Cath Shaw, Chief Executive, London Borough of Barnet

 

Cath became Interim Chief Executive at the London Borough of Barnet in June 2024 and was appointed to the permanent position in February 2025.  She continues to focus on delivering Barnet’s mission to be a council that cares for people, our places and the planet.  Cath’s priorities including maintaining excellent service delivery, responding to the financial challenges facing the sector, and ensuring the council provides leadership across Barnet’s statutory services, voluntary and community sectors, and anchor institutions. 

 

Cath was previously the Deputy Chief Executive responsible for the Council’s extensive housing and growth programme, environmental services, and major commercial relationships.  She is a Director of the Council’s joint venture company with Related Argent to deliver Brent Cross Town – a park town for future London including 6,700 new homes, 50 acres of green space, workspace for 25,000 people, three schools, a new station and other amenities and infrastructure.  As Deputy Chief Executive Cath sat on London Councils Economy Board and the New London Architecture Sounding Board and was Chair of the West London Economy and Skills Directors Group.  She joined Barnet in 2013 from Harlow Council where she was Assistant Chief Executive responsible for Growth and Regeneration. Prior to that she was a senior civil servant, undertaking a variety of roles including as Deputy Director of the Social Exclusion Unit responsible for children and young people’s issues.  She stepped down as a Board Member of the Peabody Trust in 2019 on completion of her maximum term of appointment, remaining on the Development and Thamesmead Committees until March 2022.