A chef, a theatre designer and a former Arsenal director have been appointed by Sir Sadiq Khan to lead the part-pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.
But the new Oxford Street development corporation board will meet for the first time on Wednesday at City Hall without its £200,000-a-year chief executive in place.
The 13 board members have been told not to travel by car or taxi, to avoid domestic flights and to minimise their consumption of alcohol at work events.
New chief executive Nabeel Khan will formally start work “within weeks” once he has served his notice at Lambeth council, where he has overseen its “kerbside strategy” of replacing car parking spaces with trees and bike racks.
Mr Khan worked for the Greater London Authority prior to the pandemic as head of economic development, when he was an advocate of a four-day working week.
The Oxford Street development corporation formally came into existence on January 1.
It is expected to gain planning powers over the Oxford Street regeneration area in the spring – enabling it, rather than Westminster or Camden councils, to benefit from financial contributions made by developers.
Thirteen members of the corporation’s board have been announced, including restaurateur Asma Khan, theatre designer Es Devlin and Keith Edelman, who as Arsenal managing director from 2000 to 2008 was involved in the club’s move from Highbury to the Emirates stadium.
Board chairman Scott Parsons can earn up to £40,000 a year while board members will be paid up to £24,000 a year.
The new board, which also includes the leaders of Westminster and Camden councils and two Westminster council executives, is due to meet for the first time on Wednesday afternoon.
However its new budget will be drawn up in secret, with its spending plans not expected to emerge until March.
Sir Sadiq hopes that the initial stages of the part-pedestrianisation of Oxford Street – between Selfridges and Ikea - will be in place by the end of summer 2026.
The mayor has chosen not to sit on the Oxford Street board but is expected to attend some meetings and has to be consulted before it takes any major decisions.
The development corporation’s priorities for 2026/27 include “developing a longer-term vision and strategy for commercial activation” and planning events to promote the removal of buses, taxis and cyclists from the area.
A consultation on diverting or curtailing 15 bus routes that currently use Oxford Street is due to close on January 16.
The development corporation will have the power to issue compulsory purchase orders with the mayor’s consent.
It will determine planning applications and applications to alter listed buildings and those in conservation areas.
Staff and board members have to use “green” travel options wherever possible.
The development corporation’s rules state: “Board and committee members and staff must consider using the least environmentally damaging mode of transport for any necessary travel. This includes using the train or bus rather than planes, cars or taxis.
“Where reasonable alternatives exist, the OSDC does not support flying, particularly within the UK or to the near continent.
“The OSDC is committed to the use of public transport: everyone at the OSDC is expected to use walking, cycling and public transport for work purposes wherever possible.
“Taxis and private cars should only be used when public transport is unavailable or impractical.”
The other members of the board are lawyer Dr Margaret Casey-Hayford, accountant Emir Feisal, Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Kate Willard, chief executive of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, Westminster council’s leader Adam Hug, chief executive Stuart Love and strategic projects director Manisha Patel, Camden leader Richard Olszewski, and Howard Dawber, Sir Sadiq’s deputy mayor for business.
Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company, is a non-voting member of the board.
Sir Sadiq said the first board meeting would be a “major milestone in our work to revitalise the nation’s high street”.
He said: “Bringing the diverse knowledge and insight of our new board members together with Nabeel Khan’s regeneration expertise will help us to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential, as we continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”
Nabeel Khan said: “Oxford Street is a powerhouse of London’s economy. To help shape its future is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and an immense honour.”
