Lead Non-Executive Director and Non-Executive Director appointed to the MOJ Departmental Board
The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has approved the appointments of Rob Whiteman CBE as Lead Non-Executive Director and Justin Russell as Non-Executive Director to the Ministry of Justice Departmental Board.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has approved two appointments to the Ministry of Justice Departmental Board. He has appointed Rob Whiteman CBE as Lead Non-Executive Director for a 1 year term from 5 May 2026 to 4 May 2027. He has also appointed Justin Russell as a Non-Executive Director (NED) for 3 years from 11 May 2026 to 10 May 2029.
Non-Executive Board members
Non-executives are senior figures from outside the department who bring a diverse mix of expertise and skills from across the public and private sector. They all:
- give guidance and advice to MOJ leaders and ministers
- support and challenge management on the department’s strategic direction
- provide support in monitoring and reviewing progress
Biographies
Rob Whiteman CBE is currently Chair for ReSI PLC (since 2016), and Cluster Chair for NHS Bath & North East Somerset, Wiltshire & Swindon, NHS Dorset and NHS Somerset (since 2025). He is Treasurer and Council Member at Queen Mary University of London (since 2024), In 2025, he was appointed Chair of ARC and Senior Independent Director for National Highways. He also chairs some improvement boards in local government where the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has issued Best Value Notices. Previously Rob held four CEO appointments over a twenty year period, most latterly at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy until 2024.
Justin Russell served as Director General for Children and Families at the Department for Education from October 2023 to September 2025. His previous roles in government include: HM Chief Inspector of Probation (2019-2023), Director General, Justice Analysis and Offender Policy, Ministry of Justice (2016-2019), where he was responsible for the Prison Safety and Reform Programme, and Director for Disability Employment and Support, Department for Work and Pensions (2014-2016).