By Nick Butler

Dennis Hone has stepped down from his LLDC chief executive role ©LLDCDennis Hone will step down as chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation at the end of the summer to take up a new role with consultancy and construction firm Mace, it has been announced today.


After two decades spent working in various roles relating to public sector urban regeneration projects, Hone was appointed director of finance and corporate services at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) before replacing David Higgins as chief executive in 2011.

He served in this role until March 2013 and, during this time, worked to ensure the successful delivery of venues, infrastructure and the Olympic Village for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

But he was not immune to criticism during this period, particularly over an £80,000 ($123,000/€93,000) redundancy payment he received when leaving the ODA in addition to a £373,000 ($576,000/€436,000) pension.

This followed the revelation in September 2012 that he was the highest paid Government official in Britain.

In August 2012 he became interim chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, before being appointed to the role on a permanent basis in November. 

Since then, he has overseen the successful transformation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following the Games, and is seen as having played a "key role" in striking deals for the Stadium and the Press and Broadcast Centres so that all eight permanent venues have their long-term future secured.

Dennis Hone, pictured with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt inspecting Games venues in 2011, has stepped down to take up a new role ©Getty ImagesDennis Hone, pictured with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt inspecting Games venues in 2011, has stepped down to take up a new role ©Getty Images



"With the opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park it is the right time to bring my part in a wonderful eight-year journey to a close and to take on a new challenge," said Hone following the announcement today.

"It is not the end of the Olympic legacy story, though, and I know I leave behind an excellent team that will deliver on our regeneration promises for East London.

"I'm excited to be joining Mace as group finance director, helping to build sustainable communities and contributing to its continued success."

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London who is also chairman of the Legacy Company, praised Hone for his contribution both the preparation and the legacy of London 2012. 

"Dennis has played a huge role not just in getting London ready for the Games but for ensuring that we in London have the best and most advanced economic legacy, especially in east London, of any Olympic city in recent memory," he said.

"He can take much of the credit for the recent highly successful reopening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and we wish him well in his new job."

Hone will now work to expand the global position of Mace, with chief executive Mark Reynolds insisting that the appointment "will bring to Mace decades of experience of building sustainable communities, which continues to be a central area of focus for our work".

The recruitment process for a new Legacy Company chief executive is underway and an appointment is due to be made by early summer.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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