Milton Keynes-based charity World Vision UK announces new chief executive

Milton Keynes-based International children’s charity World Vision UK has announced a new chief executive.

Fola Komolafe MBE DL will start the role next month, says the charity, which helps children, families, and communities overcome poverty and injustice in developing and third world countries.

The job was advertised earlier this year with a salary of £120,000 a year.

Fola’s last role was CEO of Indisys Business Solutions, where she provided strategic direction and philanthropy advice to several large UK Christian charities and directed a portfolio of award-winning development projects across multiple countries located in Africa and South Asia for the Open University.

Her connection to World Vision UK includes previously serving as vice-chair on World Vision's UK Board of Trustees.

A charity spokesman said: “Fola is a passionate and committed Christian who has served pastorally and in church leadership for more than thirty years. She co-founded several charities and held non-executive director roles with organisations locally and nationally.

Earlier this year, Fola received both the Community Impact Award for Volunteers and the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Women Leaders UK Awards.

The World Vision spokesperson said: “Fola's appointment as CEO holds special significance for World Vision UK. She is not only our first female CEO but also our first black female CEO. As someone who spent her childhood in Nigeria and with a track record of success in UK businesses and community endeavours, her unique perspective will help further strengthen World Vision UK's approach to tackling the complex challenges of global poverty.”

Fola said: “I am so excited to be joining World Vision UK as their new CEO, a charity I have long supported and admired for their impact and commitment to the world’s most vulnerable children. I had the privilege of seeing this first hand in Zambia recently and I was blown away by our integrated approach and the life changing impact it has had on children, their families and their communities.

"I feel extremely blessed and honoured to join an organisation uniquely identified by its rich Christian values and widespread global impact at a time when things are changing so quickly around us and becoming even more challenging for many people in lower income countries.

“I look forward with much anticipation to working with staff, supporters and partners in ensuring we keep our promise of overcoming poverty and bringing the fullness of life to the world’s most vulnerable children.”

World Vision’s current CEO Mark Sheard is retiring from a full-time role.

The charity runs a highly successfully sponsor a child scheme, where donors can change a child’s life and their whole community by giving £26 a month.

"Your sponsorship will make sure families have the means to provide for their children. We help families gain a stable income so they can afford all of life's essentials, like healthcare, nutrition and education,” said the spokesman.

They have a community of supporters, volunteers and community leaders across almost 100 countries and they work together to transform children's lives.