Charlotte Bosworth is the new Chair of FAB

Federation Co-Chairs Kirstie Donnelly MBE and Alan Woods OBE are to stand down from the Board of Directors in Spring 2024 and the new Chair Charlotte Bosworth has been elected

The Federation is today announcing that Co-Chairs, Kirstie Donnelly MBE and Alan Woods OBE will be standing down from the Board of Directors in Spring 2024 and that the Board have elected Charlotte Bosworth as the next Chair of FAB.  Kirstie Donnelly, Chief Executive of City and Guilds and Alan Woods, Chief Executive of VTCT, have held the Co-Chair role since December 2020, after they were elected by the membership to the Board in 2019.  

Charlotte Bosworth joined the Board in 2017.   Charlotte is Managing Director of Innovate Awarding.  Prior to this Charlotte was Director of Vocational Education at OCR Examinations Board/Cambridge Assessment.  Her career within education commenced in 1996 with RSA Examinations Board and she has vast experience in curriculum, assessment and qualification design, development and delivery.  Charlotte is Vice Chair at an FE College and a Trustee at a Secondary school, as well as being on a Board to support accessibility and inclusion for learners.

Commenting on their forthcoming departure and the new Chair appointment the Co-Chairs said:

“Since our election by the membership to the Board in 2019, and our election as Co-chairs the following year, we have focussed on raising the profile and value of qualifications at the highest levels within government, regulators and the full variety of stakeholders that we work with.  Meanwhile we have sought to position the Federation as the strong collective voice of the industry that it is today.

“As Co-Chairs, we led the recruitment process and the Board appointment of Dr Kion Ahadi as the Federation’s next CEO, who will commence in post on 5 February.  We also recommended Charlotte Bosworth as our successor, who was unanimously elected by the Board at a meeting on 15 January. We believe that now is the right time for us to stand down from the Board so that Charlotte and Kion can take FAB forward in the years ahead.”

Charlotte Bosworth said:

“I am delighted to have been elected by the Board as the next Chair of FAB, and I look forward to taking up this position in the Spring.  I am grateful to Kirstie and Alan for their leadership of the Federation, and I look forward to building on my relationship with the membership, Kion, the Board and the executive team in the months ahead. 

“There will be challenges ahead as we face a general election, further education reform and developing and new technologies, however I am resolute that as an industry we will work together to ensure that the importance and value of qualifications and assessment in changing the lives of learners is heard at every opportunity. “

John McNamara, FAB’s Interim CEO commented:

“I express my gratitude to both Kirstie Donnelly and Alan Woods for their tenure as Co-Chairs of the Federation.  They have worked tirelessly over the past four years representing the membership and have achieved so much for the industry.  With thanks to both Kirstie and Alan, FAB is a strong, respected and collective voice for the wide-ranging members that we represent.   

“I know that the Federation will be in very capable hands when they hand over the reins to Charlotte in Spring, and that Charlotte will work with Kion as the next CEO, and the Board of Directors to continue to build on the successes achieved by Kirstie and Alan.”