Trust for London is delighted to announce that Dr Omar Khan has been appointed as chair of trustees. He will take up the role in April 2023 when the term of the current chair, Jeff Hayes, comes to an end.
Trust for London is pleased to announce that following an open recruitment process, the Board of Trustees has appointed Dr Omar Khan as the next chair.
Omar has extensive experience working on social justice issues. He is currently director of TASO (Transforming Access & Student Outcomes in Higher Education), and was previously director at race equality think tank, the Runnymede Trust.
As director of the Runnymede Trust, Omar played a central role in the organisation’s work to challenge race disparity and all forms of racism. He was instrumental in bringing the injustices of the Windrush scandal to public attention, highlighting the disproportionate impact of austerity policies on Black and ethnic minority women, and leading ground-breaking research into race and class inequality and Islamophobia.
Omar is currently on the board of Barrow Cadbury Trust and has worked with foundations across the country. He also has valuable insight into the experience of being a grant seeker and, during his time at Runnymede, applied for and received funding from Trust for London.
Comment from Dr Omar Khan, incoming chair of Trust for London:
“I am delighted to be appointed the Chair of Trust for London. I have been familiar with and admired the work of the Trust for nearly two decades, including as a grantee, and look forward to working with Manny and his team in supporting and learning from the organisations and communities we work with to tackle poverty and inequality across the capital. I also want to acknowledge and thank Jeff for his commitment to and stewardship of the Trust, and will seek to build on his legacy.”
Comment from Jeff Hayes, outgoing chair of Trust for London
“Omar is a fantastic appointment as the next Chair of the Trust for London. His background, knowledge and experience in the social sector will prove invaluable to ensure the Trust for London continues to have a laser focus on supporting those in London who are struggling with poverty and inequality. I wish Omar, the Board, and all staff at the Trust for London every success as they endeavour to meet their objectives in what is an increasingly difficult environment.”
Comment from Manny Hothi, chief executive of Trust for London:
“Omar’s expertise on a range of social issues will be invaluable as we develop our next funding strategy to improve life for low-income Londoners. I am delighted that he has accepted the position as the next Chair of Trust for London. Omar also understands what it’s like to apply for funding and his experiences will help us on our journey to become a more accessible, relational funder.”