Sir Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, will be passing the reins to a successor later this year, following 11 transformational years in the role.
Announcing his decision to staff and volunteers on Tuesday, Sir Peter called the role an "extraordinary privilege", working with a huge number of talented and committed staff and volunteers over more than a decade.
Sir Peter stepped into the role in 2013 in the wake of the Jimmy Saville scandal, and since then has led efforts to keep children’s safety at the forefront of the public’s minds. Taking up the role then, Sir Peter felt the NSPCC’s unique combination of policy evidence, research and insight directly from services like Childline presented a rare opportunity to do, enable and influence which made the role simply "too good to pass by".
More recently, Sir Peter’s tenure saw the launch of the NSPCC’s 10-year strategy, and while there is much still to do, the charity is already seeing some real, positive and lasting impact against each of its three goals. We are growing into our local structures and Childline is as vital and special as ever. And, every day, NSPCC employees, volunteers and supporters are having a positive impact on the life chances of children across the UK.
While Sir Peter will not be giving up work completely, he is open minded about what to do next and insists he will remain a lifelong supporter of the NSPCC and its work. Recruitment for a successor will begin shortly, and Sir Peter has agreed with the Board of Trustees to remain in post throughout the summer and beyond, if necessary, in some capacity while this process takes place.
