Cancer Research UK appoints former BBC marketing officer as fundraising director

13 Nov 2019 News

Cancer Research UK has appointed Philip Almond as its new executive director of fundraising and marketing. He will begin his role in December.

Almond will take over from Ed Aspel who left the charity this November after nine years. 

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity, and data from the Charity Commission for the financial year ending 31 March 2018 puts its spending at £652.2m.

Almond previously spent six years at the BBC as chief marketing officer. In this role he co-led myBBC, a big data initiative delivering personalised online content and a database of 32 million signed-in users. He also founded BBC Creative, the BBC’s in-house agency.

Prior to that Almond worked at Diageo for 17 years, where he worked on marketing strategies as global brand director and chief marketing officer. Most recently he has founded and run his own marketing and coaching consultancy.

In his role as executive director of fundraising and marketing, he will be in charge of leading the charity’s brand, marketing and mass fundraising teams. He will oversee events and campaigns such as Race for Life and Stand Up To Cancer, as well as legacies and the charity’s chain of 600 high street shops.

The charity has said that Almond will also focus on how it builds long-term relationships with its volunteers and donors, and be responsible for developing new “innovative” fundraising ideas.

Today two in four people survive cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, three in four people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.

‘Fundraising underpins everything the charity achieves’

Almond said: “I’m very excited to be joining Cancer Research UK in December. Fundraising underpins everything the charity achieves, and it will be a huge privilege to head up one of the most successful teams in the sector.

“The charity is very close to my heart, and I’m looking forward to working with so many inspiring people who are equally passionate about the cause.”

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK chief executive, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Philip to Cancer Research UK. His wealth of marketing experience will help us to continue to keep our supporters at the heart of everything we do and ultimately help us beat cancer sooner.”

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