[ACNS source: Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has announced the appointment of a Chief of Staff for Lambeth Palace. Mr Chris Smith, currently General Manager of Hoare's Bank, will take up his duties in late September.

The Archbishop said, "I'm delighted that someone with the gifts and skills that Chris has will be joining the team here at Lambeth and I look forward to the extra dimension he will be able to add."

Mr Smith (54) is a former General Secretary of the Diocese of London before which he was a partner in Price Waterhouse, London. He said today that he was looking forward to the challenge:

"I am delighted to be taking up this fascinating and intriguing role and I hope to make a difference to Archbishop Rowan by easing the burden of administration.

"In moving to the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, I will be going from one venerable institution to another - I hope that some of the skills I have picked up along the way prove to be transferable."

Mr Smith is married with two grown up daughters.

The post of Chief of staff at Lambeth Palace was proposed both by the Hurd Review of the See of Canterbury, To Lead and To Serve, and by the second stage of the Mellows review, Resourcing Archbishops. Both envisaged a lay chief of staff taking a major administrative role and freeing up the Archbishop to spend more time on the uniquely archiepiscopal duties of his post.