Cabinet Office Third Sector

Government announces four new appointments to Charity Commission Board

Ed Miliband, Minister for the Third Sector, today announced four new Board members joining the Charity Commission this summer.

The new Board members are:

• Sharmila Nebhrajani, Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer, BBC Future Media and Technology
• Dr Andrew Purkis OBE, Chief Executive of the Tropical Health and Education Trust
• Theodosia Sowa, policy adviser and consultant for a wide range of international development organisations
• Simon Wethered, a legal consultant with Charles Russell LLP

This announcement follows a provision made in the Charities Act 2006 for the Charity Commission to become a body corporate, and for its Board to be expanded to nine. This provision came into force on 27 February 2007.

The new Board members will sit alongside existing Board members John Williams and Tess Woodcraft, and also Lindsay Driscoll who will stay on as a Board member until a suitable legally qualified replacement can be recruited. A further announcement will be made shortly, following consultation with the National Assembly for Wales, on the appointment of an additional Board member with experience in the Welsh charity sector.

Ed Miliband, Minister for the Office of the Third Sector said:

“I am delighted to welcome these new Board members at a crucial time for the Charity Commission as it implements important measures for the sector contained in the 2006 Charities Act. Together these four appointees boast a wealth of experience of the public, private and third sectors, and I'm confident their expertise will prove invaluable to the Commission.”

Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission said:

“This is an exciting and challenging time for the Charity Commission, as we take forward our new responsibilities. I'm certain that with the addition of these new members we are in good shape to anticipate and meet the challenges ahead. We also have a Board which better reflects the diversity of the charity sector. The breadth of expertise, skills and experience represented on our Board is fantastic, and crucial in enabling us to fulfil our role of increasing the effectiveness of charities.”

The Charity Commission is the independent regulator for charitable activity in England and Wales. For further information contact their centre on 0845 300 0218.

Ed Miliband was appointed Minister for the Third Sector, working to Hilary Armstrong, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at the Cabinet Office, during the reshuffle on 5 May 2006. He will lead a new Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, which brings together responsibility for third sector work streams from across Government.

The Charities Act 2006 requires that the Charity Commission shall have at least five, and no more than nine, Board members including the Chair. At least two members must be legally qualified and at least one member should know about conditions in Wales, and be appointed following consultation with the National Assembly for Wales.

Please find fuller biographies for the four new appointees:

• Sharmila Nebhrajani is currently Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer – BBC Future Media and Technology, Deputy Chair at the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority, member of the Human Tissue Authority and a member of the Olympic Lottery Distributor. She is also a qualified chartered accountant and a member of the ICAEW.
• Dr Andrew Purkis OBE is currently Chief Executive of the Tropical Health and Education Trust and formerly the Chief Executive of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Secretary for Public Affairs for the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Director for the Council for the Protection of Rural England.
• Theo Sowa is an independent adviser working on a wide range of international issues with a focus on social development and children and youth issues. Her work includes evaluation, policy and organisational development with UNICEF, UNDP, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the African Women's Development Fund, DfID and the Stephen Lewis Foundation, among others.
• Simon Wethered is a legal consultant specialising in charities with Charles Russell LLP and was formerly a partner there. He has 37 years' experience as a solicitor, nine specialising in charity work. He is a member of the Charity Law Association, associate member of the Charity Finance Directors' Group and co–editor of Butterworth's Charity Law handbook.