Volunteering England chief will take NCVO executive director role after merger

15 Nov 2012 News

Volunteering England chief executive Justin Davis Smith will become the executive director for volunteering at NCVO when the two organisations complete their merger.

Justin Davis Smith (L), chief executive, Volunteering England and Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive, NCVO

Volunteering England chief executive Justin Davis Smith will become the executive director for volunteering at NCVO when the two organisations complete their merger.

Davis Smith (pictured left) has been chief executive of Volunteering England since 2007 and worked closely with the UK government and Locog to coordinate the volunteering strategy for London 2012.

Announcing the news this afternoon he said: "I am delighted to take on this key role. With my colleagues I will continue to advocate strengthening the contribution volunteers already make in voluntary, public and private sector organisations, and ensure the crucial roles volunteers play in our communities are recognised and supported."

Giving details of what the merged organisation will look like earlier in the year, Sir Stuart Etherington, NCVO chief executive (pictured right), said it would take on the NCVO name, and introduce a new  volunteering directorate. The strapline for the organisation will be "Championing volunteering and civil society".

Last week the Volunteering England trustees set to join the now 14-strong NCVO board were announced as Chris Wade and Tessa Willow. They join Macmillan Cancer Support and Guide Dogs for the Blind chief executives Ciaran Devane and Richard Leaman who were appointed earlier this month. A further Volunteering England trustee Lynne Regan will join NCVO's nominations committee which considers nominations for the trustee board.

The merger is expected to complete early next year, subject to normal legal and financial checks.