ActionAid UK (AAUK) has announced three interim co-chief executives as part of a “feminist leadership structure” which aims to share power and decision-making.
The three interim co-CEOs are AAUK’s director of innovation and impact Taahra Ghazi, director of people and culture Shade Odupelu, and director of advocacy and influencing Hannah Bond, all of whom will continue their current roles as well.
Each of the three directors will take accountability for different areas of the CEO role, whilst making joint decisions on the strategic direction of the organisation.
In a joint statement, they said: “We are committed to sharing power and decision-making within ActionAid UK, and our intention is that a feminist leadership structure will support our goal to achieve the greatest impact possible for women and girls by shifting our resources and power to their organisations and movements worldwide.”
The charity is not currently recruiting for a permanent leader as it wants to give the co-CEOs “the space to build ActionAid UK into a more feminist, anti-racist organisation that delivers on our mission for women and girls’ rights and social justice”.
A spokesperson for the charity said: “This is an exciting move for ActionAid UK where we can put our feminist principles into practice with three women sharing responsibility for leading the organisation to achieve the greatest impact possible for women, girls and their movements worldwide.
“This interim solution aims to facilitate a more inclusive and impactful organisation by decentralising decision-making and power dynamics across the organisation.
“Our intention is that a feminist leadership structure will achieve the greatest impact possible for women and girls by shifting our resources and power to their organisations and movements worldwide.
“Distributed feminist leadership offers several benefits for AAUK, including a more consultative and collective decision-making process aligned with feminist and participatory values. This approach utilises diverse leadership skills and prevents risks from falling on one individual, fostering a more equitable distribution of influence and power within the organisation.”
‘Feminist values’ in appointing new leadership
This comes after Halima Begum stepped down as CEO to join Oxfam GB, having been in the role for less than a year.
Begum had replaced the charity’s first female CEO Frances Longley, who stepped down in 2022 after a year in the role.
On the new appointments, AAUK chair Rajiv Vyas said: “I am delighted by the AAUK board’s decision to implement measures that reflect our feminist values in appointing a new interim leadership.
“This pioneering move will see three remarkable and highly talented women, all serving directors of the organisation with complementary skills, working in a distributed CEO function”.
Outgoing CEO Begum said: “I am thrilled to pass the baton to Taahra, Shade, and Hannah, who each bring a wealth of experience and the deepest commitment to ActionAid’s global mission.
“They will lead ActionAid UK with vision, integrity, and a steadfast dedication to social justice.
“I have no doubt that the entire ActionAid family looks forward to supporting and collaborating with the new co-leadership team as they embark on this important journey to create a more just and equitable world.”
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