A new chief executive officer has been recommended for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service after a “robust selection process”.
Matthew Warren has been recommended for the role, with the appointment due to be confirmed by the county’s fire authority later this month.
Once formally appointed, Mr Warren will take over from the current chief fire officer, Chris Strickland, who announced his retirement in February.
Mr Strickland has served for more than 40 years in the fire and rescue service and as chief fire officer for the past eight years.
The recommendation follows a nationwide recruitment search carried out over the past few weeks culminating in interviews with the Fire Authority’s appointments committee on Wednesday (22 May).
The committee was assisted by Stephen Moir, chief executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, as an external independent assessor.
Mr Warren is currently deputy chief executive for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and has worked for the Service for more than 20 years.
He joined in 2003 as head of finance, before becoming director of resources in 2009 and deputy chief executive in 2015.
Cllr Edna Murphy, chair of the Fire Authority, said: “Matthew was our unanimous choice as the candidate we will recommend to the full Fire Authority when it meets on 20 June. Matthew’s proven ability at chief officer level, his forward-thinking approach with its emphasis on people, combined with his operational qualifications made him stand out.
“He has been an integral part of the chief officer team for many years and is passionate about continuing to make the fire and rescue service the best it can be.”
