Topshop founder Sir Philip Green is to lead an efficiency review of government spending, including an examination of leases and property.

The Cabinet Office has announced today that Green, the founder of retail group Arcadia, will conduct an investigation into the last three years of public spending, identifying inefficiencies and potential savings.

Green, whose review will be published ahead of the spending review on 20 October, will be principally tasked with assessing the progress of 2007’s Operation Efficiency Programme. It said the government could earn £20bn from property sales in 10 years.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: “There is a pressing need to push forward with both the efficiency and transparency agendas and the best businesses have always understood that to save money you have to keep looking for ways of doing things differently.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Sir Philip, with his immense commercial experience and of course his fantastic track record at managing large organisations, on board. Sir Philip has made clear to the government the importance of his business remit which has always been  that efficient operating is different from cost cutting and removing jobs.”

Green said:  “I have discussed this project fully with my group chief executive Ian Grabiner who is supportive, excited and engaged in aiming to make a difference.

“I believe that our shared experience in the procurement of many goods and services, across a broad geographical area of the UK, will enable us to have important benchmarked information which will be extremely useful.

“I will give this efficiency review my very best effort knowing how hugely important it is to the recovery of the country. I want to help focus, motivate and energize to achieve these efficiency savings.  It is these actions that will re-start growth in the UK.”

Yesterday, the Cabinet Office announced that civil servant John Collington would head up a government drive to reduce the cost of procurement.

• Sir Philip Green to slam public property waste
• Spending Review: Cabinet Office to get tough on departments
• Green blasts government’s handling of properties
• Government bans leases until 2015
• Government plans new central property vehicle