Deborah Cadman has been Chief Executive of the East of England Development Agency since 2008. She started her career in the London Borough of Newham before moving to Birmingham where she managed a voluntary sector project that developed partnerships and community strategies. She joined Birmingham City Council as an economic development officer, working on major policy projects and public and private sector ventures. Later, as head of corporate policy at Redcar and Cleveland Borough, Deborah was responsible for regeneration, social policy, partnerships and 'best value'. She was also a member of the National Charities Lotteries Board Advisory Committee in the North East and has extensive experience of private-public sector partnerships.
As part of the modernisation team at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Deborah worked with senior civil servants on local government legislation, advised ministers, and provided direct support to councils in the East of England on the modernisation agenda. She moved to the Audit Commission where she was responsible for inspections in the London region and management of corporate governance inspections in Walsall, Enfield and Hackney, working with local government to develop sustainable improvement plans. Deborah has held the post of Chief Executive, St Edmundsbury Borough Council, and was interim Chief Executive of Waveney District Council.
In 2006 Deborah was awarded an OBE for services to local government.