Former managing director of Blackbaud Europe, Martin Jervis, has been recruited by Fundraising Initiatives’ parent company in a move which the company says will prompt a period of growth in donor relationship management.

Jervis has joined Fundraising Initiatives Holdings Ltd as chief operating officer. Jervis told civilsociety.co.uk: “I’m particularly drawn towards the initiatives on donor stewardship and increasing retention in the face-to-face world, because we think we can make a big change to that.”

He said that after addressing this issue in the short term, he will develop a clearer brief for his role in FIHL in the future. He started at the organisation nearly six weeks ago.

“They want to build up the global business,” he said. Initially, however, Jervis will be focusing on the UK business. “The main opportunity at the moment is in the UK in face-to-face and maximising the amount of money charities spend in acquisition.”

The company says that it is making some ambitious plans within donor relationship management.