Mayor of London picks ex-Westfield COO to chair Oxford Street development board
The mayor of London Sadiq Khan has proposed that real estate veteran Scott Parsons chair the board of the Oxford Street Development Corporation, which will lead the regeneration of the famous street.
Parsons is currently the chief executive officer of Lysara, a pan-European energy infrastructure platform that operates within the logistics and urban markets.
Prior to this, he was UK chief operating officer at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield between 2019 and 2025, overseeing flagship retail destinations at Westfield London and Stratford City and guiding the UK business through the Covid period.
He also brings 13 years of experience at Landsec, where as head of property for London he managed a portfolio that included buildings on Oxford Street spanning from Park House in the west, to Primark and the Dominion Theatre in the east.
Parsons is also a former non-executive director of the New West End Company.
His appointment is subject to a confirmation hearing by the London Assembly, and follows a recruitment process which launched in August.
The Mayor is progressing with steps to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) dedicated to regenerating the area with the aim of making Oxford Street a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure, and outdoor events. Following support from the London Assembly in July 2025, he is now working with the government to make the necessary legislation for the MDC to be established by 1 January 2026.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: “With a wealth of experience in London’s retail and property sectors, Scott has the extensive knowledge and insight needed to play a key role in delivering our bold plans to transform Oxford Street. I’m determined to unlock Oxford Street’s true potential to create a world-class leisure destination, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
Scott Parsons added: “The Oxford Street Transformation provides the opportunity to put a world-famous icon back on the map. I’m looking forward to working with the Mayor, the new Development Corporation chief executive and their teams on this exciting project.”