Croydon Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Shifa Mustafa as its new executive director of place to lead the council on safety, streets, development, regeneration, culture and planning.
Shifa’s appointment comes after former executive director of place Jo Negrini left the position in July, to permanently take up the role of the council’s chief executive.
With over 30 years’ experience working in local government, Shifa joins Croydon from Kingston Council where she has provided interim leadership and management for environmental services for the last year and a half. Her responsibilities there have included overseeing highways and transport services and leading on parking services and the implementation of the council’s new waste collection services.
Shifa spent six years working for Waltham Forest Council where she oversaw a number of different environment and regeneration services, including the redevelopment of Walthamstow town centre and the delivery of the borough’s first cinema. She also led an award-winning face lift improvement scheme for the borough’s high street. Shifa’s other responsibilities included overseeing street cleaning, the development of the borough’s fast food policy preventing fast food takeaways near schools and working with stakeholders to open a new rail station and create the country’s largest nature reserve.
Jo Negrini, chief executive of the council said: “I am thrilled to be able to welcome Shifa to Croydon Council; she has extensive experience leading on a variety of environment and regeneration services and a proven track record of successfully delivering the services that matter most to residents.
“Shifa brings with her a wealth of knowledge and skills that will be instrumental to the delivery of our exciting plans for Croydon. She is an outstanding candidate who will keep the borough’s residents at the heart of her decisions and I’m sure she will be a real asset to Croydon.”
Commenting on her successful appointment, Shifa said: “I am absolutely delighted at the prospect of joining Croydon, the most exciting place in London! I’m very much looking forward to working with colleagues and partners to deliver the best possible front line services and to continue the borough’s significant achievements in delivering its ambitious plans for transformational growth.”
Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council, added: “It’s a very exciting time for Shifa to be joining the council. Croydon is London’s growth borough and major investment and regeneration is already beginning to change our town. Shifa’s appointment completes a strong, new senior leadership team at the council and I’m confident they are the right people to deliver our ambitious plans for Croydon and its residents.”
