Peter Gershon
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter Gershon KBE
is a British
business executive and former civil servant. He is chiefly known for conducting the Gershon Review
in 2004/2005 which recommended savings across the UK's public services
and for being an adviser to the Conservative Party
during the run up to the 2010 General Election. He has also been Chair of the Office of Government Commerce
as well as sitting on the boards of several well known companies and organisations.
in 1969, Gershon joined International Computers Limited and worked in the computer industry for seventeen years, before holding senior line managerial positions in the telecommunications industry between 1987 and 1994. In 1994 he was appointed the main board director of GEC plc, where he had responsibility for the company's worldwide defence business.
in April 2000 as the first Chief Executive of the Office of Government Commerce
, where he was given a remit to implement a programme to reform the way the British Government
handles the annual budget of public procurement
. In August 2003 he was invited to lead a major review of efficiency across the whole UK Public sector
by Prime Minister
Tony Blair
and Chancellor
Gordon Brown
. The Gershon Review
was completed in 2004/2005 and was intended to lead to significant savings in public spending by 2007/2008. The failure to do to the level that Gershon suggested demonstrated serious flaws with the report.
, and a member of the councils of the Royal Academy of Engineering
and Imperial College London
. In addition, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
and the Association for Project Management
; and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
, the British Computer Society
, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
and the Royal Aeronautical Society
. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute
; and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists
. He also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Kingston University
.
’ Public Sector Productivity Advisory Board despite the failures of the Gershon Report. In the run up to the 2010 General Election, this Board claimed that savings of £12 billion in spending could be collectively saved across all Government departments without affecting the quality of front line services. The body also claimed to have identified £6bn in efficiency savings which would allow the Conservatives to avoid the Labour Party
's planned rises in National Insurance
contributions in 2010.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
business executive and former civil servant. He is chiefly known for conducting the Gershon Review
Gershon Review
The Gershon Efficiency Review was a review of efficiency in the UK public sector conducted in 2004-5 by Sir Peter Gershon.Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, then Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister respectively, appointed Peter Gershon, at that time the head of the Office of Government...
in 2004/2005 which recommended savings across the UK's public services
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
and for being an adviser to the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
during the run up to the 2010 General Election. He has also been Chair of the Office of Government Commerce
Office of Government Commerce
The Office of Government Commerce is part of the Efficiency and Reform Group of the Cabinet Office, a department of the Government of the United Kingdom...
as well as sitting on the boards of several well known companies and organisations.
Early career
After graduating from Cambridge University with a First in MathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in 1969, Gershon joined International Computers Limited and worked in the computer industry for seventeen years, before holding senior line managerial positions in the telecommunications industry between 1987 and 1994. In 1994 he was appointed the main board director of GEC plc, where he had responsibility for the company's worldwide defence business.
Civil service career
Gershon joined the Civil ServiceBritish Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
in April 2000 as the first Chief Executive of the Office of Government Commerce
Office of Government Commerce
The Office of Government Commerce is part of the Efficiency and Reform Group of the Cabinet Office, a department of the Government of the United Kingdom...
, where he was given a remit to implement a programme to reform the way the British Government
Government of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
handles the annual budget of public procurement
Government procurement
Government procurement, also called public tendering or public procurement, is the procurement of goods and services on behalf of a public authority, such as a government agency...
. In August 2003 he was invited to lead a major review of efficiency across the whole UK Public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Chancellor
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
. The Gershon Review
Gershon Review
The Gershon Efficiency Review was a review of efficiency in the UK public sector conducted in 2004-5 by Sir Peter Gershon.Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, then Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister respectively, appointed Peter Gershon, at that time the head of the Office of Government...
was completed in 2004/2005 and was intended to lead to significant savings in public spending by 2007/2008. The failure to do to the level that Gershon suggested demonstrated serious flaws with the report.
Return to the private sector
He returned to the private sector after four years of public service, and is currently Chairman of Premier Farnell plc. and Symbian Ltd. He has also lead a review of Ministerial and Royal Air Travel, is a non-executive director of HM TreasuryHM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
, and a member of the councils of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
and Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
. In addition, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
and the Association for Project Management
Association for Project Management
The Association for Project Management is a registered charity in the United Kingdom, which aims to develop and promote the professional disciplines of project management and programme management, through a programme called the "Five Dimensions of Professionalism"...
; and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
, the British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply is a global organisation working for the purchasing and supply professions. CIPS is the world’s largest procurement and supply professional organisation. It is the worldwide centre of excellence on purchasing and supply management issues...
and the Royal Aeronautical Society
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute
Chartered Management Institute
The Chartered Management Institute is a professional institution for managers, based in the United Kingdom.In addition to supporting its members, the organisation encourages management development, carries out research, produces a wide variety of publications on management interests, and publishes...
; and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists
Worshipful Company of Information Technologists
The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists , aka the Information Technologists' Company , is the 100th Livery Company of the City of London...
. He also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Kingston University
Kingston University
Kingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
.
Conservative Party adviser
Along with another former government adviser, Dr Martin Read, Gershon became a member of the ConservativesConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
’ Public Sector Productivity Advisory Board despite the failures of the Gershon Report. In the run up to the 2010 General Election, this Board claimed that savings of £12 billion in spending could be collectively saved across all Government departments without affecting the quality of front line services. The body also claimed to have identified £6bn in efficiency savings which would allow the Conservatives to avoid the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's planned rises in National Insurance
National Insurance
National Insurance in the United Kingdom was initially a contributory system of insurance against illness and unemployment, and later also provided retirement pensions and other benefits...
contributions in 2010.