The Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire

Ed Anderson CBE

Ed Anderson Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire

Ed Anderson Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire

Ed Anderson was born in Singapore on 22 December 1950. His father served in the Royal Engineers and his family moved regularly during Ed’s childhood as a result of successive postings.

After this nomadic early life, Ed came to Leeds in 1969, and gained a London University external degree in Economics at what is now Leeds Beckett University.

Ed had a twin-track executive career in local government and airport management. He worked for Bradford Council and then West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council, qualifying as an accountant in 1977. His last job in local government came in 1990 to 1997 when he was a member of the senior management team at Leeds City Council with responsibility for five departments.

He was assistant airport director at Leeds Bradford Airport in the early 1980s and deputy managing director at East Midlands Airport in the late 1980s. His final executive role was as chief executive of Leeds Bradford Airport for ten years until 2007. During this time, the airport nearly trebled in size and the new low cost airline, jet2.com, established its first base at Leeds Bradford. From 2008 to 2019 he chaired the Airport Operators Association, the trade body for all UK commercial airports.

Ed has sat on numerous boards as a non-executive director, most notably chairing the board of the Yorkshire Building Society for eight years, through the financial crisis, until 2015. He is a former Chairman of Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and is currently Chairman of National Savings & Investments (NS&I).

In the field of higher education, Ed chaired the governing body of Leeds Trinity University during the time that it gained its degree awarding powers and went on to become a University; he is currently its Pro Chancellor. His contribution to Leeds Trinity was recognised by the Pope in 2012 when he was made a Knight of St Gregory. He served on the Council of the University of Leeds from 2007 -2022, was Deputy Pro Chancellor and chaired its Audit & Risk Committee. In 2022 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Leeds Beckett University.

In the New Year Honours 2022, he was awarded the CBE for services to the finance sector and to public life in Yorkshire.

Ed has been involved with a number of local charities over the years, including being a trustee of St Gemma’s Hospice for 11 years.

In 2020 he was appointed Commander of the Order of St John.

Outside work and family, Ed’s interests revolve around his very wide musical tastes, encompassing virtually all genres. He serves on the boards of Opera North, is Deputy Chair of the Ryedale Festival and a former trustee of the Leeds International Piano Competition; but is equally at home at a Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan concert. His other love is sport but especially cricket and football. He has supported Yorkshire CCC and Leeds Utd ever since arriving in the county.

He is a former President, and Chairman, of Leeds Chamber of Commerce and was High Sheriff of West Yorkshire in 2015-16. He became a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in 2016 and was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire on 1st September 2018.

Ed has been a keen advocate for all aspects of West Yorkshire life since settling in the county in 1969. His aims for the Lieutenancy are for it to be inclusive, reaching out to communities throughout the county; and to shine a light on all that is excellent in West Yorkshire, especially through promoting the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, as well as encouraging nominations for Honours.

Ed lives near Wetherby with his wife Heather. They have four adult children and one grandchild.

Current positions held with local charities include:

  • Patron, Bradford Courts Chaplaincy Service
  • President, Community Foundation for Calderdale
  • Patron, Huddersfield Choral Society
  • Patron, Leeds PHAB
  • Patron, St Gemma’s Hospice
  • County President, Order of St John
  • Patron, Leeds Community Foundation
  • President, Reserve Forces & Cadets Association - Yorks & Humber
  • Patron, Yorkshire Volunteers Regimental Association
  • County Vice President, Royal British Legion