Northern Ireland

‘Glass ceiling shattered' with assembly's first female chief executive

New Stormont chief executive Lesley Hogg<br />&nbsp;
New Stormont chief executive Lesley Hogg
 
New Stormont chief executive Lesley Hogg
 

JUST days after the number of women in the assembly rose by 50 per cent, Stormont has appointed its first female chief executive.

Lesley Hogg, who oversaw the PSNI's finances as it made the transition from the RUC, will take up the assembly's top administration post at the end of next month.

She will succeed Trevor Reaney, who has been chief executive at Stormont since the restoration of devolution in 2008.

While Ms Hogg is the first woman to hold the £117,000-a-year job, Carol Devon acted as the assembly's interim director general between 2007 and Mr Reaney's appointment.

The incoming chief is currently working her notice at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast, where she is director of finance and corporate affairs.

A Queen's graduate and one-time CEO of former Ballylumford power station owner Premier Power, Ms Hogg's duties will include providing procedural advice to the assembly speaker and MLAs.

The former commissioner for public appointments Felicity Huston last night welcomed the appointment.

"I congratulate Lesley on her new job and wish her all the best in her new job," she said.

"It’s 20 years since the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition drew attention to the lack of women in both political and public life here."

Ms Huston said the appointment had helped "shatter Stormont's glass ceiling".

"Stormont is changing – I hope we will now see many female minsters and committee chairs," she said.

"The party leaders have a rich pool of talent to choose from and should make the most of it."