1851 Trust appoints CEO

by 1851 Trust on 17 Dec 2014 The 1851 Trust is delighted to be able to announce that after an extensive interview process back in November the first CEO has now been appointed. The job went to Alasdair Akass, a multi-award winning senior manager in the charity sector.

The charity was launched in October with the British America’s Cup team, Ben Ainslie Racing, with the aim to inspire and engage a new generation through sailing and the marine industry, providing young people with the education, skills and training to become innovators of the future, and stewards of the marine environment.

Alasdair Akass started his career with English Heritage, before gaining important commercial experience with Marks and Spencer as a Divisional Manager. He then moved to the National Trust – one of the UK’s best loved charities – as a Regional Grant and Income Generation Manager, before being promoted to Head of Legacies, responsible for the National Trust’s second largest income stream of £50 million per annum.

Akass then moved into the education sector as Development Director at Portsmouth Grammar School. It was a post that he held for four years, a time which has given him great contacts in the city that’s home to the 1851 Trust. During this time he worked with the RYA, local sailing clubs, Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, Jubilee Sailing Trust and the John Merricks Sailing Trust amongst many others. The next move was to France – Akass is a fluent French speaker – as Director of Development at the British School of Paris; his present post.

During his career, Akass has won awards for the Outstanding Fundraising Initiative of the Year and Top UK School Fundraising Office (Independent School Awards), Best Supporter Stewardship (Institute of Fundraising), and has twice been shortlisted UK Professional Fundraiser of the Year (Professional Fundraising magazine) – an award which we very much hope he will win with the 1851 Trust!

Sir Keith Mills chaired an 1851 Trust Board meeting at the Goring Hotel, London on Thursday 4th December 2014, in the presence of the charity’s Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, giving Akass the opportunity to meet the Trustees and Patron Ben Ainslie. Sir Keith commented on the new appointment, 'The Trustees are delighted with the appointment of Alasdair Akass as the new CEO for the 1851 Trust. Alasdair will bring all the skills and energy necessary to build an exciting new charity, which will help thousands of disadvantaged young people.'

Alasdair Akass will begin his new role with the 1851 Trust on the 2nd March 2015.