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The Chair and Board of Trustees have today confirmed that all funds from the sections of Comic Relief’s investment portfolio that included shares in alcohol, tobacco and arms companies have now been removed, as agreed in December 2013.
They can now also confirm the membership of the panel that has begun the review of Comic Relief’s investment policy.
John Kingston OBE is the independent Chair of the panel, which also consists of Andrew Hind CB FCA (independent) and three Comic Relief Trustees.
The full list of panel members is as follows:
John Kingston OBE (Chair) (See biography below)
Andrew Hind CB FCA (See biography below)
Mike Harris(opens in new window), Comic Relief Trustee
Diana Barran MBE(opens in new window), Comic Relief Trustee
Harry Cayton OBE(opens in new window), Comic Relief Trustee
The review panel, which has already started its work, will recommend the principles and framework for a new investment policy and its levels of transparency. The panel aims to make its recommendations to Trustees in early March 2014.
Trustees will respond to the recommendations publicly once they have been fully considered.
John Kingston OBE, independent Chair of the review panel, said: “This is an important and complex area for the whole charity sector which requires careful examination. As an independent Chair, I am looking forward to leading a robust and effective review and making recommendations which will address the concerns raised about some aspects of Comic Relief’s investment policy”.
John Kingston OBE
John Kingston OBE has a portfolio of roles in philanthropy and social investment, including Chair of the Association of Charitable Foundations, a non-executive director of Big Society Capital and a Trustee of Help Age International.
After working at 3i Group plc and Save The Children, John joined the Charities Aid Foundation in 2001, launching Venturesome, a pioneer social investment fund.
Andrew Hind CB FCA
Andrew Hind is professor of charity governance and finance at Cass Business School, City University, London, and is editor of Charity Finance magazine. From 2004-10 he was the first chief executive of the Charity Commission. Andrew has worked for ActionAid and Barnardo’s as finance director, corporate services director, and deputy chief executive, and was chief operating officer for BBC World Service from 1995-2004.
Andrew co-founded the Charity Finance Group in 1987 and was its chair from 1992-94; he was author of The Governance and Management of Charities in 1995; and chaired the Charity SORP Committee from 2005-10. Andrew has been a trustee, and chair of audit and risk, and remuneration committees, for many charities including The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, VSO, and Unicef UK.
