CEO change at Pilotlight
Skills-based volunteering charity, Pilotlight, has announced that its chief executive, Ed Mayo, will be stepping down later this year and will be replaced by Lisa Pearce from October 2025.
During Mayo’s five years as CEO, Pilotlight has doubled the number of skilled volunteers that it deploys and grown its income by 42%.
Mayo said: “It has been the privilege of my life for us to have supported 803 charities over my time, working with the talented team at Pilotlight.
“I am confident that Lisa is the perfect successor to widen the impact of our work at a time when it is most needed.”
New CEO for Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society (CMS) has promoted Andy Roberts to chief executive, taking up the new position on 1 August.
Roberts, founder of Brazilian children’s charity ReVive International, has been CMS’s director of mission since 2021 and succeeds Alastair Bateman in the CEO role.
He said: “It’s a privilege to step into this position at such a pivotal time. My passion is to see mission shaped by deep listening, courageous innovation and local leadership.
“While CMS has a 225-year legacy, we’re entering a fresh era of pioneering grounded in the same spirit that inspired our founders.”
Chair appointed at Thames Hospice
Katherine Horler has been announced as the next chair of Thames Hospice.
Horler has spent over 20 years as chief executive of a regional charity supporting young people and adults with their career development, and has held multiple chair and governor roles at national, regional and local levels.
She first started volunteering with Thames Hospice 18 months ago and will succeed current chair Chris Aitken in December.
New chair for LawWorks
Former attorney genera Lord Peter Goldsmith will become chair of legal pro bono charity LawWorks with effect from 1 September.
Goldsmith continues to appear in court in the UK and internationally and has led cases in several jurisdictions.
He said: “It’s an honour to take on the role of chair at LawWorks, which plays such an important part in promoting and enabling pro bono.
“I look forward to working with the team to continue building on its impact and reach and would also like to pay tribute to Alasdair Douglas for his leadership over the past nine years.”
Jo Cox Foundation names next chair
The Jo Cox Foundation has announced that Baroness Jan Royall, has been appointed as the charity's next chair by the board of trustees, taking up the role in September 2025.
The move comes following the departure of Jacqui Smith as chair in July 2024, since which time Rosamund Blomfield-Smith has been its interim chair.
Royall served as chief whip in the House of Lords and then leader of the house from 2008-2010.
Since stepping down from frontbench politics in 2015, Royall has been principal of Somerville College, Oxford since 2017, a role from which she will step down this August.
New chair for Working Families
Working Families, a charity for working parents and carers, has appointed employment law consultant and long-standing trustee Paul Coulson as its new chair.
Coulson said: “My employer gave me a great deal of flexibility, so that I could continue to work full-time.
“It was a privilege to be so present with my young children, an experience that I had missed out on in their first few years due to the demands of work.
“My experiences reflect societal change but still too many families share my mum’s experiences and not enough share mine.”
Former chancellor to chair Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
Former chancellor Sajid Javid has been confirmed as the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s new chair at the charity’s annual general meeting.
Javid succeeds Laura Marks, who retires after nine years of service, having completed the maximum permitted term as chair.
Javid said: “I’m deeply honoured to take on the role of chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and would like to thank Laura Marks for her outstanding leadership and dedication.
“My commitment to preserving the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and ensuring its lessons continue to resonate with future generations remains steadfast, in the hope of upholding the dignity and humanity of all people.”
Unite Foundation announces chair and trustee
The Unite Foundation, which supports care experienced and estranged students to go to university through their accommodation scholarship, has announced the appointment of John Cater as its new chair.
Cater, who was until recently the longest serving vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University, will be joined by Julie Hall, vice-chancellor at London Met University, who has been appointed as a trustee.
Cater said: “I am honoured to take on the role of chair at such a pivotal time for the Unite Foundation.
“I look forward to working with the board and team to expand our impact and ensure that every young person has the chance to succeed, regardless of their background.”
Mencap chair stands down
Carolyn Fairbairn is to step down as learning disability charity Mencap’s chair at the end of 2025. A search for her successor is underway, led by Lucy Edge, Mencap’s vice chair.
Fairbairn said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Mencap’s chair for the past three years. What a time of change it has been.
“I am proud that together we have stabilised Mencap’s finances, built an outstanding leadership team and crafted an ambitious new strategy.”
Cancer Research UK director to retire
Phil Almond, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of marketing, fundraising and engagement, has announced his retirement from full time employment, and will be leaving the charity at the end of May 2026.
The search for a successor to Almond, who joined the charity in 2019 following six years at the BBC as chief marketing officer, is underway.
Almond said: “My time at the charity has been incredibly varied – from our recovery from Covid to an impactful brand refresh that tells a more powerful story of our impact, to driving forward digital transformation.
“But what has remained constant is the passion and commitment of everyone at Cancer Research UK to keep accelerating progress for those affected by cancer and their loved ones.”
New head of finance for Fundraising Regulator
The Fundraising Regulator has announced former director of finance and corporate resources at Versus Arthritis Ian Larkham as its head of finance and registration.
erald Oppenheim, chief executive of the Fundraising Regulator, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ian Larkham to the Fundraising Regulator as our new head of finance and registration.
“He brings impressive experience from across the sector, with a strong track record in financial leadership, strategic planning, and organisational development.
Three trustees join Royal College of Psychiatry
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has appointed three new lay trustees to its board of trustees.
Caroline Rivett is a specialist in cyber security, having worked with life science companies to protect their data and systems against cyberattacks.
Joseph Morrow is the Lord Lyon and has been actively involved with numerous charities, community activities and civic duties in Scotland for more than 40 years.
Stuart Bell was the chief executive of Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust until June 2020 when he retired after nearly 38 years’ service in the NHS.
UK UNHCR appoints trustees
UK for UNHCR has appointed Anita Yuen, Jon Sparkes, Lara Boro and Mick Dyson as new trustees to its board.
Yuen is currently chief partnerships officer at Women Deliver while Sparkes is chief executive of Mencap.
Boro is chief executive of the Economist Group while Dyson is the chief finance officer at the Education Development Trust.
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