Ex-Olympic delivery boss to lead NIC for further two years

Sir John Armitt will lead the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) for another two years after being re-appointed as chair by the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

The NIC, which provides expert advice to the government on long-term infrastructure challenges, is due to publish its second National Infrastructure Assessment in the autumn, which will set out a strategic vision for the next 30 years.

John Armitt

Armitt was previously chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, which built the venues, facilities and infrastructure for the 2012 games

A former Network Rail chief executive and chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, Armitt, who turns 77 next month, has served as chair of the NIC since 2018 and has been a commissioner on the NIC since its establishment in 2015.

Last month, he dismissed suggestions that the NIC was diminished by its status as an executive agency of the Treasury while giving evidence to the Lords’ infrastructure policymaking inquiry.

Armitt’s new term will run until January 2025.

He will be joined by Julia Prescot, an NIC commissioner and chief strategy officer at asset manager Meridiam, who has been appointed as deputy chair of the organisation.

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