The Cabinet Office has named Bill Crothers as government chief procurement officer following the departure of incumbent John Collington.
Bill Crothers is currently executive director for commercial relationships at the Cabinet Office. He had been tipped to take Collington’s job, having taken a key role in the government's recent renegotiations with IT suppliers such as SAP and Microsoft.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: “Given Bill’s background and track record, I am delighted that he has agreed to take on this expanded role, as the government’s chief procurement officer.”
Crothers said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role and leading government’s drive to become a more demanding and commercially astute client."
The role will see the merging of the existing procurement and commercial relationship functions in the Cabinet Office into a single Commercial Procurement and Relationships Directorate.
Under the revised remit, Crothers will manage the government’s strategic supplier programme, which will manage the commercial relationships of government’s top 40 suppliers.
Crothers will work with a team of Crown Representatives from the private and public sectors, who represent the government and deal with key suppliers to ensure government acts as a single client.
Crothers will become head of the procurement profession across Whitehall and will be responsible for the new Commissioning Academy, designed to develop procurement skills.
Crothers will be supported in his role as head of the profession by Sally Collier, as deputy chief procurement officer; and David Shields, managing director of the Government Procurement Service.
