Before joining the fire service, Andy Roe served as a British Army Officer, graduating from Sandhurst and rising to the rank of Captain of the Royal Artillery, and was appointed the Northern Ireland Operations Officer in 1999.

He joined the London Fire Brigade in 2002 as a firefighter, where he stayed until 2017 when he became Assistant Commissioner.

His most high-profile job was the Grenfell Tower fire; he was appointed incident commander, where he revoked the controversial “stay put” advice initially given to the residents. As the first commissioner appointed since the fire, Andy issued a plea to the residents of London’s 7,000+ high-rise blocks to “set aside any post-Grenfell doubts” and continue to follow firefighters’ advice in the event of a fire.

As commissioner, Andy Roe was in charge of a comprehensive transformation of a service accountable for safeguarding the built environment of 10 million residents, thousands of hospitals and transport hubs, 20,000 heritage buildings, and 70% of all high-rise buildings in the UK.

Andy was a value-driven leader, and particularly focused on ensuring equity, inclusion, opportunity, and learning were at the heart of the LFB. In 2021, just one year into the job, he initiated an independent review of the culture to address any deeply embedded issues of misogyny and racism. Under this leadership, LFB became a leader in cultural reform.

Andy retired from the London Fire Brigade in June 2025, where he was appointed as non-executive chairman of a new shadow board at the building safety regulator. He has also sat as the Chair of the National Security Board in response to the Harris Review in London and the Manchester Arena inquiry. Andy also contributed to innovation and transformation in higher education as part of the King’s College London Impact board.

Andy Roe | Awards and Honours

Andy has received range of awards and honours during his time in the emergency services, including:

• 2024 New Year Honours: King’s Fire Service Medal
• For Service in Northern Ireland: General Service Medal
• 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
• 2022: Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
• 2023: King Charles III Coronation Medal
• 2022: Fire and Rescue Service London Service and Good Conduct Medal

Andy Roe | Corporate Work

Andy’s experience leading a large public agency puts him in the unique position to help clients – large or small – navigate risk, drive cultural and organisational change, and deliver lasting improvement.

Andy Roe | Keynote Talks

Change and Transformation: Andy talks about his leadership abilities in transforming the London Fire Brigade from a troubled service into a trusted, modern organisation. He shares how to build credibility, overcome internal resistance, and implement the necessary systems for lasting change within any organisation.

Key Takeaways:

– Building trust in crisis

– Driving lasting transformation

– Overcoming resistance to change

Risk and Consequence: Based on his extensive frontline experience, Andy offers real-life lessons on risk management, focussing on how organisations can anticipate failures, respond effectively under pressure, and build strong crisis-prevention safeguards. He focusses on the critical role of human judgement, how to identify early warning signs, foster a learning culture, and ensure accountability at all levels.

Key Takeaways:

– Proactive risk anticipation

– Crisis response and safeguards

– Human judgement in a tech world

Leading a High Performing Team: As Commissioner of one of the world’s largest emergency services, Andy led over 6,300 staff across 103 fire stations, managing a £510 million annual budget. Drawing on his own experience, he provides practical insights into building resilient, high-performing teams.

Key Takeaways:

– Leadership at scale

– Building resilience under pressure

– Effective communication and accountability

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Andy Roe to speak at or host your next live event worldwide.

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