Robin Hindle Fisher becomes Big Society Capital Chair, & other movers
Melanie May | 28 March 2022 | News
With Robin Hindle Fisher being appointed as Big Society Capital’s Chair, here’s news of this and two more Chair appointments, as well as other recent charity sector movers, including Kath Abrahams becoming Chief Executive of Tommy’s.
Robin Hindle Fisher appointed as Big Society Capital Chair
The Board of Big Society Capital has appointed a new Chair. Subject to regulatory approval, Robin Hindle Fisher will take over from Sir Harvey McGrath who has chaired the UK’s leading social impact investment organisation for the last eight years since taking up the role in January 2014. Hindle Fisher has long experience in both the investment management industry and the charity sector, and has served for over twenty years on the boards of a number of charities including Scope and Family Fund and was chair of the Extra Costs Commission in 2014-15. He is currently a Governor and Chair of the Grant Making and Innovation Committee at Motability. He also had a distinguished career in investment management including as Managing Director of Henderson’s pension fund business and Chief Executive of Phillips & Drew Fund Management. He is currently deputy chairman of Ruffer LLP and partner at Hay Hill Partners where he works as a business coach and executive mentor.
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Kath Abrahams welcomed as new Chief Executive of Tommy’s
Kath Abrahams brings more than 20 years’ senior leadership experience to Tommy’s, from working across health and social care focused charities and in higher education. From 2016-2021 she was Director of Engagement and Fundraising at Diabetes UK, and she is also a former Executive Director of Fundraising and Supporter Development for King’s College London and King’s Health Partners; Director of Engagement and Income Generation at Breakthrough Breast Cancer; and Development Director at the NSPCC. Prior to moving into the third sector, Abrahams was General Manager of the Bloomsbury Theatre in London. She joins Tommy’s as the charity marks its 30th anniversary year.
The Kite Factory hires WaterAid’s Charley Day as Strategy Director
Independent media agency The Kite Factory has hired WaterAid’s Charley Day to the role of Strategy Director, further strengthening their expertise across the charity sector. Day has worked with The Kite Factory for nearly 10 years as their client in her role as Supporter Engagement Lead at WaterAid. Prior to this she spent eight years in the retention team at the NSPCC where she was responsible for fundraising strategy and long term supporter engagement. She will report into TKF’s newly promoted Head of Planning, Christian Taylor, and work alongside the agency’s Head of Charity, Caroline Dolan, as the team continue to build senior charity client relationships.
Sense appoints four new Trustees to its board
The Trustees, Vivienne Hoskins, Nathan Taylor, Ben Cooper and Mark Westwell have either been appointed to a four-year term at Sense in the first instance, or co-opted for one year. Hoskins has a background of leadership in children’s charities, developing and delivering digital transformation strategy, performance improvement and change management. She has two disabled sons. Taylor is the Assistant Head of a Special School; a sector he has worked in for 25 years, and has a son with a learning disability, Cooper has a background in politics, is a Senior Researcher at a think tank and has a disability, and Westwell has a background in banking and served as a Board Director for multiple regulated businesses. He’s currently a non-executive director & chair, on two boards and has been involved in charity fundraising for many years. He will join as a co-opted Trustee in the first instance.
Four new Trustees for Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex
Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) has strengthened its Board with the appointment of four new Trustees. The new Trustees are: Jane Redman, a Fundraising Consultant who has developed income generation strategies and campaigns for charities including Mencap, Children’s Hospice South West and Kent MS Therapy Centre, Nick Hall, who has over 30 years in the helicopter industry in strategic, operational, transformational and entrepreneurial roles, Richard Lee, Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Chief Executive for St John Ambulance, former Director of Operations for Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, and a registered Paramedic, and David Morgan, Group Director of Flight Operations at easyJet, and an aviation executive and expert on addressing the climate impact of aviation.
Julian Mines to join Bristol Charities as CEO
One of Bristol’s oldest charities has appointed a new CEO after an extensive search of potential candidates. Julian Mines will join Bristol Charities at the beginning of May. He is currently Chief Executive of FairShare South West, and will step into the role of CEO at Bristol Charities, as it works up proposals for creating a thriving and balanced new neighbourhood for multigenerational living and working at the Vassall Centre in Fishponds. Plans include new, high quality affordable housing for older people and families alongside accessible, sustainable work and meeting spaces for current and potentially new tenants, as well as facilities for the wider community.
Morven MacLean takes up Director of People and Strategy role at CHAS
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – better known as CHAS, has officially announced Morven MacLean as the new Director of People and Strategy at CHAS. The first internal appointment to the senior team in many years, MacLean has been with CHAS for almost seven years as Head of Volunteering; helping evolve ways of working and significantly improving volunteer engagement. MacLean was instrumental in establishing CHAS’s innovative virtual hospice service and revolutionised the way in which the charity delivers its services after assuming additional responsibilities in relation to culture, wellbeing and business planning. MacLean also served as Chair of Glasgow Women’s Aid. In her new role, MacLean will be responsible for leading the new People and Strategy Directorate which comprises HR, Volunteering, Learning & Development and Strategy and Programme Development functions.
Pamela Ronka Maroulis announced as Accordant President
Accordant has announced Pamela Ronka Maroulis, CFRE, (Pam) as its new President. Accordant founder, Betsy Chapin Taylor, FAHP, will continue serving as the organisation’s chief executive officer. Maroulis has been a principal consultant with Accordant for more than two years and will continue her consulting and speaking work with select clients. She brings more than 28 years of philanthropy experience, including major gift cultivation, campaign management, grateful patient programs, physician engagement and culture alignment. She also holds CFRE accreditation and has been actively involved in volunteer leadership roles for the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy and other industry associations.
Joanna Prior appointed Chair of Trustees at the National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust has welcomed Joanna Prior as its new Chair. Prior is a leading figure in publishing, steering the strategic growth of Penguin General Books into an award-winning publishing house over the last twelve years. She joins Pan Macmillan as CEO on 4 April. She has also previously served as Chair of World Book Day, the Women’s Prize Trust and President of the Publishers Association. She has been instrumental in growing partnerships between the publishing sector and literacy charities. During her time at Penguin Random House, she has fostered a strong relationship between the publisher and the National Literacy Trust, particularly focusing on delivering outcomes in the North East and working with colleagues on creating vibrant primary school library spaces. Since 2014 Prior has held a trustee role at the National Literacy Trust, serving as Vice Chair for the past three years before acceding to the role of Chair. She replaces Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, CBE, who served as Chair of the National Literacy Trust since 2013.
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn announced as Mencap’s new Chair
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn DBE has been appointed as the new Chair of Trustees at Mencap. Fairbairn will take over from Derek Lewis, who completes his eight-year term as Chair in the summer. From 2015 to 2020, Fairbairn was Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, where she represented business on issues ranging from the UK’s trading relationship with the EU and sustainability, to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She has also been a Trustee of Marie Curie Cancer; a member of the Executive Board at ITV; BBC Director of Strategy where she led the BBC’s digital strategy; and before that was at McKinsey, where she was a partner and leader of its UK media practice. She has also worked in the Number 10 Policy unit, where she oversaw health and social services policy, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of HSBC.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.