Dr. Kendi Guantai has been appointed Chair of Trustees at ActionAid UK, the leading international charity working with women and girls living in poverty.
Dr Guantai is a University Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Leeds and the Decolonising Lead for the Business School. She is an Associate Professor and Fellow of the Leeds Institute of Teaching Excellence.
Dr. Guantai’s experience in the third sector started in her home country of Kenya in the 1990s where she worked with various NGOs. Since being in the UK, she has continued her involvement with the third sector alongside her work in academia.
Dr Kendi Guantai, said: “I am delighted to be joining the Board of ActionAid UK at a time where the progress made on gender equality and the rights of women and girls around the world are being threatened by unprecedented conflict and environmental, economic and social change.
“As a passionate advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonisation, I am looking forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees, staff, and volunteers at this crucial moment, not only in ActionAid UK’s history, but at a pivotal moment for the international aid sector as a whole”.
Dr. Guantai will take up her role on 1st September 2022.
Anne Tutt has been appointed ActionAid UK’s Treasurer and will take up the role later in the year when the current incumbent, David Todd’s tenure comes to an end.
Anne is a Chartered Accountant and has 30 years of experience in diverse businesses as a Finance Director and Consultant working across the private, public and social enterprise sectors. With a focus on corporate governance, audit committee, risk management and financial strategy, her recent roles include Vice Chair at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the Audit & Risk Committee at the former Department for International Development.
John Good, Acting Chief Executive Officer of ActionAid UK, said:
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr Kendi Guantai and Anne Tutt to their new roles on the ActionAid UK Board. Dr Guantai brings a wealth of academic and EDI experience and expertise. Along with Anne’s 30 years of board level experience, we are in brilliant stead to move forward together to achieve our ambitious aim of ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women and girls, everywhere, can create the future they want.
“I would also like to extend my thanks to the staff body who have played an integral part in the recruitment of these key roles, along with a huge thanks to David Todd who has served as ActionAid UK’s Treasurer for eight years. We are very grateful for all his hard work and wish him well”.
ENDS
For further information please contact the media team on email: Gabrielle.Taylor@actionaid.org; or if out of hours, on +44 (0) 7753 973 486.
Notes to editors
ActionAid works with women and girls living in poverty. Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want. Find out more about ActionAid.