Francis Maude has announced that former Conservative MP Peter Ainsworth will be the new UK chair of the Big Lottery Fund, while venture philanthropy pioneer Nat Sloane is to take up the post of chair of England Committee.

Ainsworth, who like Sloane will be expected to stay in post for four years after taking up the role on 1 June this year, is currently an environmental consultant, has been a local councillor, an opposition and government MP for the Conservatives and was a senior merchant banker at a major investment bank. He also currently chairs two charities, Plantlife and the Elgar Foundation.

In his role as UK chair, Ainsworth will be responsible for the strategic direction of the fund and for the smooth running of the board.

Sloane has a significant history in philanthropy, a co-founder and present vice-chair of the UK’s first venture philanthropy trust, the Impetus Trust, he has experience with organisations which support social enterprise and social finance. He will be charged with putting together and delivering BIG’s English funding programmes.

In announcing the appointments, Maude said that the pair’s varied career histories will serve the grantmaker well. “It’s vital that every penny of the annual £600m or so of funding for good causes is used for the greatest impact. The wealth of knowledge and experience Peter and Nat bring will help greatly in meeting this challenge,” he said.