Richard Blewitt

"HelpAge International has appointed Richard Blewitt as its new chief executive officer. Richard will take up the new post on 1 November 2006.

"Richard brings a wealth of international experience to his new post. Until recently, he has been based in Geneva with the International Federation of the Red Cross, first as Director of Movement Co-ordination and subsequently as Acting Director of Communications.

"Prior to this Richard was at the British Red Cross, where he became Director of Strategy, Planning and Coordination.

"Between 1991 and 1996 Richard worked with Save the Children on emergency and food security issues in East Africa, and in their Ethiopia and Sudan programmes.

"Richard has also worked for ActionAid as Emergency Operations Manager and has been on secondment with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Richard began his career as a teacher in Sudan."


 * Trustee, Survivors Fund