Halima Begum is to leave ActionAid UK, after becoming its chief executive in July, to lead Oxfam.

Oxfam has announced this week that Begum will be joining next year to replace Danny Sriskandarajah, who steps down as CEO later this month.

Begum was chief executive of race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust for three years before joining ActionAid UK this summer.

She has also held senior roles at the British Council and the Lego Foundation, where she was its global vice president.

Her appointment at ActionAid UK earlier this year marked a return to the charity, which she had worked as an education campaign officer until 2000.

She said that Oxfam and ActionAid UK “share the same ambitions to shift power and reform the development sector, so this is a natural next step for me”.

“As I transition to my new role at Oxfam, I carry with me the invaluable experiences and lessons learned during my tenure at ActionAid UK, from our humanitarian work in Gaza, our ongoing work on anti-racism and decolonisation and our unwavering commitment to the rights of women and girls around the world,” she said.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation for the understanding and encouragement extended to me during this move. ActionAid will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am confident that the organisation will continue to thrive under its capable leadership.”

ActionAid UK chair Rajiv Vyas said the charity “bids a very fond farewell” to Begum.

“We recognise that Halima’s departure is solely due to her decision to accept an opportunity with Oxfam that means so much to her, and this decision has our full support, Vyas added.

“Otherwise, Halima would have continued to lead ActionAid UK with the same empathy and commitment she has shown since joining the organisation.

“Her colleagues at ActionAid UK look forward to working alongside Halima in the sector for many years to come. We wish her every success at Oxfam and thank her for the remarkable work she has done for the entire ActionAid federation."

Sriskandarajah announced in June he was to leave Oxfam to become chief executive at think tank New Economics Foundation.

Sriskandarajah joined Oxfam as the charity was tackling the aftermath of a public outcry over a sexual misconduct scandal involving its staff in Haiti and Chad and subsequent attempts to cover it up.

He told Charity Times three years ago that he landed the top role at Oxfam after telling trustees “you’ve clearly let yourself down”.

While speaking at Charity Time’s Leadership Conference the same year he urged charities to stop their “obsession with brand” and “smothering” social justice campaigns with logos and objectives.

In 2021 Oxfam sacked three members of staff following an investigation into allegations of abuse of power in its operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Aleema Shivji, Oxfam's chief impact officer, will be interim chief executive until Halima Begum is in post.

Oxfam chair Charles Gurassa added: “We are delighted that Halima has agreed to join us. She brings a wealth of experience in how to make change happen and a real passion to fight injustice.

“Under Danny’s leadership, Oxfam has made great strides in in re-establishing its reputation with the British public, delivering its life changing work and advocacy through its global network of partners and transforming the way we work. I am thrilled we have found the right person to lead us on the next stage of that journey.”

Pay dispute

Oxfam is currently embroiled in a pay dispute with staff who are members of the union Unite. Almost 500 Oxfam workers are staging a series of strikes this month for the first time in their history.

Unite is concerned that the charity will be “using unpaid volunteers” to cover for striking staff, who have rejected Oxfam’s pay offer.

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