The children’s charity Lumos has appointed Peter McDermott as its next chief executive.
McDermott, who is director at the international development consultancy Fajara Associates, succeeds Sir Roger Singleton, who has been interim chief executive of the charity since September 2019.
Singleton took up the role after Georgette Mulheir switched roles to become global strategic adviser at the charity before leaving late last year.
The charity, which was founded in 2005 by the Harry Potter author JK Rowling to support children living in harmful orphanages, said Mulheir would be changing roles after eight years as it announced it would commission two independent reviews into its governance and culture.
Neil Blair, chair of Lumos, said at the time that the board had identified “some management and culture challenges facing Lumos that require immediate action”.
Asked what the outcome of the two independent reviews were, a spokesperson for the charity said: “The governance review was completed in early 2020 and all the recommendations have been implemented.
“The review of the charity’s culture was completed by summer 2020, finding strengths and some areas to improve on. A programme of implementing the recommendations is in progress.”
The charity said McDermott was a child development expert with more then 25 years’ experience of leading global initiatives in international development and philanthropy.
Before joining Fajara Associates, he was chief executive of the Martin James Foundation, which provides children’s care services around the world. He has also held roles at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and in the Africa bureau of the US Agency for International Development in Washington, DC.
Blair said: “Lumos has embarked on a new strategy and appointing Peter, with his world-leading child development and international relations expertise, to drive our mission forwards is hugely exciting.
McDermott said: “Having led global and country-level initiatives to support children and their families for many years, I have long admired the progress Lumos has made to influence care reform, strengthen families and communities, and protect children from the harm of institutions.
“At this point in the charity’s life, with a new strategy to take forward, I am delighted to join an expert team to advance our mission to keep families together and give children the love and care they need to thrive.”
He will take up the role in June.