World Vision UK has announced Fola Komolafe as the Christian children’s charity’s first female chief executive in its 40-year history.
She will take over from Mark Sheard next month, who has been the CEO of the £70m charity since October 2020 and is “retiring from a full-time role”.
Komolafe will join from Indisys Business Solutions, where she has been CEO for six years. During her time there, she has provided philanthropy advice to several large UK charities.
She was previously at accountancy firm Mazars UK, where she was a partner and global lead for international development.
Before that, Komolafe has also held senior roles at IBM and HSBC.
Komolafe was appointed as a deputy lieutenant for Buckinghamshire in 2015, and was awarded an MBE for services to business and community in 2016.
She has also served pastorally and in church leadership for over 30 years and was previously vice chair of World Vision UK.
World Vision UK, which registered with the Charity Commission in 1983, received 124 applications for the role, and nine candidates were interviewed.
CEO: ‘Extremely blessed and honoured’
On her appointment, Komolafe said: “I am so excited to be joining World Vision UK as their new CEO, a charity I have long supported and admired for their impact and commitment to the world’s most vulnerable children.
“I had the privilege of seeing this first hand in Zambia recently and I was blown away by our integrated approach and the life changing impact it has had on children, their families and their communities.
“I feel extremely blessed and honoured to join an organisation uniquely identified by its rich Christian values and widespread global impact at a time when things are changing so quickly around us and becoming even more challenging for many people in lower income countries.
“I look forward with much anticipation to working with staff, supporters and partners in ensuring we keep our promise of overcoming poverty and bringing the fullness of life to the world’s most vulnerable children.”
Douglas Millican, chair of World Vision UK, said: “The board is delighted to announce that Fola Komolafe MBE DL is taking over as CEO from Mark Sheard, who is retiring from a full-time role.”
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