The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has
announced the Joanna Nunn will become its new Chief Conciliator.
An experienced mediator and conciliator, Joanna has previously
held the role of Assistant Chief Conciliator and has worked at
Acas since 2006.
Jo will officially take up the position of Chief Conciliator on
Monday 3rdNovember.
The Chief Conciliator leads the team that helps unions and
employers resolve their workplace disputes through Acas's free,
impartial and trusted collective conciliation service
Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said:
“I am delighted to confirm Jo's appointment as Chief Conciliator,
following a very competitive open process.
“Jo has a huge amount of experience resolving conflicts and has
brought her conciliation skills to bear on many high-profile
disputes in recent years.
“This year marks Acas's 50th anniversary in its current form, but
its roots go back to 1896. That means we have been helping
resolve workplace disputes for nearly 130 years.
“Against the backdrop of major employment reform, Jo's expertise
and leadership will be crucial to helping resolve disputes at
work and continuing our long tradition of excellent service to
both employers and workers.”
Joanna Nunn, Acas Chief Conciliator, said:
“I am pleased to take up the role of Chief Conciliator and lead a
team of experts that handles over 500 disputes each year.
“Acas's collective conciliation service is hugely successful at
helping people find common ground and work through their
differences.
“As the government rolls out a major package of employment law
reform, the knowledge and skill of Acas's collective conciliators
is going to be more vital than ever.”
Joanna replaces previous Chief Conciliator Marina Glasgow, who
held the position since May 2023, and was Acas's first female
Chief Conciliator.
In 2024-2025, Acas's collective conciliation team facilitated
confidential talks in over 522 disputes, resolving or supporting
progress toward settlement in 93% of cases – pay was the leading
cause of disputes, and cases are down from 618 the previous year.
Ends
Notes to editors
- Acas is the leading authority on workplace relations and
dispute resolution in Great Britain. We provide free, impartial
advice to employers and employees on workplace rights, rules and
best practice. We also provide training and tailored support for
businesses that can help them succeed. Acas is a non-departmental
public body that is governed by an independent Council made up of
employers, employee representatives and independent members.
- With 19 years of experience at Acas, Joanna has built a
strong reputation as an expert in dispute resolution,
facilitation, and mediation. Over nearly two decades, she has
worked extensively with employers, Trade unions and employees to
foster constructive dialogue, resolve complex workplace issues,
and promote positive employment relations.
- Joanna has previously held the positions of:
Helpline advisor
Individual conciliator/Mediator
Acas internal trainer of Individual conciliators and
mediators
Senior Advisor
Collective Conciliator
Assistant Chief Conciliator
