Pat Ritchie CBE
Chair of Council
Pat Ritchie is a highly regarded and influential figure in the world of urban governance and regeneration. She has held senior roles in national, regional and local government.
She was Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council for over eight years, where she notably secured the multi-million-pound investment deal to bring Legal & General to Newcastle’s flagship ‘Helix’ development and led on negotiations to secure a devolution deal for the North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority. Pat led the city’s response to the pandemic and oversaw the Newcastle Covid Recovery Plan.
Pat was appointed Chair of the Government Property Agency in January 2020. In summer 2022 she took on the role of independent Chair of Metro Dynamics Company Board. She is a Homes England Board member.
She is a former Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (Homes England) and former Deputy Chief Executive of the One North East Regional Development Agency.
She has an Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law from Northumbria University and is a Fellow of Newcastle University.
Pat was awarded her CBE in January 2021 for services to Local Government and public service reform.
She lives in Corbridge and is married to Brian; they have 2 grown up children.
