Fundraising Regulator chief executive Stephen Dunmore is to stand down in June 2018 after two and a half years, but critics of chair Lord Michael Grade will have to wait a whole year to see the back of him after the organisation confirmed the controversial figure will remain in his post until December 2018.
A statement from the regulator said Dunmore – the former Big Lottery Fund CEO – had had his term extended until June, but he is not expected to continue in the role after that time.
The statement also said Lord Grade, who has been chair of the regulator since November 2015, would continue in the post until Christmas 2018, at which point it is expected he will step down.
For some, Lord Grade’s exit cannot come soon enough following accusations that he repeatedly slates the charity sector to curry favour with the media.
In July, Grade was slammed for describing fundraising charities and fundraisers as “laggards” and “rogues and cowboys“. Meanwhile, he also made major gaffes when promoting the launch of the Fundraising Preference Service, forcing the organisation to clear up the confusion.
In the summer it was reported that Institute of Fundraising chief Amanda Bringans had secured assurances from Lord Grade that he would be more supportive of fundraisers in public. Within weeks, however, he was ambushed by the Daily Telegraph over claims that charities were swerving the FPS by running unaddressed direct mailings.
The regulator said the recruitment process for the chief executive role would begin “in the early months” of 2018 and later in the year for Grade’s successor.
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