The Fawcett Society has announced Penny East as the charity’s new chief executive.

East takes over from interim chief executive, Martha Hannan, who covered the period following Jemima Olchawski’s departure at the end of February.

East has worked in the charity sector for the last fifteen years, most recently she spent four years as a director at Think Ahead, the mental health charity that advocates for a social approach to mental health provision throughout the NHS.

Previously she has overseen communications and campaigns for national domestic abuse charity, SafeLives, where her team helped shape the Domestic Abuse Bill 2021. She established and led an internal survivor network, and launched the first national domestic abuse perpetrator programme in the UK.

On her appointment Penny East said: "There has never been a more important time to be a feminist and I am delighted to join the Fawcett Society. Progress towards equality isn’t guaranteed. It takes the hard work of Fawcett, the dedication of our members, and the support of the wider women and girls sector to call out unfairness and misogyny and to make the world better for all of us. I am looking forward to working with the excellent staff team, trustees, and members to build on the incredible heritage and history of the Fawcett Society and to take it from strength to strength - for the good of women and girls and our wider society.”

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