UK Charity Commission reveals its next Chief Executive

On 7 February, the Charity Commission announced that David Holdsworth would take over as its new chief executive from 1 July 2024.  

David Holdsworth will replace Helen Stephenson who has been in post since July 2017 making her the Commission's longest serving chief executive.  

David Holdsworth

David Holdsworth has extensive experience in the public and private sectors.  In 2022, he was appointed as Chief Executive of the Animal and Plant Health Agency.  Prior to this role, he was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO).  At the UK IPO, he was responsible for its registered rights functions, patents, trademarks and designs, including the associated tribunal and mediation services.  

He had responsibility for representing the UK globally on IP matters and he also held different policy roles at the Home Office (including senior operational roles in the Immigration Service).  

Prior to his role at the IPO, he was Deputy CEO and Registrar of Charities for England and Wales at the Charity Commission.  

In addition, he spent five years in senior executive positions at two different FTSE 100 companies.  

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