Mental health charity Lamp Leicester will see Gareth take over from Richard Kotulecki.
Lamp, Leicester-based mental health charity, has announced the appointment of Gareth James as its new Chief Executive Officer following an extensive search process.
Gareth will assume his new role on Monday, July 22, 2024.
The long-time Leicestershire resident brings a wealth of experience from the third and public sectors, particularly in science and technology education.
He expressed his enthusiasm for joining Lamp, stating: "I'm truly delighted to be taking on the role of CEO of Lamp Leicester, following on from the formidable work that Richard has done to enable it to meet the needs of the people of Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.
"In the life of my friends and family, I have encountered the challenges of mental health issues. The work that Lamp does is vital and life-changing, and I am proud to be leading it toward ever greater reach and impact."
His notable past roles include Head of Education for the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Chief of Education for the Micro:bit Educational Foundation – an initiative he co-founded with the BBC and ARM – and Head of Partnerships and Projects for the World Robot Olympiad.
Most recently, he served as Interim CEO of Groundwork Five Counties, focusing on environmental and community work.
Gareth has been actively involved in the Leicestershire community since 2001, when he relocated to the area to help launch the National Space Centre. Despite professional commitments that took him across the UK and internationally, Gareth and his family have firmly established their roots in the region.
The outgoing CEO, Richard Kotulecki, will remain with Lamp until July 26, 2024, to ensure a smooth handover process.
Richard expressed his confidence in Gareth's ability to lead the charity into the future, citing the significant progress Lamp has made in recent years due to the support and commitment of its stakeholders.
"Gareth and I have begun the handover process," Richard noted. "I am very excited about the future for Lamp. In the last few years, we have made many changes to enable the charity to emerge from some very difficult circumstances.
"We have been able to do this because of your support and commitment to our collective cause. I thank you sincerely for this, and I hope that you will be able to continue that support into Gareth’s tenure."
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