Who’s Moving: British Council, British Heart Foundation, and more

19 Aug 2019 News

Stephen Dunmore chair of Royal Voluntary Service

Chief executive

Ravi Gurumurthy will join innovation foundation Nesta as its chief executive at the end of this year.

He takes over from Geoff Mulgan, who has been Nesta’s chief executive for eight years. Mulgan has not yet announced his future plans. Read the full story.

Fundraising and communications

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has appointed Dr Kirstine Knox as its new director of philanthropy. She will start in September.

For the past seven years, Dr Knox has been at the University of Oxford firstly as associate director of development, and latterly as director of development at the Blavatnik School of Government.

Previously, Dr Knox spent six years as the chief executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Amanda Bringans, fundraising director at the BHF, said: “We’re delighted to have appointed Dr Knox to lead our philanthropy team, which will be central to the delivery of our ambitious new strategy to 2030.”

Dr Kirstine Knox said: “I’m looking forward to joining the BHF at such an exciting time in its history. Its track record of helping to cut heart disease deaths in halve, combined with its ambitious strategy for the future create the perfect environment for attracting greater philanthropic support.

“I’m relishing the challenge of telling the BHF’s story to people and organisations with the potential to fund transformational research, and I’ve no doubt that I am joining a team with the culture and capability to inspire even more support for the BHF’s fantastic work."

Operations

Savills Investment Management has announced the arrival of a new UK business development team, with Jeremy Wells appointed as UK director of business Development, and Katie Joyce as UK Business Development. They will support the charities property fund and the firm’s wider UK business. 

Trustees, patrons and ambassadors

Royal Voluntary Service has appointed Stephen Dunmore OBE as the new chair of its board of trustees. He takes over from Richard Greenhalgh, the charity’s chair since 2012, and will start his role on 19 September 2019.

Dunmore’s past roles include chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund and chair of Capacity Builders. He is also currently chair of the grantmaking committee for The Prince’s Countryside Fund, and council member and treasurer of the Society of Antiquaries, which he will combine with his new role at Royal Voluntary Service.

Dunmore said: "I am looking forward to working with the board of trustees and senior team to enable the charity to realise its five year plan. It’s a particular privilege to join a charity with such a rich history in voluntary service and one that is so relevant and needed today.

“I’m passionate about volunteering and believe the work the charity does to support the NHS and older people in the community is vital, particularly given the current pressure on public services."

Stevie Spring CBE has been appointed chair of the British Council. She succeeds Christopher Rodrigues who served from 2016 to May 2019.

Spring serves on the Co-op Group Board and has extensive charity sector including chairing the Groundwork Federation, BBC Children in Need and now Mind, the mental health charity. Named as one of Britain’s 500 most influential people and one of the UK’s 100 most connected women, she was awarded the CBE in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Spring said: “It is a privilege to be joining the team at the British Council. I am really looking forward to supporting and championing colleagues around the world who are changing lives by creating opportunities and building connections between people in the UK and the rest of the world.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “I’m delighted that Stevie Spring will bring her impressive leadership skills and business acumen to the British Council at a crucial time for our country. The British Council has a vital role to play in projecting Global Britain as we seize the opportunities of Brexit and strengthen ties with countries all around the world.”

Barrister Nicole Lappin has been appointed as the chief commissioner to the Board of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Lappin is to hold the post for a five-year term ending 31 July 2024.

She is presently the chair of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Social Care Trust and has previously served on a number of boards, including that of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service(NICTS).

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland was established as the statutory regulator of charities operating in Northern Ireland under the Charities (Northern Ireland) Act 2008.

The commission is comprised of a chief commissioner, a deputy chief commissioner and five commissioners.

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