Executive Directors
Our directors represent us externally as advocates for change, as fundraisers and as experts in their particular fields. Internally, they lead their teams to inspire dramatic change for children.
In other words, they're jointly responsible for us delivering our strategy, and they meet monthly and weekly to make sure we're staying on track. They're directors of the whole organisation, as well as of their teams, so they need to work beyond their individual specialisms.
Their experience spans sectors as diverse as financial services, manufacturing, government and, of course, international development. There's even an ex-radio presenter lurking in their midst.
- Justin Forsyth (Chief Executive)
Justin was appointed Chief Executive of Save the Children in September 2010. He leads our work to achieve dramatic change for children as we step up our efforts over the next five years to save 5 million more children’s lives a year. Justin has a formidable track record working to overcome poverty, suffering and injustice around the globe. He spent 15 years at Oxfam, rising through the ranks and in 1995 going out to Washington to set up Oxfam International. In 2004, Justin was recruited to Number 10 where he worked under two Prime Ministers to lead efforts on poverty and climate change. Justin was one of the driving forces behind the 'Make Poverty History' campaign.
- Nigel Harris (Chief of Staff)
Nigel joined Save the Children as chief of staff in February 2009, supporting the Directors Group and senior management in delivering change for children. Working closely with the chief executive, his role includes promoting better co-ordination across the organisation, re-casting the three-year strategic plan and supporting the move towards closer working with the Alliance. Previously, Nigel was the chief executive of New Philanthropy Capital, an NGO set up to improve the way donors support charities, and has also worked for Tearfund and DFID. He spent the earlier part of his career as an investment banker for Schroders.
- Greg Ramm (Director, Global Programmes)
Greg Ramm has worked for Save the Children for 11 years and is currently the Director of Global Programmes based in London. Most of Greg's time with Save the Children has been in Africa, initially as Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo and then in Ghana. Greg also served as Head of Regional Office for Southern Africa, as Regional Director for West and Central Africa, based in Dakar, Senegal and more recently as Deputy Director of Global Programmes, based in London. Prior to returning to Africa and joining Save the Children, Greg was Executive Director of the Institute for Community Economics.
- Robert Hardy (Chief Financial Officer)
Robert was appointed Chief Financial Officer in October 2007. In addition to overseeing our Global Finance, Internal Audit and IS functions, Robert leads a number of strategically critical projects, such as the Economic Model and the annual budgeting and annual priority processes.
- Jude Bridge (Director, Campaigns and Communications)
Jude joined Save the Children as Director of Marketing, Campaigns and Communications in January 2010. She leads our efforts to achieve dramatic change for children through strong campaigning and powerful communications, overseeing the Campaigns & Advocacy, Media and Communications teams based in London. She started out at Unilever as a marketing trainee and worked across a broad range of brands in both UK and International roles.
She joined United Biscuits in 1995 as Marketing Director of the KP snacks business before becoming International Brands Director. She then joined Publicis as a Board Account Director before moving to Marks and Spencer in 2001 where, as Director of Marketing Communications, she oversaw the YOUR M&S campaign which was awarded the IPA Grand Prix for Effectiveness in 2006. Jude is also a trustee of the Prostate Cancer Charity and of Groundwork.
- Derek Manuel (Director, Global Human Resources)
Derek is responsible for the coordination of devolved Human Resources and Child Safeguarding functions worldwide; in particular, talent acquisition, leadership development and organisational capacity building. He joined Save the Children in the autumn of 2003 after leaving Misys Plc, where he was Director of Human Resources for the global banking division.
- David Mepham (Director, Policy)
From 2002 to 2007 David was an Associate Director and the Head of the International Programme at the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), where he wrote extensively on human rights, development, security and conflict, humanitarian intervention, British foreign policy, and global justice. Working as a Special Adviser in the UK Department for International Development (DFID) between 1998 and 2002, he made a major contribution to the Government's international development White Paper, Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor (2000).
- Tanya Steele (Director, Supporter Relations and Fundraising)
Tanya joined Save the Children in 2004. As Director of Supporter Relations and Fundraising she is responsible for significantly growing both the organisation's income and levels of support to deliver dramatic change for children. Prior to Save the Children, Tanya spent more than a decade in the technology sector working through a range of boom and bust cycles. During this time she held a number of senior business, marketing and communications roles at BT, Siemens and Avaya.
- Caroline Underwood (Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships)
Caroline took up the new role of Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships in March 2008 to contribute to Save the Children’s effort to attract more private donors to have significant impact on creating change for children. She leads the major giving teams who work with private, business and trust donors. Before joining Save the Children, Caroline was Chief Executive of the Philanthropy Company, a small management consultancy working with not-for-profit organisations and private donors.
