Andy Roe

Andy Roe is the former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (2020-2025).

Andy led one of the world’s largest emergency services through unprecedented transformation after the Grenfell Tower tragedy and a critical statutory inspection.

Tasked with delivering whole-organisation reform, Andy Roe created and implemented a new strategy that, in five years, not only removed LFB from special measures but also recognised it as the most significantly improved fire service in the UK.

Drawing on his experience as an LFB Commissioner and a former British Army Captain, Andy offers invaluable insights into building and leading resilient teams under pressure. He also offers real-world insights into risk management, organisational culture change, and what it takes to deliver lasting improvement, particularly when stakes are at their highest.

Andy Roe Bio:

Following a distinguished career rising through the ranks of the London Fire Brigade, Andy Roe was appointed London Fire Commissioner in 2020. Taking the helm in the aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, Andy was entrusted with steering one of the world’s largest emergency rescue services – over 6,300 staff and an annual budget exceeding £510 million – through a time of intense scrutiny and institutional change.

Before joining the fire service in 2002, Andy served as a British Army Officer. He graduated from Sandhurst and rose to the rank of Captain in the Royal Artillery, including being appointed Northern Ireland Operations Officer in 1999.

Driven by a deep commitment to public service and leading from the front, Andy’s strategic vision took LFB from one of the UK’s lowest-performing services to one of its most highly rated, as recognised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate.

He also spearheaded a comprehensive transformation of a service accountable for safeguarding the built environment of nearly 10 million residents, thousands of transport hubs and hospitals, 20,000 heritage buildings, and 70% of all high-rise buildings in the UK.

A value-driven leader, Andy Roe emphasised ensuring equity, inclusion, opportunity, and learning are at the heart of LFB. In 2021, he initiated an independent review of LFB’s culture to confront and address deeply embedded issues of racism and misogyny. This reflected his dedication to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment for all staff and establishing a lasting cultural transformation within the service.

Under his leadership, LFB became a thought leader in cultural reform, inspiring change across emergency services.

Beyond the fire service, Andy Roe has helped shape national security policy as Chair of the National Security Board, in response to the recommendations of the Harris Review in London and the Manchester Arena Inquiry.

He has also contributed to innovation and transformation in higher education as a King’s College London Impact Board member.

Andy Roe Keynote Speaking Topics:

Change and Transformation:

When Andy Roe became LFB Commissioner in 2020, he inherited an organisation resistant to change, deeply affected by the Grenfell Tower Tragedy, and placed under special measures.

Drawing on a lifetime’s experience working in high-risk and dynamic environments, Andy looks at the challenges faced and the process involved in devising a credible plan that a workforce, political leaders, media, and regulatory stakeholders buy into. He also explores strategies to overcome internal and external resistance and drive lasting change, even under intense pressure.

Key Messages

• How to successfully communicate the case for change.
• Who are your change leaders, and how do you use them?
• The structures, systems and governance needed to change quickly.
• Understanding risk and defining the outcomes you want.
• Assurance, evidencing change and holding yourself to account before others do.
• Building a change legacy, maintaining and improving outcomes.

Leading a High-Performing Team:

As CEO of one of the largest Emergency Rescue Services in the world, Andy Roe led more than 6,300 staff across 103 Fire Stations and managed an annual budget of over £510 million.

Through strategic changes in governance, financial management and culture, Andy successfully transforms a service under scrutiny and demonstrates the vital importance of resilience, clear and effective communication, and a balanced approach to reward and accountability in building, leading and sustaining high-performance teams. He also offers valuable insights for leaders navigating complex, high-pressure environments.

Key Messages:

• How to identify and build resilience in your team.
• The importance of the different voices and how you should include them properly in your team.
• Communication under pressure.
• Reward and accountability.
• Clarity as a leader.

Risk and Consequence

As commander at some of the UK’s most high-profile and tragically consequential major incidents, Andy Roe has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact when risk management fails.

With unparalleled frontline experience, he is uniquely positioned to examine risk management through the lens of real-world outcomes. He also explores how organisations can better anticipate failure, respond effectively under pressure, and build systems that prevent future crises. He also examines why and how systems can never entirely remove the need for human judgment, adaptability and leadership in an age of advanced technology.

Key Messages:

• How seemingly minor failures can have giant consequences.
• Systems can never entirely remove the human factor, so how can you humanise the understanding and management of risk?
• The importance of robust inspection, assurance and being ruthlessly honest with yourselves.
• How to build a curious, learning culture.
• How to be an effective professional sceptic.
• How to build layers of effective safeguards and assurance.