After five impactful years at the helm of Pilotlight, Ed Mayo will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer later this year.
Under Ed’s leadership, Pilotlight has doubled the number of skilled volunteers it deploys and grown its income by 42%, driven by a bold approach to skills-based volunteering as a tool for leadership development—what Ed coined as “learning by doing good”.
Ed has also championed collaboration across the voluntary sector, co-founding the UK Pro Bono Association to unite organisations promoting skills-based volunteering.
Reflecting on his time at Pilotlight, Ed said:
“It has been the privilege of my life for us to have supported 803 charities over my time, working with the talented team at Pilotlight. I am confident that Lisa is the perfect successor to widen the impact of our work at a time when it is most needed.”
From October 2025, Lisa Pearce will take on the role of Chief Executive. Lisa brings deep experience in inclusive leadership, transformational change, and stakeholder collaboration, with a background spanning sport and charity. She is currently interim CEO at Gingerbread and serves on the World Para Sports Unit Board.
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Alison Forrestal, commented:
“On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to thank Ed for his passion and unwavering commitment to our vision and mission. He leaves Pilotlight in a strong position, with a clear strategy and a talented team in place to take our important work forward. We look forward to welcoming Lisa to the Pilotlight team and continuing to increase our impact at this important time.”
Lisa shared her excitement about the journey ahead:
“I’m honoured to be joining Pilotlight as its next Chief Executive. At a time when social needs are rising and resources are stretched, Pilotlight’s work has never been more vital. I’m excited to lead the organisation into its next phase—building on Ed’s legacy, unlocking new collaborations, and amplifying our impact across the UK and beyond.”
Ed will continue to lead the organisation through to October to ensure a smooth and effective transition.