YouthNet, the charity that runs the do-it.org volunteering website and thesite.org advice services for young people, has promoted its recently-appointed communications and marketing director into its top job.

Emma Thomas (pictured) will succeed current chief executive Fiona Dawe OBE who is stepping down for personal reasons after more than ten years in the post.

Thomas joined the charity last year as director of marketing and communications from the BBC, where she was head of marketing in BBC Future Media & Technology, responsible for mobile and digital marketing activity across the organisation.

YouthNet founder and chairman Martyn Lewis said: “We are very sorry to say goodbye to Fiona – it has been a great privilege to work with such a talented and inspiring leader.” But he added that Thomas would bring the “experience, skills and commitment to enable us to work towards adopting new ways to provide our services and maintain the reputation we have for our innovation in the sector”.

Thomas will become chief executive in May.