Changes on the leadership front. After five successful years at Pilotlight, our Chief Executive Officer, Ed Mayo, will be stepping down later this year. The Board of Trustees has appointed Lisa Pearce as the new Chief Executive Officer, starting in October 2025.
During Ed’s time as CEO, Pilotlight has doubled the number of skilled volunteers that it deploys and grown its income by 42%. Key to this success has been a bold, innovative way to engage businesses in skills-based volunteering as a tool for leadership development – an approach Ed branded as ‘learning by doing good.’ Ed has also been an influential voice in support of voluntary sector co-operation, co-founding the UK Pro Bono Association to bring together organisations promoting skills-based volunteering.
"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” said Ed. “I am confident that Lisa is the perfect successor to widen the impact of our work at a time when it is most needed.”
Lisa brings a wealth of experience to the role, with an outstanding track record of inclusive leadership, transformational change and stakeholder collaboration in a sporting and charity context. She is currently interim CEO at Gingerbread and is a member of the World Para Sports Unit Board.
Alison Forrestal, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Pilotlight, 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 Pearce commented “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 2025 to ensure a smooth and effective transition.