ICAS Foundation charity appoints new director

The ICAS Foundation has appointed Sanjay Singh as its new director to lead the work of the charity in supporting young people from disadvantaged communities to study accounting and finance. Taking over from Linda Jamieson who has been director of the foundation since 2014, Singh has spent almost 15 years in the charitable sector and has worked with several charities in the UK, including Macmillan Cancer Support and People’s Postcode Lottery. Most recently, he was head of Funding Programmes at NHS Lothian Charity (NHS Lothian’s official charity), where he was responsible for the strategy, management and distribution of multi-million pound funding programmes. Additionally, Singh is a trustee of the Greggs Foundation, where he also sits on the grant-making sub-committee, and is currently a trustee of four grant making Trusts of People’s Postcode Lottery, focusing on issues surrounding equality, social justice and international development. He has also served as an advisory council member of both UNICEF, championing children’s rights, and WWF in Scotland, addressing environmental issues. The foundation has provided £2.1m in bursary funding to help widen access to the accountancy profession, with 320 students benefiting from the financial and mentor support. Norman Murray CBE CA FRSE FRSA, chair of the ICAS Foundation, said: “Linda has been instrumental in the development of the foundation and it is clear the difference she and her team have made to the lives of so many deserving young people over that time. “At the same time we are all delighted to welcome Sanjay as the new director. Sanjay brings a wealth of experience and an empathy for the purpose and work of the foundation which impressed all the trustees.” Singh added: “I felt compelled in my early charity career to help children and young people to thrive, based on my own childhood experiences. I saw the inequality that existed for too many young people and felt compelled to take action. “I am delighted and humbled to lead the ICAS Foundation into the future, creating more opportunities for young people to flourish by reducing barriers to higher education and addressing the attainment gap. The ICAS Foundation has a critical role to play in leading positive change in the Accountancy and Finance sector.” Linda Jamieson, outgoing director, said: “There are some serious barriers to talented young people from ordinary working-class backgrounds getting ahead in life. It has been a real privilege and honour to lead the ICAS Foundation in helping to break down these barriers by providing opportunities to students who have the talent but lack the financial means.”