Charity Commission appoints interim chair

A deputy High Court judge has been appointed as interim chair of the Charity Commission, while it looks for a permanent replacement for Baroness Stowell.

Stowell stepped down from the role last month after deciding not to seek a second term. While the regulator looks for a permanent chair it has appointed its board member Ian Karet to the role on a temporary basis.

Karet joined the board in 2019 and is a solicitor specialising in intellectual property and technology. He also sits part time as a deputy High Court judge and is a member of the Civil Justice Council.

He has also been a trustee of the Royal Botanical Gardens and on the board of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property.

As interim chair he will receive £37,500 a year.

Former Conservative minister Stowell’s tenure as Charity Commission chair was marked by a number of high profile controversial comments she made.

This included urging charity leaders to “leave party politics” and “culture wars” out of their work.

She was also accused of “launching an attack on lefty lawyers” and came under criticism from charity leaders and MPs for her suitability in the role.

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


Charity Times video Q&A: In conversation with Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK
Charity Times editor, Lauren Weymouth, is joined by Dementia UK CEO, Hilda Hayo to discuss why the charity receives such high workplace satisfaction results, what a positive working culture looks like and the importance of lived experience among staff. The pair talk about challenges facing the charity, the impact felt by the pandemic and how it's striving to overcome obstacles and continue to be a highly impactful organisation for anybody affected by dementia.
Charity Times Awards 2023

Mitigating risk and reducing claims
The cost-of-living crisis is impacting charities in a number of ways, including the risks they take. Endsleigh Insurance’s* senior risk management consultant Scott Crichton joins Charity Times to discuss the ramifications of prioritising certain types of risk over others, the financial implications risk can have if not managed properly, and tips for charities to help manage those risks.

* Coming soon… Howden, the new name for Endsleigh.