Linda Ford

Biography

Linda Ford is an experienced CEO and non-executive director specialising in professional education and standards, regulation and governance. Her career has spanned professional services, criminal justice, education, cyber and public health with a focus on enabling public trust and confidence through professional registers and high standards of competence and conduct.

Linda is an advocate for social mobility with expertise in tackling barriers arising from social and economic disadvantage. As CEO of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives she championed the first non-university vocational training-based route into the law, established the CILEX Judicial Academy providing opportunity for lawyers from non-traditional backgrounds to pursue judicial appointment, secured legislative and policy reforms removing out-dated and discriminatory restrictions to equality of opportunity, and established a new profession of Chartered Paralegal.

During her time in healthcare regulation she worked alongside the Law Commission to reform the legislative framework supporting nine professional healthcare regulators and the Department of Health to achieve revalidation schemes for all healthcare professionals.

Prior to that she worked for the Police Service on a number of high profile national projects focussing on public safety, counter terrorism and drugs awareness and in the FE sector developing SEND provision, vocational training courses and professional qualifications.
In her non-executive roles Linda has advised on governance reforms, business and system transformation programmes and the development of models of independent regulation, continuing professional development and technical competency frameworks. She is an experienced Chair and committee member with a focus on standards and education, quality improvement, risk and assurance.

She currently holds Board Director positions with the Association of Accounting Technicians and the Institute of the Motor Industry and is Chair of the Alliance Schools Trust and the Discipline Committee of the National Association of Funeral Directors.

Council Member category

• Appointed lay member: 2018 - 2029

Committee membership

• Finance and Resources Committee
• Standards Committee
• CMS Project Board (Chair)
• CRM Project Board (Chair)
• Hardwick Street Refurbishment Group

Declaration of interests