New CEO for the Horniman, & other charity sector movers
Melanie May | 7 May 2024 | News
Gordon Seabright takes up the CEO role at the Horniman, while Girlguiding has announced its new Chair, and Music Minds Matter has also appointed its next Chair. More on these and other recent movers below.
Gordon Seabright appointed Chief Executive of Horniman Museum and Gardens
Gordon Seabright is currently Chief Executive of Creative Land Trust, and will take up his new post at the Horniman in June. He has been Chief Executive of Creative Land Trust since 2020 and has a broad experience of environmental and heritage charities, including as CEO of the Eden Project, Chief Executive of Cycling UK, and senior roles at the Royal Horticultural Society and English Heritage.
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Seabright joins the Horniman as it begins its Nature + Love transformation – a capital project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will redisplay the historic Natural History Gallery and breathe new life into underused areas of the Horniman Gardens, creating two additional visitor attractions. He succeeds Victoria Pinnington who has been interim Chief Executive of the Horniman since February 2024 following the departure of Dr Nick Merriman OBE.
Music Minds Matter appoints Cliff Fluet as Chair
Cliff Fluet, partner at Lewis Silkin LLP, has been appointed Chair of Music Minds Matter, sister charity of Help Musicians, to lead the charity’s Board and oversee its strategy, engagement and governance. The charity is also embarking upon a new partnership with BBC Radio 6 Music to grow awareness across the wider music sector.
Fluet brings over 25 years of experience and understanding of life within music. As well as advising major names in media, entertainment, talent and technology, he is a former Chair of the Ivors Academy Trust and current Vice-Chair of Help Musicians. He takes over from Silvia Montello. The charity has also appointed Grace Meadows, former campaign director at Music for Dementia and music therapist, as Head of Music Minds Matter to propel industry collaboration.
Denise Wilson takes up Chair role at Girlguiding
Girlguiding has appointed Denise Wilson OBE as its new Chair of the Board of Trustees. She takes over the role from Catherine Irwin MBE, following her six-year term coming to an end. A former Brownie and Guide, Wilson brings to the role a wealth of experience in promoting and advocating for women in leadership. As Chief Executive of the Government sponsored FTSE Women Leaders Review since 2013, she led the UK’s national, business task force to increase the number of women on boards and in leadership positions of FTSE 350 public-listed, and large private companies.
Wilson has held multiple board appointments over the years, including Chair of the Royal Academy of Arts Friends, serving on the board of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group and as a Trustee for the Benefact Trust. She is also a mentor to senior leaders in business and the charity sectors. In 2016 she was awarded an OBE for services to women in business, and in 2018 she received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Hull – where she currently sits on the board and as Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
Adrienne Karecki appointed Chief Development & Marketing Officer at Relief International
Relief International has appointed Adrienne Karecki as Chief Development & Marketing Officer. Karecki will be responsible for driving the organization’s fundraising and brand visibility efforts in order to support its work saving lives, building greater resilience and promoting long term health and wellbeing in 15 countries worldwide.
With over 20 years of experience building and leading global teams towards positive social impact, Karecki has held senior positions at Wieden + Kennedy, Central City Concern, Planned Parenthood, Mercy Corps, World Bicycle Relief and Nike Foundation where she held the position of Senior Brand and Creative Initiatives Manager working on the Girl Effect. At Relief International she will lead the organisation’s philanthropy and communications department and report directly to Chief Executive, Craig Redmond.
Bowel Research UK appoints new Chief Executive Officer
Bowel Research UK has appointed Lindsay Easton as its new CEO. Joining on 1 May, she takes over from Lynn Dunne, who has been in the role since December 2021. Dunne will retire at the end of June 2024, continuing to work with the charity until then to ensure a smooth transition.
Easton will work with the Board of Trustees to define the organisational strategy and future direction for Bowel Research UK for the next five years. Her experience spans more than 25 years in the charity sector, including a six-year stint as CEO for Brain Research UK. Her previous senior fundraising and marketing roles included posts at Action for Children, Amnesty International Australia, British Heart Foundation, Young Lives vs Cancer and Diabetes UK.
Lord Victor Adebowale CBE appointed chair of trustees of IPPR
Lord Adebowale was elected to the new role at IPPR by fellow trustees. He takes over from Kirsty McNeill, a Save the Children Executive Director and IPPR trustee, who stepped up as Interim Chair last summer when the late Jess Search resigned because of ill health.
Lord Adebowale has led numerous organisations influencing policy. He is currently chair of the NHS Confederation, non-executive director on the board of NHS England, non-executive director of the Co-Operative Group, and chair of Social Enterprise UK, among other roles. He became a crossbench peer in 2001, among the first group of ‘people’s peers’. He has previously served as CEO of Turning Point, and of Centrepoint. He has also chaired a series of commissioned reports into policing, employment, mental health, housing and fairness.
OBE for World Horse Welfare’s CEO Roly Owers
World Horse Welfare’s Chief Executive Roly Owers has received an OBE for services to equine welfare. Owers was honoured by HRH The Princess Royal, who is also President of the Norfolk-based equine welfare charity, on Wednesday 1 May.
Owers is a qualified veterinary surgeon and has been Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare since 2008. His previous veterinary roles included the Blue Cross and Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He is currently Chair of the International Coalition for Animal Welfare, Treasurer of World Federation for Animals, a Board member of the European Horse Network and Vice Chair of Eurogroup for Animals’ equine working group. In the UK he is Chair of the Equine Disease Coalition, a Director of both British Equestrian and the British Horse Council and Treasurer of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).
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.