Charles Gurassa to be next Chair of Oxfam GB

Gurassa, who is the current Chair of Channel 4, has extensive senior leadership and governance experience, including on the boards of charities such as the National Trust, English Heritage and the Migration Museum. He will take over as Chair when Caroline Thomson steps down in October.

Charles Gurassa said: “As someone who is passionate about Oxfam’s values and its work tackling poverty and saving lives in humanitarian emergencies, I am delighted to have the chance to contribute.

“Oxfam’s work is needed now more than ever – it makes a huge difference in places like Yemen, Syria and South Sudan, where Covid and the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic is piling crisis on top of crisis for millions of people.

“Oxfam’s mix of work with local communities to give people in some of the world’s toughest environments a route out of poverty, combined with global action to break down the barriers that trap people in poverty make it uniquely well placed to make a real difference.”

Danny Sriskandarajah, Oxfam GB Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome Charles to Oxfam. He brings a wealth of experience from the commercial and charity sectors that will be invaluable to Oxfam and to me personally.

“I would like to thank Caroline for her wise counsel during my first 18 months at Oxfam. She has made a profound contribution – helping Oxfam act on the lessons of the past and ensuring this wonderful 78-year-old organisation is ready to meet the challenges of the next decade.”

Gurassa also has extensive executive experience and is a former chief executive of both Thomson Travel and TUI Northern Europe. He has also chaired Genesis Housing Group, a housing association.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Charles Gurassa’s recent non-executive positions include:

• 2018 – current Great Rail Journeys Chair
• 2016 – current Channel 4 Chair
• 2015 – current English Heritage Trustee
• 2014 – current Migration Museum Trustee
• 2011– end 2020 EasyJet Deputy Chair
• 2013 – 2019 Merlin Entertainments Group Senior Independent Director
• 2012 – 2015 Net Names Chair
• 2011– 2014 Tragus Chair
• 2011– 2012 Parthenon Entertainment Chair
• 2010 – 2017 Genesis Housing Group Chair
• 2010 – 2014 National Trust   Member, Council, including Deputy Chair 2013-14

Members of Oxfam GB’s Board of Trustees are listed on its website https://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/our-trustees/

Oxfam is a global movement of people all working towards the same goal – an end to the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters, help people earn a living, and speak out on the big issues, like inequality and climate change, that keep people poor.

Since the pandemic began, Oxfam has helped 4.5 million of the world’s most vulnerable people with food, aid and clean water, working together with over 344 partners across 62 countries.