Lord Bichard standing down as Executive Director of the Institute for Government to become a Senior Fellow

Following his recent appointment to the House of Lords, Michael Bichard has announced he will be stepping down as Executive Director at the Institute for Government and will instead become a Senior Fellow.

Michael Bichard, 63, joined the Institute as its first Executive Director in April 2008. He will remain as Executive Director until September this year and will then continue to work at the Institute on issues such as localism and Ministerial Development.

The move will enable him to spend more time in the House of Lords working across all areas of public policy as an independent peer.

He will also continue his work through the Institute For Government on Total Place - a concept he is credited with pioneering and which is helping government rethink the design of public services to become more effective and work across silos.

Michael steered the Institute for Government, an independent charity, through its early days of development to its widely regarded position as a UK leader in helping government to work better.

Addressing staff today Lord Bichard said:

"I was honoured this year to be appointed as a cross-bench peer and I want to play a part in the work of the House of Lords. It has been an enormous privilege to have been the founding Director of the Institute for Government for the past two years.

"I am very proud of what has already been achieved and the trust which all parties have shown in us; the issues we have tackled are already shaping the way government is thinking. This is a fantastic Institute with a passionate team and I am pleased still to be a part of continuing to influence the very heart of government."

Lord Sainsbury, Chairman of the Board of Governors and founder of the Institute for Government said:

"I want to thank Lord Bichard for the major contribution he has made to the launch of the Institute for Government, and to establishing it as a valuable resource for the Civil Service and politicians. It has been a great achievement.

"I am delighted he will continue to work with us as his passion for a more effective government is tireless. He will also, I know, make an outstanding contribution to the work of the House of Lords".

Plans for succession to the post of Executive Director will be announced in due course.