented: “This is a very interesting time to become an Electoral Commissioner and I’m extremely pleased to be joining the organisation. The Commission has a key role to play in building public confidence in the democratic process, and I look forward to contributing to its vital work.”
An Independent Panel undertook the recruitment process to replace Karamjit Singh CBE, who retired as a Commissioner in January this year. Ms Watson added “We’d like to thank Karamjit for all his work during his tenure at the Commission and wish him every success in his future.”
A motion has now been passed by the House which presents Tony Hobman for formal appointment by Her Majesty the Queen.
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For further information contact Electoral Commission press office:
Tel (office hours): 020 7271 0529
Tel (outside office hours): 07789 920414
Email: press@electoralcommission.org.uk
Note to editors
1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections.
2. Mr Hobman was appointed Chief Executive designate of the Pensions Regulator in June 2004 and was subsequently confirmed as Chief Executive in April 2005. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, from 2002. He has also held a number of senior roles within the financial services arena, including Chief Executive of ProShare and Chief Executive of Money Channel plc. He spent his early career at Barclays Bank, holding a number of key roles in marketing, project and change management and customer service.
