Tom was appointed as Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward in December 2005, he took up the position on 1 February 2006. Along with a considerable experience in the public sector environment, he is the youngest RDA Chief Executive since their establishment in 1999.

As Chief Executive, Tom has pioneered the concept of “Team Yorkshire & Humber” bringing together public and private sector partners from across the region to work together on a wide and varied range of issues. Most recently these have included championing the region’s response to climate change, including a pioneering Carbon Capture & Storage Partnership that would reduce UK carbon emissions by 10% and create 50,000 jobs. In March 2010, Tom was honoured at the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards as the region’s Green Champion, as the individual deemed to have done most to promote environmental measures, following his visionary work in shifting the region's focus towards a low carbon, green energy-led future

In October 2008 Tom was asked by the Chancellor to lead a Task Force which would co-ordinate the region's response to potential job losses in the financial services sector and produce a long term strategy to secure the future of high skilled employment in the sector.

In addition to his demanding role as Chief Executive, Tom is also a trustee of The Trust for Education and was previously Co-Chair of the Government’s national Ethnic Minority Business Task Force. As one of Bradford University’s honorary graduands in July 2008, Tom became a Doctor of Letters.