After 15 years service as Chief Executive of St Giles, Rob Owen today (6 September 2022) announced he will be leaving the charity at the end of March 2023.
Rob joined St Giles in 2007 when it was in the early stages of becoming a charity working with serving prisoners and ex-offenders. Since this time, it has grown to become a UK-wide charity working beyond the criminal justice sector to address a range of social issues. St Giles is now at the forefront in tackling many areas of social injustice and known for its peer-led model of using people with lived experience of overcoming adversity to support others facing the same issues they once did.
Rob said:
“After 15 incredible years with St Giles, the time has come for me to step down as the Chief Executive of this amazing organisation. All of us are on our own unique journey – and my time at St Giles has been some of the most rewarding times imaginable. The courage and determination of all our staff has inspired me and humbled me.”
He continued:
“I’m so proud that we are genuinely the world leader in harnessing the true power of lived experience. I’m proud that we are considered such a unique and ground-breaking charity – finding new solutions to really complex problems. I love that we were the first to help deliver the world’s first Social Impact Bond; proud that for 12 consecutive years, we have been ranked as UK’s 100 Best Companies to Work For; and proud that evaluations done on our services continually demonstrate that we create genuine value for taxpayers and the society at large. We have achieved so much, and we are on course to do so much more. That is why I feel now is the right time for me to pass the baton as the Chief Executive.”
Rob was awarded an OBE in the 2015 New Years Honours list in recognition for his work in the criminal justice sector.
After Rob’s departure in March 2023, the Board at St Giles will be appointing Rob’s successor.