The RSPCA has appointed international communications boss Gavin Grant as its new chief executive.
Gavin (56) takes over at the RSPCA at the start of 2012 as the charity looks to sustaining its anti-cruelty programmes while cutting costs amid the continuing economic slump.
Despite reducing its annual running costs by ’10 million since 2009, the charity is concerned by the stagnating economy’s effects on animals.
Gavin, a former RSPCA director said: ’The RSPCA is the world’s biggest and best animal welfare charity. It has an immense amount to be proud of and more to do in a challenging environment for all charities.
’People in this country care passionately about animals. There is enormous public support for the RSPCA and our work, and we need to harness that goodwill even more effectively to help meet these serious challenges.’
Gavin - who has a dog and three cats - has substantial commercial, leadership and communications experience.
He was the RSPCA’s director of campaigns and communication between 1988-91. He led communications for The Body Shop, and joins the RSPCA from the UK arm of the global public relations company Burson-Marsteller (B-M) where he was Chairman (B-M are the largest PR firm in Sir Martin Sorrell’s WPP). While there Gavin founded B-M’s corporate responsibility unit and provided a range of international clients with strategic advice.
He added: ’The RSPCA is a big charity that achieves big things - when I was last at RSPCA, we campaigned for a ban on battery cages. Thanks to constant public support and action, that ban finally becomes law in January.
’We also wanted compulsory dog registration to promote responsible ownership. The moves towards this in Wales are great but the bigger battle is yet to be won.
’The RSPCA is unique - only the RSPCA can rescue abused animals and bring bringing the abusers to justice.
’Our country reputation is as a nation of animal lovers. Sadly the truth can be very different. We have a chance to put that right.’
Gavin takes over from retiring chief executive Mark Watts. Meanwhile he’ll be out and about meeting RSPCA inspectors, staff, branches and volunteers throughout England and Wales.
’Every year the RSPCA finds more loving new homes for abandoned and abused animals than any other organisation,’ he added. ’We couldn’t do that without the support of our branches, volunteers and staff. They do so much for animals in need. I want to meet as many of them as possible before I start.’
In the last few years the RSPCA has continued to modernise, including new handheld mobile technology for all RSPCA inspectors. There has also been investment in a team of pet animal scientists using forensic techniques to tackle animal cruelty and a new online re-homing service on the charity’s website.
The RSPCA, with its network of 166 branches across England and Wales, has also seen a string of campaigning successes in the last five years, from chicken welfare, the ban on hunting and the Animal Welfare Act.
