Claire Whitaker has been appointed as interim chief executive of the Queen Elizabeth Trust.
The organisation was formally established this week to mark the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth.
Whitaker will join the QET in the summer on a part-time basis after three years as chief executive of the culture and tourism charity Southampton Forward.
She worked in Southampton for six years, with prior roles as chief executive of the Southampton Culture Trust and as bid director for Southampton’s UK City of Culture bid.
Whitaker has also held several director and trustee roles at charities including the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Royal Commonwealth Society and the live jazz and classical music production charity Serious.
She has also been chair of the governing body Cricket Dorset since 2024.
The government has granted a one-off £40m endowment to support the creation of the Queen Elizabeth Trust and the charity expects to make its first grant next spring.
Local projects eligible for funding could include the development and transformation of underused buildings and green spaces, as well as neighbourhood hubs in UK communities.
Funding will also help communities ensure they have access to the skills and training they require to deliver local events.
Sir Damon Buffini, deputy chair of the BBC’s board and chair of the BBC Commercial board, will chair the trust.
Whitaker said of the charity: “Its focus on working hand in hand with people to renew and sustain shared spaces reflects what we’ve heard from local groups across the four nations: that these places work best when they are shaped by and for the communities they serve.
“I am looking forward to seeing this work come to life over the coming months, and to supporting inclusive, revitalised spaces which bring people together for years to come.”