Three new Board members, including the culture lead for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid, have been appointed to London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), as it accelerates investment and inclusive growth in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  

The newly appointed members are Jude Kelly OBE CBE, a leading UK creative figure; Owen Purcell, a strategic finance and governance expert; and Jackie Sadek, a veteran urban regeneration specialist. The industry leaders will bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the Board, which is appointed by the Mayor of London to set LLDC’s strategic direction and overall policy. The Corporation is responsible for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and its venues with a focus on driving growth, investment and opportunities for local people. 

Jude Kelly, OBE, CBE, is one of the UK’s top creative leaders, and joins LLDC exactly 20 years after being a central part of the bid team who won the London Games. The appointment comes as East Bank - the most ambitious cultural quarter in a generation - welcomes Sadler’s Wells East, V&A East and the BBC to the heart of the Park, alongside universities UCL East and UAL’s London College of Fashion. 

Owen Purcell, brings strategic finance, commercial and governance leadership as a former managing partner with EY, chair of higher education sector auditor UniAc and independent member of Audit Wales’ audit committee. The appointment comes as the Park cements critical partnerships in the public and private sector across development, destination, innovation, sport and culture. 

Jackie Sadek, joins with three decades of experience driving some of the country’s highest profile regeneration schemes and advising national government on urban development and innovation. The appointment comes as the Park is earmarked by the Mayor as a key area to deliver the London Growth Plan. 

A key role of the Board is to provide leadership and support to the organisation, offering oversight and scrutiny as well as monitoring performance and corporate governance. The new Board members join chair Suki Kalirai, deputy chair Simon Blanchflower CBE, London’s deputy mayor for planning and regeneration Jules Pipe CBE, Gabrielle Appiah, Shanika Amarasekara MBE, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Jamie Kerr, Hackney deputy mayor Cllr Guy Nicholson and Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman. 

Suki Kalirai, Chair of London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “We are delighted to welcome the new Board members. They bring with them knowledge and experience that will be invaluable in making the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park a fantastic place to live, work and play.  As our East Bank partners establish themselves in east London, we are committed to delivering a dynamic destination that brings together culture, workplaces, education, and homes, while harnessing innovation and the talent and skills of our communities to drive inclusive growth. 

“It is testament to quality of everything that is happening at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that such influential industry figures put themselves forward to be on our Board. Our thanks go to all current Board members for their ongoing commitment and to the members who have retired from the Board, Grace Williams, Geoff Thompson MBE, Gurpreet Dehal, Helene Raynsford, Phil Mead and Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs. 

Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration, and LLDC Board Member, said: “I am delighted to welcome Jude, Owen and Jackie to the Board. Their expertise will make a significant contribution to delivering the Mayor’s vision to ensure Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park remains a top destination for Londoners and visitors to enjoy, as we work together to build a better, more prosperous city for all.” 

Jude Kelly, OBE, CBE said: “It will be a privilege to join the Board of the LLDC at a time when so much that was dreamt of for this outstanding destination has been realised. It serves as an inspiration to deliver even more for the local community, for London and for visitors from around the world.” 

Owen Purcell said: “I’m delighted to be joining the board of the London Legacy Development Corporation. Having attended the park during the London 2012 Olympics, it’s a true honour to now play a part in its next chapter. I’m excited to contribute to the continued development of this iconic space and to support its role in shaping a vibrant, inclusive future for London and its communities.” 

Jackie Sadek said: “It is a true privilege to join this prestigious Board at this great moment of opportunity. It is the ultimate urban regeneration and inward investment project.  Much to do and all to play for.” 

Jude Kelly, OBE, CBE is an internationally acclaimed creative leader who has founded and steered some of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, arts festivals and charities. Jude is renowned for championing inclusivity and gender diversity, founding the WOW – Women of the World - Foundation to celebrate the achievements of women and girls and confront global gender injustice and now running programmes in 26 countries. She was the Cultural Leader in Residence at 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos and has recently been appointed Master of St Catherine’s College, Oxford. She spent 12 years as Artistic Director at the Southbank Centre. Jude has directed more than 200 productions around the world. 

Owen Purcell, in addition to his experience with EY, Audit Wales and UniAc, has extensive experience in governance and risk management when chair of the Audit Committee at Innovate UK and Board Trustee of AbilityNet. Owen has a focus on embedding inclusivity in his work especially through his work as a trustee with the National Youth Agency. At EY he led global teams to implement strategic, operational, and risk frameworks for FTSE 100 and Fortune 1000 companies. 

Jackie Sadek has extensive property experience which spans public-private sector partnerships. She is chair of the UK Innovation Corridor and Director of advisory and development company Rural and Urban Strategic. Jackie was chief executive of UK Regeneration and a former Head of Regeneration for CBRE, the world’s largest real estate consultancy. She has held top leadership roles at the Park Royal Partnership, Kent Thameside Delivery Board and Brierley Hill Regeneration Partnership.