The chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority Jack Lemley has stepped down

Lemly was in charge of delivering the infrastructure for the 2012 games but today announced he is stepping down to return to his company in the US.

Lemly said: ‘The board is now established, along with its separate planning function. The delivery partner has been appointed and the ODA is ready to move to the next stage of its development.

‘I am keen to return to the helm of my international construction consulting firm in America, which is increasingly busy with major contracts.’

He added: ‘I have every confidence that London will stage a superb Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 and leave a legacy that the country can be proud of.’

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said: ’Jack has played an important role in helping London’s transition from Candidate City to host city for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games over the last year. I respect his decision to return to the US at this stage of the project and wish him every success.’

Lemley was appointed as chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority by Tessa Jowell in November 2005 and formally took up the post in March 2006 following Royal Assent of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act.

Sir Roy McNulty, who becomes acting chair of the ODA, has been chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority since 2001.