The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has announced the appointment of three influential new members to its Board, marking a key moment as the Corporation accelerates its investment and inclusive growth initiatives in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

The newly appointed members are Jude Kelly OBE CBE, renowned UK creative leader; Owen Purcell, an expert in strategic finance and governance; and Jackie Sadek, a seasoned urban regeneration professional. They bring a wealth of experience and diverse expertise to the LLDC Board, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction and policy for the Corporation.  

Jude Kelly, OBE, CBE 

Jude is an internationally acclaimed creative leader whose career has been driven by her belief in the power of stories to transform how people think about themselves and their societies. She joins exactly 20 years after being a central part of the bid team for the 2012 London Games and served on the board of the Cultural Olympiad. 

Her work has centred around the impact of arts and culture in democratising public space, and the importance of female experiences in shaping the built environment. She was awarded a CBE in 2015 and an OBE in 1997 for her services to the arts. 

Jude has founded and steered some of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, arts festivals and charities. She served on the UK Government's National Advisory Committee on the Creative and Cultural Education and that committee's "All Our Futures" report in 1999 led to significant investment in cultural education of the youth.  

She is a reputable and trusted authority in her field, and recently undertook the role of commissioner for the ‘Report of the Workplace Equity Commission; Boosting Opportunity and Realising Potential’, which was delivered to Parliament in September 2024. Jude was also invited to be the Cultural Leader in Residence for the World Economic Forum in Davos 2024. 

Today, she is renowned as founder and CEO of the WOW Foundation, a charity that believes a gender equal world is desirable, possible and urgently required. She is also the founder and chair of the international artists and community spaces METAL and co-founder of Smart Purse, a financial toolkit which aims to close the gender pay gap.  

Owen Purcell 

Owen is a recognised leader with over 25 years of experience in professional services, specialising in governance, risk management, strategic frameworks, stakeholder engagement and business transformation. He has a track record of delivering inclusive growth, prudent financial stewardship, and corporate governance across diverse sectors including financial services, retail, government, and non-profit organisations 

He was a former managing partner with Ernst & Young (EY), where he led global teams to implement strategic, operational, and risk frameworks for FTSE 100 and Fortune 1000 companies and advised multinational organisations on operational resilience, inclusive growth, and cross-cultural communication. 

He is Chair of the Board at Uniac, auditors for the Higher Education sector and is an independent member of Audit Wales’ Audit and Risk committee. He was formerly a Board Member and Audit Committee Chair of Innovate UK.  

Owen is an advocate for inclusive economies, cultural enrichment, and public service values, aligning with the principles of the Seven Principles of Public Life. He was formerly a Board Trustee and Chair of Audit and Risk Committee at AbilityNet, a charity that supports people with disabilities to use technology, and a Trustee of the National Youth Agency, where he was responsible for driving inclusive strategies to support youth development. He was also an independent member of the Risk Committee of The Scout Association. 

Owen has a BA (Hons) and Post Diploma in Business Administration. He is an Associate Member of the ICAEW. 

Jackie Sadek 

Jackie is an urban regeneration practitioner with over three decades’ experience within the property industry focussing on the public sector. She has extensive networks within property, central government, government agencies, and local government.  Jackie is a published author on the housing crisis, an expert on place-based inward investment and regular broadcaster and columnist.    

She has held a number of senior positions in both the public and the private sector including Chief Executive of UK Regeneration and a former Head of Regeneration at CBRE, Chief Executive at Park Royal Partnership, Chief Executive at Kent Thameside Delivery Board, and Chief Executive at Brierley Hill Regeneration Partnership. 

Jackie was a former Specialist Adviser to Government on urban regeneration (2014-16), more recently Jackie brought forward a 1500 home Garden Community in the South Midlands, which achieved a planning consent in 2019, working in close partnership with the host town council, planning authority and central government.  

Jackie was part of the Grimsey Review team on the future of the high street and is an Honorary Fellow of the Association of Chief Estates Surveyors.  She also Chairs the EG Public Sector Forum and is a Member of the Property Week Hall of Fame. 

Jackie is currently chair of the UK Innovation Corridor, and Director of advisory and development company Rural and Urban Strategic.  

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.