Chris Humphries was appointed Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills with effect from 1 January 2008. This appointment followed high profile national roles as Director General of the City and Guilds of London Institute, the UK's oldest and leading awarding body for Vocational Qualifications, from 2001 to 2007, and Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce from 1998-2001. Other relevant positions included Chief Executive of the TEC National Council from 1994-1998, Chief Executive of the Hertfordshire TEC, Assistant Director of the UK’s Council for Educational Technology, and work in the private sector for ICL and Acorn Computers.

Over the last 20 years, Chris has worked actively with Government as an adviser on a wide variety of training projects, including the Open Tech Project, the Training Access Points system, the Prospects careers guidance system, and a variety of other public projects to develop the potential of new technologies for education and training. From 1998 to 2000, Chris served as Chairman of the Government's National Skills Task Force, before being appointed as a founder member of the national Learning and Skills Council from 2000 to 2003, and is a continuing member of the national Adult Learning Committee. He is currently Chairman of UK Skills, and in 2006, led the successful UK bid to host the WorldSkills Competitions in London in 2011. He was a member of the national Skills Strategy Steering Group from December 2002 to 2005, appointed to the Board of the NHSU from 2003-05, and the FE Review Advisory Group in 2005.

He was awarded the CBE for services to training and enterprise in June 1998.

Chis Humphries CBE is participating in the Think global, act sectoral: getting industry more engaged in education session.