UK – Paul Myners, the former Gartmore chief who wrote an influential report on institutional investment for the government, is to join real estate firm Land Securities as chairman.

Myners stepped down as chairman at retailer Marks & Spencer earlier this month amid reports of a boardroom row. He was succeeded by Lord Burns.

At Land Securities he succeeds Peter Birch, the former Abbey National chief executive who was chairman for almost nine years.

Myners was recruited by a Special Nominations Committee of non-executive directors and will join the Group Board in September.

Myners, whose report was published in 2001, is known as an advocate of transparency in institutional investors’ voting.

He is a member of the Court of Directors of the Bank of England, Chairman of Guardian Media Group plc and of Tate. Also he is a non-executive director of the Bank of New York.

The FTSE 100-listed Land Securities is the UK’s largest quoted property company with a combined investment portfolio worth £12.9bn.

It’s planning one of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes in Kent Thameside.