He currently serves as non-executive chairman of the English Cities Fund and chairs the board of the SQW Group.
Whilst completing his formal education, he worked for two years as a part-time street trader at Bell St Market, London.
Lyons worked in the public sector as an economist, and between 1980 and 1983 served as an elected Labour councillor on Birmingham City Council.
In March 2007, he published the final report and recommendations from his three-year independent inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government.
Lyons served as a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company[7] as well as a non-executive director on the boards of Mouchel,[needs update][8] Wragge & Co Solicitors and SQW Group Ltd.[9] A former chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and former member of the boards of City Pride, Birmingham Marketing Partnership and Millennium Point Property Trust Company, he was also previously a director of Central Independent Television, until 1993.