Kris Hallenga, the co-founder and current chief executive of CoppaFeel!, has announced that she is standing down from her role as chief executive to become an ambassador of the charity on a part-time basis in 2017.
Hallenga, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, wrote in a blog post on the CoppaFeel! website that her decision to step down from the organisation has nothing to do with her “feeling unwell”. Instead, she said that “Founder’s Syndrome is real”, and that she understands “how a founder can prevent a charity from breathing and growing”.
Hallenga co-founded the organisation with her twin-sister Maren in 2009, but wrote that the organisation doesn’t “need them anymore”.
“I want what’s best for this charity, and that is no longer me leading it. Founders need to be aware of their strengths, and although I think I have worked hard to be the credible CEO I am today, it’s not what the charity needs now.
“There’s been many occasions over the last few weeks where I have watched in awe as my team have come out with some amazing ideas, suggestions and plans, whilst Maren and I sat and thought to ourselves ‘you know what, they don’t need us anymore.’”
Maren Hallenga announced that she would be stepping down from her role as director of the company at the end of November.
Hallenga will be replaced as chief executive of the organisation by Natalie Kelly, who for the previous two years has been the charity’s director of marketing, communications and brand. Hallenga introduced Kelly as the new chief executive of CoppaFeel! in a live Facebook Q&A stream on the organisation’s page yesterday afternoon.
Of the organisation’s new chief executive, Hallenga said: “The person replacing me has impressed me since the day she walked into our lives. Maren and I never thought we’d be in a position to trust anyone enough with our baby, but we now feel that we 100 per cent can. She is a credible chief executive and deserves all the support in the world, and I know she will get it”.
Hallenga said her role as ambassador means she will “get to do all the fun stuff. Liaising with our patrons, representing the charity at events and special occasions and continuing to look after Festifeel” - CoppaFeel’s annual fundraising event.
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