Mike O’Connor appointed chief executive of StepChange Debt Charity

_{23 October, 2013}

StepChange has appointed Mike O’Connor as its new chief executive, replacing Gordon Bell who has been with the charity for 14 years.

The charity provides free debt advice to those people in financial hardship, and helped over 400,000 people in 2012.

O’Connor, who will take up the position in January, joins StepChange from Consumer Futures, formerly Consumer Focus, a statutory body which helps consumers to get a fair deal, where he was also chief executive.

Previously he was chief executive at the Olympic Lottery Distributor and the Millennium Commission, where he was responsible for an investment programme totalling more than £4,000 million.

His early career was spent in the Department of Health, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office, before becoming director of the campaigning organisation, the Coronary Prevention Group. Other posts he has held include director for Developed Economies at Consumers International, a federation of consumer bodies which campaigns for consumers’ rights across the world.

He received a CBE for Public Service in The Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List 2000.

Commenting on his impending move, Mike said: “I am honoured and excited to be joining an organisation which is doing such excellent work in tackling problem debt which causes so much damage to individuals, families and society.”

Outgoing chief executive, Gordon Bell said: “I am proud to have built StepChange into the largest specialist debt advice charity operating across the UK, helping half a million people a year and employing over 1,000 people. I leave it in good hands and I wish Mike every success in the future.”