Incoming NCVO Chair meets with sector leaders

Former journalist and YouGov president, Peter Kellner spoke with Chairs from across the voluntary sector last week following the announcement that he is to succeed Sir Martyn Lewis as Chair of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Peter will begin his role in November, chairing the NCVO which has over 12,000 member organisations from the voluntary sector.

Before beginning the role in earnest, Peter met with Chairs from leading charities at a lunch hosted by Odgers Berndtson to discuss the key challenges and opportunities faced the sector. 

Peter Kellner speaking to voluntary sector Chairs at an event hosted by Odgers Berndtson

In attendance were Chairs representing Guide Dogs, Mencap, Barnardo’s, Save the Children UK, Victim Support, Citizens Advice, the Stroke Association, Breast Cancer Now, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, The National Citizens Service, Unicef UK, the PDSA and the newly created Association of Chairs. 

During the last few months, Peter has visited and spoken to a number of large national and small charities across the country so he was keen to give his thoughts and observations as well as hear thoughts from around the table on how the sector can move forward positively and confidently.

He spoke about the political and social context given recent events in the UK and the USA and their relevance to the sector, particularly in terms of legislation, funding and rebuilding society.

The discussion covered: the relationship between national and local charities; the number of charities; the sector’s image; media action including issues around pay and fundraising; the influence and the role of regulation in campaigning; the potential for collaboration between sectors and the role of impact reporting.

Peter Kellner was appointed by NCVO Nominations Committee, chaired by Baroness Grey-Thompson following a search process assisted by Odgers Berndtson’s Not for Profit Practice.

To continue facilitating more dialogue with Chairs across the sector, Odgers Berndtson is planning its next event in Spring 2017.

Peter Kellner

Formerly the political analyst of the BBC Newsnight current affairs programme, Peter was engaged by YouGov's founders, Stephan Shakespeare and Nadhim Zahawi, in December 2001. He has been President of YouGov since 2007, and was its Chairman from 2001–2007. From 1969 to 2003 Peter was a newspaper journalist with The Sunday Times, New Statesman, The Independent, The Observer and the Evening Standard. He has also been a visiting fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, and the Institute for Policy Studies, London and has advised several large corporations. He Chaired the Royal Commonwealth Society and is currently a Trustee of Action on Smoking and Health UK (ASH) and a non-executive director for the new Medical Discoveries Catapult.