The Corporation of St George’s has announced a new appointment after the departure of its town manager.

Richard James has assumed the post of Acting Corporation Secretary and Transition Consultant at the Old Town.

His appointment follows the departure of Candy-Lee Foggo, who served as town manager for the past 11 years. She was thanked by the corporation for her service.

Mr James was said to bring more than three decades of senior leadership experience in Bermuda’s public sector.

He previously served as chief architect in the Ministry of Works and Engineering and as development manager at the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

He held extended acting assignments including Acting Assistant Cabinet Secretary, Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Works and Engineering and acting general manager of the BHC.

The corporation said Mr James was called upon throughout his career to support ministries, departments and quangos during periods of organisational challenge and change.

His record included governance and management improvement, policy development, strategic planning, operational reform and accountability systems.

Mr James is a Bermuda-registered architect and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Howard University, a Master of Architecture degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Management from Boston University.

Quinell Francis, the Mayor of St George, said: “The Corporation of St George’s has a significant responsibility to the residents, businesses and visitors of the town.

“St George is not only the birthplace of Bermuda, but also a Unesco World Heritage Site, and it must be actively protected, conserved and managed with care, accountability and a strong sense of stewardship.

“During this transition, our absolute priority is maintaining an open door and seamless continuity for our community.”

She added: “Mr James brings extensive public sector leadership experience, a strong background in governance and organisational improvement and a proven record of leading public bodies through periods of transition, reform and organisational renewal.

“We are confident that his appointment will provide valuable support to the corporation during this important period.

“Because St George is a town built on relationships, Mr James will be engaging directly with our local town businesses, community groups and residents in the coming weeks to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met.”