Tim Davies-Pugh has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Power to Change, having been interim CEO since February 2022. He will start in his new permanent role immediately.
Tim was Power to Change’s Director of Strategy & Programmes before taking on the role of interim CEO and has been instrumental in the development of the organisation’s new strategy. Moving forward, Power to Change will continue to support community businesses concentrating on a number of key areas including leadership development, strengthening the social economy with a focus on the high street, and creating community-led digital solutions.
Tim brings a wealth of experience to the CEO role. Tim was originally part of the team that set up Power to Change in 2015, when he was Acting Director, England at The National Lottery Community Fund, which awarded Power to Change its initial £150million start-up endowment. He has worked across the voluntary, public and social sectors. As well as being a Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, he has held senior roles within Cabinet Office, Office of Civil Society, Numbers for Good and GLT Partners. He has held board level roles at the Virgin Money Foundation, UnLtd, and is currently a trustee of SAFE Foundation, a charity supporting families to recover from the trauma of domestic violence and abuse.
Speaking about the appointment, Stephen Howard Chair of PTC said, “I’m delighted to welcome Tim as our new Chief Executive. Power to Change has, over the past 7 years, shaped the role community businesses can play in supporting and empowering communities across the country. We now have an ambitious new strategy, endorsed by The National Lottery Community Fund through their additional £20m funding, and I and the Board are excited to have a new Chief Executive who brings a wealth of experience to the role. Tim is supported by a strong senior team with the passion and knowledge to deliver our vision and build on the legacy of Vidhya Alakeson, founding CEO of Power to Change.”
Speaking about his future vision for Power to Change, Tim said: “We are living through turbulent times and our work supporting strong, economically resilient, and empowered communities has never been more important. We know community business works to strengthen communities and we will continue to use our position to bring partners together to fund, replicate, amplify and build thriving places that creating lasting change at a local level. I’m committed to driving forward Power to Change’s new strategy, ensuring that community businesses have the tools and capacity needed to navigate future challenges.
“We know community businesses work and over the next five years, Power to Change will look to catalyse the community business sector, to create the ideas, evidence, and exemplars that can make a case for others to back community business. We are currently championing a High Street Buyout Fund through our ‘Take Back the High Street‘ campaign which aims to secure the future for town centres through greater community ownership of high street buildings. We will strive to build capacity and resilience in the community business sector through our Powering Up programme and, working with the Virgin Money Foundation, help to develop community business leaders of the future through Leading the Way. We will also continue to push for a more equitable society, putting diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work. Our #MyCommunityBusiness campaign aims to inspire younger audiences to get involved with community business and promote the benefits they bring to society.
“I’m always inspired when I speak to community business leaders and see the difference community businesses makes to local people on a daily basis. From taking on and repurposing empty buildings and making them economically viable; bringing much needed services to a local community; creating good quality local jobs and providing opportunities and spaces for everyone to connect, feel safe and be included – they are vital to the fabric of our society.
“Power to Change has always listened and responded to the needs of local communities, to ensure they have what they need to deliver on the ground. I look forward to continuing that dialogue and working hard to make the case for community businesses, ensuring their important contribution and value is recognised by governments, funders and others across the business world.”
Tim takes over from Vidhya Alakeson OBE, who stepped down as Chief Executive of Power to Change in February 2022.