Dan Labbad Appointed for Third Term as Chief Executive for The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate is pleased to announce that Chief Executive Dan Labbad has been reappointed for an unprecedented third, four-year term. 

The Crown Estate Board has unanimously agreed to extend Dan Labbad’s contract, recognising the importance of his continued leadership as the organisation moves from strategy into an accelerated phase of delivery for the nation.  

Dan joined The Crown Estate at the end of 2019 and his third term as Chief Executive and Second Commissioner will begin on 1 January 2028. The reappointment has been approved by the King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. 

Ric Lewis, Chair of The Crown Estate, said: “The Board is unanimous in reappointing Dan for a third term. The Crown Estate has transformed under his leadership, with a clear strategy aligned to its parliamentary remit, a strong leadership team and a substantial growth platform built with partners across areas that are essential to the UK’s long-term prosperity. 

“As the incoming Chair, what has particularly stood out to me is Dan’s agility in navigating complexity, his commercial skills, and his ability to bring together partners across government, industry and communities to unlock opportunities.

"I am delighted that Dan has agreed to serve a third term. With our new investment powers, I am confident his leadership will ensure we continue to deliver at pace and scale for the benefit of the country."

Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate, said: "I'm honoured to be reappointed and grateful for the continued support of the Board, stakeholders, customers and The Crown Estate team.

“By working in partnership, and through our unified and independent approach, we are well placed to increasingly support the UK’s current and future needs. A key focus of this third term will be ensuring The Crown Estate remains a resilient, forward-looking organisation set to deliver lasting benefits for generations to come.” 

Highlights  

In recent years, The Crown Estate has delivered a number of significant milestones aligned to its statutory role, strengthening its ability to generate long-term value and national impact. This includes: 

• Returning £3.6 billion to the Treasury over the last six years to support public spending, generated from a diverse urban, marine and rural portfolio with a net asset value of £15 billion. 

• Supporting the modernisation of its legislative framework through the Crown Estate Act 2025, providing new investment and borrowing powers to enable a more active role in delivering long-term value. 

• Playing a leading role in the UK’s offshore wind programme and wider infrastructure development, including: 

  • Increasing offshore wind leasing activity and helping provide longer-term market visibility 

  • Developing the Marine Delivery Routemap to support more coordinated infrastructure deployment alongside environmental protection 

  • Launching a £400 million investment programme to support port and supply chain capacity 

• Building a significant development pipeline to support jobs, growth and housing, including: 

  • A £1.5 billion investment programme in science, innovation and technology across the UK 

  • A pipeline of more than 30,000 homes 

  • A £500 million programme to renew and strengthen London's West End 

• Strengthening the rural portfolio as a core part of the national estate, including: 

  • Working with farmers and the wider industry to introduce environmental farm tenancies that support sustainable food production and nature recovery 

  • Setting targets to increase land managed for nature, supported by a £20 million Environmental Fund 

In additional Board news, Clare Shine and Anne Kavanagh have been reappointed for a second term. Alongside her responsibilities as a Commissioner of The Crown Estate Board, Anne will also be responsible for providing advice about the conditions in England, in line with the provisions of the Crown Estate Act 2025.  

The Act introduced new borrowing and investment powers alongside a requirement to keep under review the impact of its activities on the achievement of sustainable development. It also increased the maximum number of commissioners on the Board from 8 to twelve in line with modern corporate governance standards.  

This includes the provision to appoint Commissioners who, alongside their wider responsibilities, can specifically support the Board’s ongoing understanding of the conditions in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, ensuring The Crown Estate’s strategy continues to take these into consideration.  

Michael Plaut OBE was recently announced as the Commissioner with special responsibilities for Wales, and the process to appoint a Commissioner to advise on matters relating Northern Ireland will follow in due course.