Appointment of new chair
New chair for the New Year: We announce the appointment of Will Galgey as our new Chair of the Board.
We bid a fond farewell to our outgoing chair Graeme Roberston.
New chair for the New Year: today we announce the appointment of Will Galgey as our new Chair of the Board, starting 1 January 2025. Galgey succeeds Graeme Robertson, who has been our Chair for eight years.
Dog welfare has been Graeme's lifelong passion. After decades of service as a trusted partner, his volunteering journey with Dogs Trust began in 2014 when he volunteered as a trustee; his dedication, commitment, and leadership qualities quickly led to his appointment as Chairman two years later.
During Graeme Roberston's tenure, he has worked with three Chief Executives and has anchored the organisation through the trials of the Covid pandemic, ensuring dogs and staff continued to be cared for through the most challenging of times and, more recently, the cost-of-living crisis, guiding us through a ‘perfect storm’ for the animal welfare sector.
As Chairman, Graeme was always forward-looking, and he recognised the need for us to evolve in response to a rapidly changing world. He has been instrumental in modernising our charity, investing in infrastructure, leading its equality agenda and ensuring continued investment in innovative new services for dogs and their owners, such as our new, free Behaviour Support Line.
Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp said:
"Graeme has dedicated decades of his life to improving dog welfare, both professionally and through his selfless voluntary service. On behalf of the Board, our staff, and volunteers, I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for Graeme's visionary leadership, commitment and personal support.
"And I couldn't be more delighted to welcome Will Galgey as our new Chair for 2025 to take forward Graeme's legacy. I look forward to working with Will and the Board to make the world a better place for dogs everywhere."
Outgoing chair Graeme Robertson said:
"Leading Dogs Trust has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I am incredibly proud of our work over the last few decades, from creating the new name "Dogs Trust" and setting up the Sponsor A Dog programme to investing in state-of-the-art new rehoming centres like Cardiff.
"It has been my privilege to watch Dogs Trust go from strength to strength to emerge as a top 10 charity helping dogs across the UK and around the world. I have every confidence that together Will and Owen, with the full support of the Board, will continue to ensure Dogs Trust becomes an even greater force in improving dog welfare for the generations to come."
Will Galgey, who joined the Board in 2023, is Executive Managing Director for Kantar Marketplace and he brings a wealth of leadership and management experience, as well as a commitment to improving dog welfare. The Board is delighted to welcome him into this new leadership position.
Will Galgey said:
"It's a great privilege to take on the role of Chair of Dogs Trust, and to follow in the footsteps of Graeme. I look forward to building on Graeme's incredible legacy by ensuring that we continue to do everything we can to help the dogs who need us most.
"This is an exciting time to become Chair and to lead the Dogs Trust Board as we face into fresh challenges and opportunities and begin a new chapter in Dogs Trust’s long and proud history. With the support of the Board, and working with Owen and the fantastic team at Dogs Trust, I am confident we will all be able to do more for the dogs who need us most, both here in the UK and across the world."
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Graeme Robertson and look forward to an exciting future under Will Galgey's leadership.
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