Public sector procurement specialist LHC Procurement Group has appointed Dame Maria Miller DBE as its new chair from 14 October 2025.
A highly experienced professional in the fields of communications, government, and diversity advocacy, Dame Maria brings over 20 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations, coupled with an additional 19 years as a MP, government minister and select committee chair.
In 2022, she was awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in the late Queen’s Birthday Honours for parliamentary and public services, and her nationally important contribution to equality.
She was also the Conservative MP for Basingstoke between 2005 and 2024.
Dame Maria Miller DBE. Image © LHC
Since leaving Parliament in 2024, Maria has been appointed as the first ever independent chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and also chair of SafeLives, an organisation focused on the eradication of domestic abuse.
Clive Feeney, LHC Procurement Group (LHCPG) chief executive, said: “In a strong field of candidates, Maria stood out as exceptional in terms of her experience, skills and alignment with LHCPG values. She has a valuable mix of strong commercial and public sector backgrounds, and a very strong social value ethos.
“Maria also brings to the LHCPG Board additional key skills in business strategy, policy development, stakeholder engagement and culture change. All this is vital in helping the Board develop and lead LHCPG’s new five-year strategy, and enrich our connections in new markets as we extend our Gold Standard framework expertise into new areas of public sector need.”
Dame Maria Miller said: “I am delighted and honoured to have this opportunity to work with LHCPG and lead its Board. The organisation’s core values and areas of interest align very closely with my own. I commend LHCPG’s culture and unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful social value in the communities where they work, harnessing the power of public sector procurement as a force for good.
“In the face of difficult challenges for so many local authorities and housing associations, and the increasing demands put upon the public sector overall, working in partnership with highly experienced, not-for-profit procurement specialists really makes sense. I’m excited to see where LHCPG’s future expansion can contribute to strengthening public sector performance across all parts of the UK.”
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