Ian Thomas received the accolade in the Queen's New Year's Honours List, for his outstanding contribution to local government and children's services.
Shortly before taking over as interim director of children's services at Rotherham Council in 2015, Thomas described his task as "the most difficult job in Britain".
By the time of his departure in 2018, the service was rated "good" by Ofsted, having been judged "inadequate" in 2014. His appointment followed a damning inquiry into the sexual exploitation of at least 1,400 children in the Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2013.
Thomas was last month appointed chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, after seven months in a similar post at Lewisham Council. He had previously been director of Derbyshire children's services for three years.
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