Philip Goodwin appointed as next UNICEF UK CEO, & other sector movers
Melanie May | 10 June 2024 | News
UNICEF UK has appointed a new CEO, while SENSE CEO Richard Kramer has recently announced his retirement plans. More on these and other sector movers below.
UNICEF UK appoints Philip Goodwin as Chief Executive
UNICEF UK has announced the appointment of Dr Philip Goodwin as Chief Executive of the charity with effect from 16 September this year. Goodwin joins UNICEF UK from VSO, where he has been Chief Executive since 2015. He was previously CEO of TREEAID and prior to that, spent 11 years with British Council and held leadership positions in Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan, and Belgium including Regional Director for sub-Saharan Africa.
Goodwin has also been a researcher on poverty issues at the Overseas Development Institute, has a PhD and MSc in rural resource planning and environmental policy and a degree in agricultural economics. He is currently a Trustee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and a Non-executive Director of the International Civil Society Centre based in Berlin. He will take over from Jon Sparkes OBE, who leaves the charity later this month, with Girish Menon becoming Interim Chief Executive for UNICEF UK from 6 June 2024. Menon has been Chief Executive of STiR Education UK since 2021 and was previously Chief Executive of ActionAid UK. Prior to that, Menon held roles at WaterAid UK, Plan International and the Department for International Development.
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Sense CEO Richard Kramer announces retirement plan
Richard Kramer is stepping down as Chief Executive of Sense down after 11 years in the role. Kramer joined the charity in 2013 as the Deputy Chief Executive, before taking on the Chief Executive role in 2018. During that time, he has led the charity through a period of growth to support thousands more children and adults with complex disabilities and their families. This has included the expansion of Sense’s network of Hubs across the country that combine specialist services with services for the whole community; the establishment of national programmes for art, sports and wellbeing; its early intervention services for children; and developing its pioneering virtual buddying programme to tackle loneliness.
Kramer plans to retire at the end of January 2025 and relocate to Cornwall. He has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. He is also a trustee of ENEI and the CareTech Foundation.
Blue Cross welcomes Beth Brook as Chair of Trustees
Beth Brook has been announced as the new Chair of Trustees at Blue Cross and will take up the role this month, when existing Chair, Tim Porter steps down from the post – one he has held for nearly a decade.
A professional ecologist, Brook is former CEO of Heart of England Forest and has dedicated 20 years of her career to the charity sector, mostly centred around animals and conservation. With a large menagerie of rescue animals living in her home, she also understands the impact that pets can have on individual wellbeing and societal cohesion, which has driven her to champion the cause of animal welfare at the charity.
Macular Society announces Ed Holloway as next CEO
Ed Holloway will join the Macular Society in July and brings with him a wealth of experience in the charity sector. Holloway served as Chief Executive of the Bank Workers Society for two years and also spent 14 years at the MS Society, where he led the transformation of the charity’s services to the MS community.
Holloway succeeds Cathy Yelf, who became Chief Executive of the organisation in 2015, and is retiring in July.
New Director of Strategic Communications (UK & EMEA) at GlobalGiving UK
Marilise Saghbini has been appointed to the role of Director of Strategic Communications (UK & EMEA) at GlobalGiving UK. Saghbini, who has held senior executive and communications positions at the French Chamber of Great Britain and BusinessLDN, will support GlobalGiving UK’s European expansion.
With 15 years’ experience in strategic communications and campaigns across a variety of sectors, Saghbini brings expertise in raising the influence of networks to achieve changes in behaviour and policy, through her advocacy and growth roles in the UK and across Europe, as well as board member roles at SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) and La French Tech London.
Catherine Hodgson joins Age UK Surrey as CEO
Age UK Surrey has announced the appointment of Catherine Hodgson as Chief Executive Officer. Hodgson has many years’ charity experience working at a senior management level and previously working at Jigsaw South East. She is also a former CEO of the Brigitte Trust; of Paul’s Cancer Support in South West London; of MS National Therapy Centres and was interim CEO of Maternity Worldwide. In addition, Hodgson is an experienced consultant and trustee.
She joined Age UK Surrey on 5 June, and replaces Sue Zirps who announced her retirement in March, having been with Age UK Surrey for 30 years, 12 of which were as CEO.
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.