Danny Sriskandarajah will be leaving Oxfam GB at the end of 2023, the charity has today announced.
He has been chief executive for five years, and leaves to take up a new role as chief executive of the New Economics Foundation.
Sriskandarajah said: “It has been a privilege to lead Oxfam GB and be a part of the important work we do, offering swift responses to devastating emergencies, providing shelter and support for people facing war and persecution, and tackling the injustices that cause poverty.
“At the same time, we have made considerable progress in shifting power to the Global South, to the people and partners we work with around the world.
“Charities like Oxfam represent the best of a compassionate and internationalist Britain. Thanks to our supporters, volunteers and staff, we continue to make a difference helping those most in need around the globe.”
Charles Gurassa, Oxfam GB chair, said: “I would like to thank Danny for his inspirational leadership, vision and commitment.
“We are very grateful for the role he has played in leading Oxfam over the last five years, coordinating our response to the many complex and challenging humanitarian crises around the world while steering the charity successfully through the many difficulties posed by the Covid pandemic.
“During Danny’s tenure Oxfam has made real strides in addressing injustice and inequality, and placed increasing emphasis in ensuring that our work takes place in a way that is consistent with our values. We wish him well in his new endeavour.”
Oxfam said it would start recruiting for it next CEO “imminently”.
Joined following scandal
Sriskandarajah joined Oxfam GB as CEO in January 2019, having previously led CIVICUS, the Johannesburg-based alliance of civil society organisations with members in more than 180 countries.
The Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Oxfam in February 2018 after the Times published a front-page story over claims that Oxfam had covered up an investigation that found that aid staff working in Haiti had been using sex workers.
This led to the regulator publishing a highly critical report about culture and safeguarding at Oxfam in June 2019.
But last year, the government praised the charity for making “significant improvements” to how it deals with safeguarding and removed a ban on Oxfam GB that had prevented it from bidding for statutory aid funding.
Earlier this year, Sriskandarajah defended the charity’s new inclusivity guide after it drew criticism from some commentators.
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