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Gillian Beasley commenced her career in local government in 1983 as a Trainee Solicitor for Leeds City Council having first worked in the private sector. Gillian worked as a lawyer in a number of local authorities including Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, leaving that authority in 1997 to become Director of Law and Administration for Peterborough City Council in 1997. In 2000 she became Director of Environmental and Legal Services.  

In the early 1990's, Gillian worked for a number of government departments in bringing forth guidance for the Children Act 1989 as she was recognised as a national expert in children's law.  She also worked for a number of national bodies in the health, social care and children arena and also lectured nationally for the Law Society on children's law.

Gillian has been Chief Executive of Peterborough City Council for eight years and she leads a council that has received a number of national awards for financial management, efficiency and waste management.  The Council has a strong ambition to grow the size of the city and Gillian is leading on a number of multi-million pound regeneration and development schemes to deliver this ambition.

Gillian has also worked at regional level, leading on improvement and efficiency work, community safety and migration.  She has also worked at a national level, sitting on the Migration Impacts Forum, Housing Commission and a sounding board for government to consult with Chief Executives on new legislation.She has worked with the Local Government Association and the CBI in bringing forward guidance on better procurement in local government which was published a few years ago and has spoken at a number of national conferences to support this work.

Gillian is currently Chair of a National Charity, UNITAS, which helps young people access, participate and progress in mainstream education and training through involvement with the arts.

Gillian received an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2009 for services to local government.  She also received an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in 2009 for her services to local government.  She is also a Fellow of the RSA.