Leaving Announcement

We are writing to let you know that our CEO Maria Adebowale-Schwarte will be leaving the Foundation for Future London on 15 November 2023.

We are grateful to Maria for her hard work and the significant expertise she contributed to the success of the Foundation for Future London over the last four years. She has worked closely with our major funders Westfield Stratford City and the City of London Corporation and played a key role in establishing the organisation’s participatory, social value and inclusive placemaking approach to grant making.

She has been committed to ensuring that the diverse communities we support in the four East London boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest are valued, listened to and provided with additional resources to develop, design and expand the work they do.

We are now pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Nelson as our interim Chief Executive Officer, who will begin in the role from 16 November.

Sarah has been working at the Foundation for more than three years as Director of Programmes and Communications, and within that time has successfully led on our strategic programme design and delivery and overseen our media and communications plans. Sarah also brings with her significant experience in regeneration and placemaking, with particular expertise in criminal justice and designing out crime within communities.

Sarah’s first priority will be to finalise and release the Foundation’s next five-year strategy with a robust focus on fundraising and partnership development.

Maria has decided to take on a new challenge outside of the Foundation and will be leaving in November. Sarah, the Foundation’s team and our Board of Trustees want to express their heartfelt thanks to outgoing CEO Maria Adebowale-Schwarte for her leadership and expertise during her four-year tenure and wish her the very best for all her future endeavors.

We are sad to see Maria go but wish her the very best.

Sir David Bell and Baroness Lola Young
Co-Chairs, Foundation For Future London