The lawyer chosen as interim manager of the Islamic Centre of England has hit back at critics of her appointment.
Campaigners said last week that Emma Moody was not a suitable choice because she “is not from that faith community” but Moody stressed that she brought experience and expertise to the role.
She is head of charities law at the global firm Womble Bond Dickinson where she has worked for the last 15 years.
The Charity Commission imposed new, interim management on ICE earlier this year as part of an ongoing statutory inquiry which opened in 2022.
The regular said that it acted after the charity’s previous trustees had not complied with their legal duties.
Moody also confirmed that ICE was still closed, two weeks after the charity shut its doors to worshippers, but said that this was unrelated to her appointment.
She said in a statement: “I am committed to working collaboratively with the Islamic Centre of England and its trustees and our first priority and focus is to reopen the centre as soon as possible.
“I have been appointed by the Charity Commission on the back of my governance expertise and my years of experience advising charities of all faiths across the UK, including a number of Muslim-faith led organisations.
“I always approach my work with compassion, understanding and a desire to secure the best possible outcome for the charities with which I work, for the good of the communities they serve.
“Media reports on why the centre closed are misleading – the decision was not made by the Charity Commission nor as a result of my appointment as interim manager.
“The trustees and I wish to re-open the centre as soon as possible, and once we do so, we can then focus on supporting the charity’s future effective governance.”
When the Charity Commission appointed Moody it said that she would “conduct a review of the charity’s governance and administration and make recommendations to the commission based on her findings”.