Dr Mariana Pexton

Mariana is the Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds City Council, with responsibility for oversight of the Strategy and Resources directorate. She leads the council's cross-cutting transformation agenda and public sector reform and serves as the primary liaison with senior health partners.

Strategy & Resources is a large directorate of about 5,000 staff including Finance, Human Resources, Digital, Legal and Governance, Shared Services, Strategy and Performance, Communications and Marketing, and crucially a service called Civic Enterprise Leeds that delivers many vital front-line services such as catering, cleaning, school crossing patrols, passenger transport and building repairs. She leads the strategic developments for Leeds City Council, including the Best City Ambition, and plays a key corporate role supporting councillors.

Mariana has previously been employed in senior in roles in Leeds in Strategy, Customer Services and Children’s Services. Prior to joining the council in 2000, Mariana enjoyed a career in leadership and management in the Civil Service and an Inspectorate. She studied Sports Studies in Newcastle as her first degree and has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Leeds. Mariana has recently been awarded a Doctorate in Business Administration at Leeds Beckett University, following research into local government leadership and strategy.

She is married, with two children aged 24 and 16. Mariana is also chair of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and a Director at Leeds Rhinos Netball as a volunteer. She loves family holidays in Menorca, and was proud to complete the first Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in 2023.