RNID promotes director to top job

From: SocietyGuardian.co.uk
Oct. 22, 2002

Patrick Butler

The UK's biggest charity for the deaf, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), has promoted from within to fill its soon-to-be vacant chief executive post, handing the job to John Low, a research director at the organisation.

Mr Low, who is executive director responsible for research, technology and health, succeeds James Strachan, who is standing down in November to become chairman of RNID's board of trustees.

The £90,000 a year RNID top job - one of the most high-profile jobs in the voluntary sector - is one of three big disability charity chief executive posts to fall vacant recently. Scope and Mencap are still to appoint.

Mr Low said his priorities would be to mobilise the charity's volunteer network to challenge prejudice against deaf and hard of hearing people, continue to create innovate partnerships with government to achieve public service reform, and develop "cutting edge" technology to benefit deaf people.

Mr Low, who holds a PhD in bio-medical physics was responsible for helping the charity modernise NHS audiology services in partnership with the Department of Health. He also helped develop its telephone relay service, RNID typetalk.

Mr Strachan said: "John Low has been an outstanding director at RNID and will be superb at leading the organisation in its next stages of development. We were delighted by the strength of applications received from both inside and outside the voluntary sector."

Mr Strachan, a former City banker who has led RNID for the past five years, has been linked with the vacant job of chairman of the audit commission.

RNID also announced that it has appointed Vicky Hemming as director of personnel. She joins from the Prince's Trust, and replaces Monica Watson.

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002