Appointments update 24 November

• Alternative Futures Group has appointed four new trustees.

Experienced healthcare professional Mary Burrows MBE, chartered accountant at BBC North Daniel Chaffer, government advisor Professor Michael Parkinson CBE, and business development specialist Mike Clarke have joined the board.

Burrows has 10 years’ experience in non-executive roles and 13 years as a chief executive on a range of trusts and boards in the NHS, principally in Wales. Non-executive appointments have included the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, Skills for Health and as a governor on school boards.

In addition to BBC North, Chaffer has worked in the North West Development Agency, AEA Technology and a number of other private sector organisations.

Parkinson is adviser to the vice chancellor of the University of Liverpool and is a member of the Prime Minister’s Regeneration Investment Organisation, a trustee for the Centre for Cities and a member of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Expert Group on Cities.

Clarke is corporate business lead for London and Manchester for the Royal Institute of British Architects, and a trustee of a small drugs and alcohol charity in Cumbria.

• Julie Minns has been appointed as a partner in Bell Pottinger’s political team.

Minns formerly held public affairs roles at both Scope and the NSPCC. At NSPCC she devised the FULLSTOP campaign. Her work at Scope included the post-election policy report, Polls Apart II.

Most recently, Minns worked at mobile operator Three, where she was head of public policy and corporate responsibility.

• Help for Children | Hedge Funds Care UK has named Gunner Burkhart as chair.

Burkhart is a senior adviser to the Financial Conduct Authority, non-executive director at the Social Stock Exchange, board governor at Tower Hamlets College, board trustee for Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership, board trustee for Lehman Brothers Foundation Europe and a mentor for the Prince’s Trust Business Enterprise Programme. He previously worked in investment banking and asset management for 30 years managing global businesses from London and New York.

Burkhart assumes the role from Rob Mirsky who founded and has led HFC’s UK division since its inception in 2006. Mirsky remains Chairman Emeritus and will become a senior adviser to the charity’s board.

• The National Association for Voluntary and Community Action has confirmed Neil Cleeveley as chief executive.

Cleeveley joined Navca in November 2003 as director of policy. Previously deputy chief executive, he has been acting chief executive since Joe Irvin left to lead Living Streets in July.