The press release issued by HM Treasury on 18 June 2026.
Dan Labbad has been reappointed as Chief Executive and Second Commissioner of The Crown Estate. Anne Kavanagh and Clare Shine have also been reappointed as Board Members of The Crown Estate Board.
On the recommendation of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Dan Labbad has been reappointed as Chief Executive and Second Commissioner of The Crown Estate, to serve a third four-year term from 1 January 2028. Anne Kavanagh and Clare Shine have also been reappointed as Board Members of The Crown Estate Board for second terms of four years.
Dan has served as CEO of The Crown Estate since 2019. Prior to The Crown Estate, Dan held a number of senior positions at the global property and infrastructure group Lendlease, including Group Chief Operating Officer and the dual roles of Chief Executive Officer, International Operations and Chief Executive Officer, Europe. Dan has actively championed sustainability and technology throughout his professional life, having previously served as a director of the Green Building Council of Australia and as Chairman of the UK Green Building Council.
In addition to her existing responsibilities on the Board, Anne will take on additional responsibilities as Commissioner with special responsibility for England, to ensure the Board’s decisions reflect the conditions, priorities and opportunities in England.
This follows the passage of the Crown Estate Act 2025, which provides for the appointment of Commissioners who, either solely or alongside their wider Board responsibilities, can support the Board’s understanding of English, Welsh and Northern Irish interests. This helps to ensure The Crown Estate’s strategic objectives are aligned with the conditions in each nation. Linked to this, the Crown Estate Act 2025 also increased the maximum number of Commissioners from eight to twelve in line with modern corporate governance standards.
On 19 May 2026, Michael Plaut OBE was announced as being appointed to The Crown Estate Board to serve a four-year term from 1 July 2026 as Commissioner with special responsibility for Wales. A further announcement on a Commissioner with special responsibility for Northern Ireland will be made in due course.
This non-executive appointment process was carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All appointments have been approved by His Majesty The King, following recommendation by the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
All appointments are made on merit, and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in line with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity to be made public. Dan, Anne, and Clare confirmed that they have not engage in any political activity in the last five years.