Derrick Anderson was Chief Executive at Lambeth Council for 10 years until he retired in 2015. Prior to that he was CEO of Wolverhampton Council for 10 years. Derrick, who was born in London, has 25 years' senior management experience in local government and more than 30 years in the public sector. He was awarded a CBE for services to local government in 2003 and voted Public Leader of the Year in the Guardian Public Services Awards 2012.

He holds honorary doctorates from Staffordshire University for work on social inclusion and cultural policy from the University of Birmingham. He has a keen interest in sports and the arts, as well as working with aid and development organisations in Southern Africa and the Caribbean.