RSPCA delays advertising for new chief executive till new year

19 Oct 2017 News

The RSPCA has said it will not advertise for a permanent chief executive until early next year - six months after the departure of its last chief executive, Jeremy Cooper. 

Cooper quit with immediate effect in June this year, fifteen months after taking up the role, and shortly before a review of the charity's governance was published. He had worked at the charity for three years before being promoted to chief executive.

RSPCA's chief operating officer, Michael Ward has been the interim chief executive since June. 

Yesterday the Times reported that the charity has not begun looking for a permanent chief executive, but a spokeswoman told Civil Society News that this was not the case. 

She said the charity is looking to "engage an external recruitment firm" and has been "advised to wait until the new year" because that is "the best time" to find someone. 

The RSPCA had been without a permanent chief executive for over two years when Cooper was appointed last spring. The charity had faced criticism over its governance arrangements, with two trustees resigning in protest. It has also been criticised in the right-wing media for its prosecution activity.  


Editor's note: This story has been updated to say that RSPCA is currently in the process of engaging an external agency, instead of that it has already engaged one

 

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