Help for Heroes’ new Chief Executive Officer is James Needham, who will head up the charity on a permanent basis after stepping in as interim CEO following the departure of Melanie Waters in October 2022.
James is already a well-established member of the Help for Heroes family since joining the charity in 2018 as the Chief Operating Officer.
He has been instrumental in the development of the charity’s 10-year strategy and brings a wealth of expertise and continuity having worked across most areas of the charity.
He previously spent more than 15 years working in operations management within the hospitality sector for the likes of Greene King and Starbucks.
He said:
“I am proud and humbled to be appointed Chief Executive of Help for Heroes.
“In my five years at the charity, I have seen first-hand the dedication and energy of colleagues as they deliver extraordinary impact for veterans and families living with long-term health conditions.
“I am thrilled to lead this team into the future and honour our promise to provide direct and practical support to beneficiaries for as long as they need us.”
Sir Nigel Boardman, the Chair of Trustees at Help for Heroes, added:
“James is a man of high integrity who has a genuine and passionate belief in helping members of our Armed Forces community.
“From his time at the Charity and previous experience in the private sector we know that he has a proven track record of results and the necessary skills to lead our organisation into the future.
“I am confident that under James’ leadership, Help for Heroes will continue to go from strength to strength, ensuring more veterans and their families can live well after service.”
Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps them live well after service. The charity helps them, and their families, to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 27,000 people and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.
The Charity supports veterans from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians (and their families) who worked alongside our Armed Forces.
