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Our Leadership Team

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We employ over 300 people across UNICEF UK. Most are based in Stratford, London, and others work remotely across the UK.

We are governed by a Board of Trustees and led by a Chief Executive, Dr Philip Goodwin, supported by an Executive Team.

Dr Philip Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer

Dr Philip Goodwin joined UNICEF UK as Chief Executive in September 2024. Prior to this, Goodwin served as Chief Executive of VSO from 2015.  He was formerly CEO of TREE AID, a development organisation working on agro-forestry in dryland Africa. He spent 11 years with the British Council and held leadership positions in Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan and Belgium, including Regional Director for sub-Saharan Africa. Philip has been a community development volunteer in Timbuktu, Mali and a researcher on poverty issues at the Overseas Development Institute. He has a PhD and MSc in rural resource planning and environmental policy and a degree in agricultural economics.

Philip is a non-executive director of the International Civil Society Centre based in Berlin whose mission is to strengthen the impact and resilience of international civil society organisations. He is also a trustee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, the not-for-profit search and rescue organisation whose mission is to save lives at sea. He is co-author with Tony Page of the leadership book From Hippos to Gazelles: how leaders create leaders.

Anna Kettley, Chief Influence and Impact Officer

Anna Kettley is our Chief Influence and Impact Officer, responsible for advocacy, programmes, and safeguarding. Anna has been working in the charitable sector for over two decades, specialising in the delivery of large-scale transformational programmes and innovative influencing strategies that champion children’s rights, tackle inequity, and drive social change on both a domestic and international level. Anna has a specialist Master’s in Charity Management from the Bayes Business School and a Postgraduate Diploma in Climate Change and International Development. She is currently a Trustee for the Polar Citizen Science Collective, working in a voluntary capacity. Prior to joining UNICEF UK, Anna held senior roles at Save the Children and Place2Be.

 

Louise Lane, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer

Louise Lane is our Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer and oversees marketing, communications, partnerships and Soccer Aid for UNICEF while also the Executive lead for the organisation’s emergency humanitarian response. Louise has worked in the sector for nearly 20 years and her roles at UNICEF UK have included Director of Soccer Aid, Director of Strategy, and Head of Performance Marketing. She has also served as a global marketing consultant and a member of the humanitarian emergency surge team. A Board Director of Soccer Aid Productions Ltd, Louise is also a mother to two young children.

Steven Waugh, Chief Operations Officer

Steven Waugh is our Chief Operating Officer, responsible for leading operations and enabling the organisation to deliver for children as effectively and efficiently as possible. A chartered accountant, Steven has over 20 years’ experience across finance, transformation and leadership. Before joining UNICEF UK, Steven worked with Accenture and Omnicom Group in senior finance roles across the UK and South Africa.

During his time as CFO of TBWA South Africa, he supported a non-profit providing low-cost loans and business support to underserved entrepreneurs and helped establish two school reading centres. He is passionate about values-led leadership and building collaborative, high-performing teams that deliver impact at scale.

Our Trustees

UNICEF UK is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board is responsible for overseeing that UNICEF UK is achieving its mission and strategic objectives and that it complies with legal requirements and charity regulations. The Board also appoints the Executive Director. Trustee roles are voluntary positions filled by open recruitment processes.

You can also find out more about our Vice Presidents, who use their networks and expertise in support of children’s rights.

UNICEF UK’s Board is guided by the voluntary Charity Governance Code for larger charities, which is a tool to help charities and their trustees develop high standards of governance.

 

Shatish Dasani
Shatish Dasani (Chair) Shatish brings a broad skillset from over 25 years’ experience in business leadership roles, including on public company Boards. He is currently Senior Independent Director at Renew Holdings plc, and Non-Executive Director at Genuit Group plc, SIG plc and Speedy Hire plc. He was previously CFO at Forterra plc and TT Electronics plc. Shatish has significant international experience, having travelled extensively and lived on different continents. He graduated from Oxford University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and an MBA. He joined the Board in 2020.
Sarah Davis
Sarah Davis (Vice-Chair) Sarah joined the Board of UNICEF UK in 2017 and was appointed Vice Chair in 2019. Sarah is a highly experienced General Counsel, businesswoman and NED. She is a Client Legal Director at The Legal Director and worked at the Guardian for over 16 years as Group Legal Director and General Counsel, before joining ITV plc as Director Group Legal Affairs. Alongside her legal career, Sarah has over 20 years non-executive board leadership experience. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Women's Prize Trust and a director of the International Catalogue Raisonne Association.
Zamila Bunglawala Skingsley (Vice Chair) Zamila Bunglawala Skingsley is a successful former Cabinet Office Director with extensive UK and global experience leading policy, strategy, trade/commercial portfolios including a £25BN education portfolio, large transformation projects and EDI. Zamila now holds a portfolio of Non-Executive Director/Advisor roles with leading organisations including UNICEF, Lord Jeremy Heywood Foundation, Department for Transport, TORUS Foundation, Julia Gillard’s Global Institute for Women Leaders at King’s College London and is Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics. Former boards include US-UK Fulbright Commission, UNESCO and Concern Worldwide, and Fellowships at the Brookings Institute and University of Manchester.
Image of Maggie Atkinson smiling at the camera.
Maggie Atkinson Maggie is a consultant and experienced Board member. Her work focuses on safeguarding children and adults, tackling injustices and inequalities. An Honorary Professor at Keele, she enjoys the rigorous debates that work entails. From 2010-15 Maggie was England’s Children’s Commissioner, strengthening the role’s impact and championing children’s rights. Her career started in education and local government, including as a DCS and President of ADCS.
Usama Al-Qassab
Usama Al-Qassab Usama leads the Marketing, Communications, Digital, Broadcast, Retail, Hospitality and Partnerships for The Championships Wimbledon and the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Previously he has held leadership positions at Sony PlayStation, Disney and Procter & Gamble across Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Australasia. Whilst at P&G his team designed and delivered the Pampers ‘one pack = one vaccine’ partnership alongside UNICEF to eradicate newborn and neonatal tetanus. Usama joined the board in September 2020 and in his spare time can be found coaching youth age grade rugby to boys and girls in South London.
A profile headshot of a Heather Francis smiling.
Heather Francis (Treasurer) Heather is the Chief Operating Officer at University of the Arts London. As Chief Operating Officer, Heather's remit encompasses Finance, People & Culture, Estates, Student Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions and Academic Registry, leading these areas to meet the needs of the University in line with its strategy. Heather’s previous experience includes roles within Finance at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Save the Children. She has served as Treasurer at War Child UK and Trustee at Advance HE.
A Chris Merry profile headshot
Chris Merry Chris is Chairman of One Four Nine Group, an independent nationwide financial advice and investment business. He also acts as retained adviser to private equity, focusing on business, financial and professional services. From 2019 to 2023, Chris was CEO of Stonehage Fleming, global multi family office and wealth manager. Prior to this, he spent 5 years as CEO of Ipes, the fund administration, accounting and outsourcing business. Chris began his career at PwC, including 5 years as a partner. He then became CFO at Clifford Chance, the global law firm, before taking CEO roles at Whitehead Mann, Matrix Group and RSM Tenon. From 2011 to 2021, Chris was a trustee of VSO International, also acting as Treasurer and Audit Committee Chair.
A headshot of Sophie Pender
Sophie Pender Sophie is the Founder and CEO of The 93% Club, the UK’s largest network for state-educated people. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree for Social Entrepreneurship and recipient of the Diana Legacy Award, Sophie’s work has been featured across major media outlets including the BBC, ITV and The Guardian, as well as in documentaries by The Economist and BBC Radio 4. Sophie began her career as a corporate lawyer specialising in M&A, corporate governance and start-ups at Herbert Smith Freehills, later joining leading charity firm Bates Wells. She also advised the UK Government on its National Youth Strategy, helping to unlock £88 million of investment for working-class communities. Her previous board roles include the Mayor’s Fund for London and the Bristol Students’ Union.
A headshot of Meryl Bagguley
Meryl Bagguley Meryl brings a broad skillset from her varied career as both an entrepreneur and corporate professional. She is co-founder and CEO of Alpha House Ltd, providing the power protection industry with leading battery technology, and a Fellow of The King's Trust. Prior to this, Meryl co-founded and directed The Armitage Group, a property investment and development company. Her corporate background includes serving as a Board Member at Chanel Ltd and holding senior marketing positions at Estée Lauder and Clinique.
A headshot of Sheena Amin
Sheena Amin Sheena leads ITV’s media-for-equity investment fund, supporting early-stage consumer businesses to scale through TV advertising. She brings extensive experience in venture capital and media, having started her career at Summit Partners and held senior roles at Virgin Media, Dixons Carphone, UKTV, and BBC Studios. A passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, Sheena previously served as a Trustee for Young Enterprise and founded her own startup. She holds a First-Class degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from Oxford University.