Donkey Sanctuary appoints chief executive
The Donkey Sanctuary has appointed Marianne Steele as its chief executive.
Steele joined the charity in 2010 as director of fundraising and communications. More recently, she became acting chief executive.
With a brief to launch the charity’s new organisational strategy early next year, Steele said: “I am delighted to lead the Donkey Sanctuary on the next stage of its journey.”
Paul Lunn, chair of trustees, said: “Her passion, commitment and vision for the Donkey Sanctuary won through and I believe, under her guidance, we can move forward with a clear sense of purpose.”
Scottish regulator appoints chair
The Scottish charity regulator (OSCR) has appointed Marieke Dwarshuis as its chair.
Dwarshuis succeeded the former interim chair George Walker on 15 October. The appointment will last for four years.
Marieke Dwarshuis' career in Scotland spans nearly 30 years in the public and voluntary sectors in a wide range of roles, including director of Consumer Focus Scotland and positions at the Scottish Government, Citizens Advice Scotland and Shelter Scotland.
In addition to her role with OSCR, Dwarshuis serves as a member of the board of the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, NHS 24 and as a lay assistant for the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.
“Charity regulation is pivotal in maintaining and increasing public confidence in the charities that play a vital role in Scottish society and the lives of many and in enabling them to deliver strong outcomes, and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to that,” she said.
“I very much look forward to working with colleagues on the board and the staff team and with our stakeholders in the coming months to develop the OSCR’s strategy over the coming years."
League Against Cruel Sports appoints chair
Animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has appointed Dan Norris as chair.
Norris is the directly elected metro mayor of the West of England. He was previously an MP serving as an environment minister in the last Labour government.
“When I was an MP in the last Labour government voting for the fox hunting ban was a key and heart-warming achievements,” he said. “Now I am determined to further play my part to ensure the League Against Cruel Sports goes on to more and greater successes and achievements.”
Norris was co-opted as a trustee at the League Against Cruel Sports on 11 April and ratified by members as the chair after the AGM on 1 October.
Centre for Ageing Better appoints two trustees
The Centre for Ageing Better has appointed two trustees, Chris Sherwood and Alexia Clifford, to its board.
Sherwood has been the chief executive of the RSPCA since August 2018. Prior to this, he was chief executive of relationship charity Relate.
Alexia Clifford is chief communications officer at GambleAware, a charity working to keep people safe from gambling harms. Before joining GambleAware, Clifford was director of marketing at Public Health England.
Carol Black, chair of the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “Alexia and Chris’ broad, relevant, and extensive experience of marketing, communications, and business development will support our work to enable more of us to experience good health, financial security, and respect as we age.”
Cancer Research UK appoints chief scientist
Cancer Research UK has appointed Ketan (KJ) Patel as its chief scientist.
Patel trained in medicine in London and spent most of his research career at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. He also worked as a professor for molecular medicine and stem cell genomics at the University of Cambridge.
Cancer Research UK has funded some of Patel’s work in the past, including his research into cancer cachexia, the debilitating wasting condition many people with cancer experience in the later stages of their disease.
Alongside his role at Cancer Research UK, Patel will continue working as director of the MRC Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine and the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit at the University of Oxford.
Patel is a fellow of both the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences UK and is also a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation.
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “I’m delighted that KJ will be bringing his substantial expertise to this role.”
Cure Parkinson’s creates head of pipeline research role
Cure Parkinson’s has appointed Leah Mursaleen as its first head of pipeline research. The purpose of this role is to speed up and drive forward early-stage research to ensure that novel treatments for potentially slowing or stopping the progression of Parkinson’s are ready to be taken to clinical trial as soon as possible.
Mursaleen has worked for Cure Parkinson’s since 2014, and until recently worked within the research team as research manager.
Her new role will have a particular focus on progressing early-stage research of compounds evaluated by Cure Parkinson’s International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) programme. The iLCT initiative focuses on bringing new potentially disease modifying treatments to clinical trial for use in Parkinson’s.
Helen Matthews, deputy chief executive of Cure Parkinson’s, said: “This new role reflects Cure Parkinson’s commitment to ensure we are investigating every potentially disease modifying therapy that has been evaluated by the iLCT committee.
“It is fantastic that Leah has accepted this role as she is highly skilled and dedicated to finding solutions. She will bring her wonderful energy to this work and with that open even more avenues to develop treatments to slow, stop or reverse Parkinson’s.”
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