Coeliac UK appoints CEO
Health charity Coeliac UK has appointed of Saskia Konynenburg as its new chief executive.
Konynenburg joined the charity on 5 October from membership body NCVO, where she has held a number of senior leadership positions, including interim chief executive and chief commercial officer.
Coeliac UK chair Chris Dilloway said: “Saskia brings a wealth of experience from across the charity and public sectors, combining strategic leadership with a strong commitment to supporting communities and delivering meaningful change.”
Mental Health Foundation names CEO
Mental Health Foundation has announced Helen Undy as its new chief executive, and she will begin her role in January.
She succeeds Mark Rowland, who vacated the role in September 2026 following a decade with the charity.
Undy joins from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, where she has served as chief executive since 2018.
She said: “I’m hugely honoured to be joining the Mental Health Foundation as its next chief executive.
“I’ve admired the organisation for many years, and with the prevalence of mental health problems rising so significantly, now is exactly the right time to be doubling down on prevention.”
Pilotlight appoints CEO
Skills-based volunteering charity Pilotlight has appointed Iana Petkova as its new CEO.
Petkova previously worked at Amazon and Canva, where she led growth, pioneered innovation and organisational change across the UK and Europe.
She said: “As CEO, I want to stay closely connected to the realities charities face and ensure our programmes continue to evolve to meet their changing needs
“My ambition is to help more charities thrive by growing the community of people who volunteer their skills and expertise.”
Green Alliance appoints CEO
Think tank and charity Green Alliance has appointed Mike Davis as the organisation’s new CEO, replacing Shaun Spiers who led it since 2017.
Having previously led Global Witness as CEO for over six years, Davis has worked on international projects within China, Myanmar, Cambodia and London to do with deforestation, human rights and supply chain corruption.
Davis said: “I look forward to building on Green Alliance’s strong track record. It’s been at the forefront of raising political ambitions for nearly five decades, working with allies across government, parliament, business and civil society, to ensure a fair transition and genuine UK leadership on this defining issue of our age.”
Hospitality Action CEO to step down
Hospitality Action has announced that Mark Lewis will step down from his role as chief executive in March 2027 after nine years at the charity.
Lewis has led the charity through significant challenges facing the hospitality industry, including Covid, Brexit and global economic turbulence.
He said: “I’d love to live in a world where there was no need for a charity like Hospitality Action to exist. Sadly, the need for our services continues to rise, not diminish.”
CEO appointed at New Horizon Youth Centre
The board at New Horizon Youth Centre have appointed Meghan Roach as chief executive after Phil Kerry’s resignation in June.
Roach joined the charity in 2018 as services manager with her responsibilities including leading day centre services through the pandemic and piloting its youth hub emergency accommodation project.
She is also currently a trustee of Solace Women’s Aid.
Chair Matthew Reed said: “The board is confident that Meghan has the expertise, deep understanding of the issues facing young people and tenacity to effectively lead the organisation into its next important chapter to support young people in London experiencing homelessness.”
MediCinema appoints CEO
MediCinema has appointed Paul Giggal as its chief executive. He takes up the role immediately, stepping up from his position as chief operating officer.
Giggal first volunteered at the St Thomas’ Hospital, where MediCinema operates a cinema, more than 16 years ago and has been a staff member of the charity for 10 years.
He said: “I look forward to working alongside our exceptional team, board and partners to grow our reach and ensure thousands more people around the country benefit from MediCinema every year.”
Rethink Mental Illness CEO to retire
Rethink Mental Illness chief executive Mark Winstanley is to retire after more than 40 years with the charity.
Having joined the organisation in 1984 and served in a variety of roles, Winstanley has spent the past 13 years as chief executive.
Winstanley said stepping down would allow him to focus more on his own health and wellbeing, while expressing confidence in the charity’s strong foundations, talented workforce and future direction.
Chair Kathryn Tyson praised his leadership, compassion and commitment.
Tyson stated: “We’re deeply grateful for the contribution he has made to the charity and the wider sector, and look forward to celebrating his many achievements in the months ahead.”
Tom’s Trust co-founder steps down
Children’s brain tumour charity Tom’s Trust co-founder Deborah Mitchell is stepping down from running the charity after 15 years.
Mitchell and Andrew Whitley first founded Tom’s Trust in 2011, following the death of their nine-year-old son, Tom, from a brain tumour.
She will take a short break before potentially joining the board of trustees, with Rebecca Wood taking over as CEO.
Mitchell said: “Tom's Trust is a hugely important part of my life and I'm incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together. It feels like the right time for me to take a break and I know the charity is in very good hands with Rebecca and the team.”
Cancer Research UK appoints chief clinician
Cancer Research UK has appointed Mariam Jamal-Hanjani as its chief clinician.
Jamal-Hanjani is a clinician scientist, thoracic medical oncologist and professor of cancer genomics and metastasis at University College London Cancer Institute.
She will join the charity’s scientific board, helping to set the direction of Cancer Research UK’s clinical work, and will also champion clinical research careers and represent the charity within the UK and international research community.
Jamal-Hanjani said: “Cancer Research UK has an extraordinary track record of turning scientific discovery into impact for people affected by cancer. The opportunity to help shape that mission is a privilege.”
British Red Cross director of trading steps down
After more than three decades with the British Red Cross, director of trading Paul Thompson has announced that he will stand down.
He said on social media: “It has been an incredibly rewarding chapter, and I’m proud of the contribution I’ve made, alongside the many talented teams I’ve had the privilege of working with, to income generation, our brand, our people and, ultimately, the difference the organisation makes.
“I will miss it greatly.”
St Andrew’s First Aid welcomes director of fundraising
Scotland's first ambulance service founded in 1882, St Andrew’s First Aid has appointed a new fundraising director, Bruce Tait.
Tait has worked with charities across the UK and internationally to strengthen income generation and deliver lasting impact.
Bruce Tait said: “St Andrew’s First Aid has been helping people across Scotland to develop lifesaving skills for generations.
“I’m pleased to have the opportunity to play a part in its next chapter by helping to develop its fundraising strategy and implementation plans.”
GOSH Charity appoints two directors
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity has appointed Lornette Pemberton as director of people and culture and Heather Francis as director of finance and resources.
Pemberton joined GOSH Charity in the newly created role following senior roles at St Giles Trust, Refuge and the National Portrait Gallery.
Francis brings financial and operational leadership and service transformation experience and has held several trustee and treasurer roles, including at War Child UK and UNICEF UK
CEO of GOSH, Louise Parkes stated: “Lornette and Heather will both play an important role in helping us deliver our strategy and ensure that every pound we raise makes the biggest possible difference to seriously ill children and their families.”
Oxfam appoints chair
Oxfam today announces the appointment of Stevie Spring as its new chair.
Spring previously held chair positions at organisations including the British Council, Mind, and BBC Children in Need.
She as also chief executive of organisations such as Future plc and Clear Channel.
Stevie will succeed interim co-chairs Nana Afadzinu and Annie Hudson on 26 November.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation announces chair
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has appointed Moira Sinclair as its incoming chair of trustees.
Sinclair is currently chair of Clore Leadership, Factory International in Manchester and the investment committee of the Arts Impact Fund. In addition, she is a Historic England commissioner and a trustee of the National Theatre Foundation.
She will succeed current chair Carol Tannahill on 4 January when the latter steps down from the board of trustees in December after 10 years of service.
Vice-chair Gillian Russell said: “The depth of governance and chairing experience that she demonstrated during the search process makes us very confident that she is the right person to ensure the JRF group continues to be well-led during the next phase of its work.”
Kaleidoscope Trust welcomes chair
Kaleidoscope Trust has announced the appointment of Vishal Desai as its new chair.
Desai has 25 years of experience in financial services, across board and executive leadership roles.
He has also spent a number of years as a volunteer and trustee at LGBTI+ helpline charity Switchboard.
Interim chair Beth Dowling-Jones said: “Vishal will bring a new perspective to Kaleidoscope Trust, and as I hand over the baton, I’m confident that the charity will go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”
Save the Children International appoints next chair
Save the Children International has announced that Filippo Grandi has been appointed as its new chair, taking up the position in January 2027.
He will succeed Angela Ahrendts, who has been at the organisation for the past six years.
Grandi served aa head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2016 to 2025, having previously led the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA).
He said: “I am proud to join Save the Children as board chair at a time when children are facing unprecedented challenges, from conflict and displacement to inequality and climate-driven emergencies.”
Second Chance Partnership appoints first advisory board
Second Chance Partnership has appointed a new advisory board of eight members chaired by Lord Richard Walker to oversee its expansion.
The board will help guide the charity's strategic direction and support its ambition to encourage more employers to consider prison leavers as a pathway to addressing recruitment challenges while reducing reoffending.
Founder Paul Cowley said: “Second Chance Partnership ex-offenders are proven to be the most reliable and dedicated employees, and we can't wait to harness the expertise of our advisory board to bring this model to more businesses.”
British Red Cross appoints chair
The British Red Cross has appointed John Holmes as chair, replacing Liz Padmore.
Holmes previously served as an overseas advisor and principal private secretary to prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair, working on the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.
He has worked with a number of charitable institutions, as well as chairing the Electoral Commission and serving on the Parole Board for England and Wales.
Red Cross chief executive Béatrice Butsana-Sita said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sir John as chair of the British Red Cross. He brings a lifetime of experience in international diplomacy as well as in the humanitarian sector, and he has already made an incredible contribution to our work in almost five years as a trustee.”
