Directors

The Senior Directors work closely with the Trustees to carry out the day-to-day running of Age UK.

Paul Farmer – Chief Executive Officer

Paul joined Age UK as our CEO in October 2022.

Before joining Age UK, Paul was Chief Executive Officer of Mind, the leading mental health charity working in England and Wales, a position he had held since 2006.

Paul is a Commissioner at Historic England and a Non-Executive Director for NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board. He is a member of the NHS Assembly.

Paul co-authored 'Thriving at Work' for the Government, which led to significant changes in workplace mental health, and co-chaired the 5 Year Forward View for Mental Health, leading to additional funding for NHS mental health services.

He has an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of East London. He is an Honorary Fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford and The Royal College of Psychiatrists. In 2016, Paul was awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to mental health.

Paul has seen first-hand both the best and the worst of the ways that older people are treated in our society and wants to play his part in changing the experiences of older people.

Caroline Abrahams – Charity Director

Caroline joined Age UK in 2012.

A social scientist and barrister, Caroline has spent her career in the voluntary and public sectors, mostly on children and families’ issues. She has worked in a senior capacity at the children’s charity, Action For Children and at the Local Government Association. Caroline has also been a policy adviser to Ministers and Shadow Ministers, and a senior civil servant. A former chair of the End Child Poverty campaign, Caroline’s policy interests include integrated health and care, family policy, poverty and the role of the voluntary sector.

Caroline oversees Age UK’s influencing work and her team covers research, public policy, health influencing, campaigns and public affairs. She is also the Charity's lead spokesperson.

Caroline decided to work for Age UK because she could see that there was a lot to do to change policy and practice so older people are served well, and because she passionately believes that Age UK can make a big difference.

Louisa Fyans – Chief Brand and Communications Officer

Louisa joined Age UK in January 2024 and oversees our brand and all Age UK’s corporate communications.

Louisa brings to Age UK a wealth of marketing, brand and communications expertise gained from roles across the charity, public, and private sectors. Her charity experience includes media, marketing, and communication roles at the NSPCC, British Heart Foundation and RNIB. Louisa currently sits on the NSPCC’s Sports Fundraising Board and the NSPCC’s Trailblazers Committee, which raises income for Childline, and she is a volunteer at London Zoo.

Louisa has responsibility for our teams that look after media and engagement, brand and content strategy, internal communications, and our celebrity and cultivation events. With senior level experience of creating and implementing organisational communications strategies, Louisa has built and turned around brand perceptions, including for the England men’s and women’s football teams, while at the Football Association, and for the 2012 coverage of the London Olympics by BBC Sport. Louisa’s experience will help to deliver a strong communications strategy and reinvigorated brand for Age UK.

Louisa is proud to work for Age UK and is really committed to delivering Age UK’s ambitions.

Anthony Jones – CEO, Age Co

Anthony joined Age UK in November 2021 as CEO for Age Co. Age Co is 100% owned by Age UK and provides products and services designed to help people make the most of later life, with the profits returned to the charity to help fund its important work.

Anthony has spent over 25 years in the private sector holding senior leadership roles within The Ardonagh Group, Aviva, RAC, and prior to joining Age UK, was Chief Distribution Officer at Co-op Insurance.

Anthony is passionate about meeting the needs of customers and delivering great customer experiences. Working at Age UK offers a unique opportunity to use his commercial and marketing knowhow to deliver solutions that not only enable older consumers to live confidently, independently and well, but that also generate sustainable income for the charity so it can support older people at need.

Hannorah Lee – Fundraising and Engagement Director (interim)

Hannorah joined Age UK in 2012 as a Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager, going on to lead our Partnerships and Philanthropy team, and now as our Interim Fundraising and Engagement Director, Hannorah leads all of Age UK’s fundraising and engagement.

Hannorah has a wide range of fundraising experience, particularly working with corporate partners and major grant givers. Before joining Age UK, she was lucky enough to work simultaneously in the charity and commercial radio sectors as Head of Corporate Partnerships at Global Radio Charities.

First-hand family experience struggling to care for an older relative inspired Hannorah to take up her very first role in fundraising at one of our predecessor charities, Help the Aged.

What drives Hannorah daily is a firm belief that together, with the support of individuals and organisations, we can build a world where older people are valued, included and get the support they truly deserve.

Victoria MacGregor – Chief Network Officer

Victoria joined as our Chief Network Officer in February 2024.

Before joining Age UK, Victoria held several senior roles at Citizens Advice, most recently as Director of Network Strategy and Standards. She also spent three years as CEO of Dacorum Citizens Advice.

Victoria holds significant commercial experience, particularly in the Energy Sector, having held senior positions at both EDF Energy and Smart Energy GB. She has a range of experience in a wide variety of roles across policy, influencing, operations and service delivery.

Alongside her work at Citizens Advice, Victoria also holds Non-Executive Director positions at Rebel Energy UK and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

Having worked with a similar network of charities at Citizens Advice, Victoria is excited to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Age UK Network.

Alison Marshall – CEO, Age International

Alison joined Age UK in August 2022 as CEO for Age International, Age UK’s international charity which focuses on the needs and rights of older people in some of the world’s poorest countries. In her role, Alison sits on the Age UK senior leadership team.

With over 25 years’ experience in international development, Alison brings to Age International and Age UK strong leadership skills across a wide range of areas, including communications, campaigning, governance, advocacy, fundraising, programme oversight, and strategy.

Alison was previously the Managing Director of Sense International, who work for and with people with deafblindness and multi-sensory impairment. She’s held senior roles at several international non-governmental organisations, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation, UNICEF UK, and CAFOD.

Alison is a Trustee of the Fairtrade Foundation. In her role as Age International, CEO, Alison also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

Alison joined Age International and the Age UK leadership team because she wants to champion the cause of older people, at a time when world events make this work more important than ever.

Donna Marshall – People Director

Donna has worked at Age UK since we launched and she became our People Director in 2022.

In 2003, Donna joined as Senior HR Advisor at Age Concern Enterprises, the commercial subsidiary of one of our legacy organisations, Age Concern England. She has subsequently held a wide range of HR leadership roles within Age UK and now leads our People division which covers employee relations; pay, pensions and benefits; talent development and wellbeing; culture; equality, diversity and inclusion; safeguarding; and recruitment.

Donna is passionate about her team’s role in ensuring that Age UK is a great place to work, where our people feel safe, valued, rewarded and connected to our cause.

Donna is really driven by bringing about change for older people and can see that Age UK’s services are vital for many lonely and isolated older people today, especially in our post-pandemic UK.

Nick Smith – Retail Director

Nick joined Age UK in 2017 and has been our Retail Director since 2022.

Nick has over 30 years of experience working within the retail industry from shop floor through to board room. Prior to joining the charity retail sector Nick worked in the commercial sector holding a number of roles within The Burton Group, Arcadia Group, Rubicon and Store Twenty One.

Joining Age UK as our Retail Proposition Development Manager, Nick has since held a number of leadership roles within Age UK. Nick is responsible for our retail operation which includes over 250 charity shops, an online presence, our retail support centre based in Warrington, approximately 870 colleagues and over 3,250 volunteers.

Nick is passionate about raising funds and promoting the mission, values and purpose of Age UK through the retail estate. With older people playing such a pivotal role in his life both past and present, Nick wanted to join an organisation where he could apply his skills and experience to make a real difference to the lives of those who need us the most.

Vicki Thornton – Chief Financial Officer

Vicki joined Age UK in 2019.

Vicki started her accountancy career in private practice and has held management roles in national and international private equity, public benefit and charitable organisations. Most recently she worked at Royal Mencap Society overseeing finance, procurement and payroll, as well as deputising for the CFO.

At Age UK Vicki is responsible for finance, procurement, risk, legal, IT and data.

Following an undergraduate degree in theology and philosophy and a stint as an artist, Vicki worked in Kenya which led to co-founding an educational charity for disadvantaged children in East Africa and the start of her interest in the voluntary sector. She has been actively engaged as an employee, volunteer or trustee ever since.

Vicki is an advocate of empowerment, collaboration and inclusion in the workplace and in society. She therefore feels she has found a good fit in working at Age UK to support vulnerable older people to have their voices heard and be respected as valued members of our communities.