Chief executive will depart post in March
John Wilkes is to leave the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) where he has been chief executive since March 2008.
He will leave post in March to take on a new role as head of Scotland for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
An active campaigner and volunteer on lesbian and gay issues, Wilkes went on to forge a career in the voluntary sector serving as director of Carers UK prior to taking his post at SRC.
From 1999 to 2003 he was a member of the Communities Fund (now the Big Lottery) Scotland committee and from 2004 to 2008 was a member of the board of Stonewall, the UK’s leading gay and lesbian advocacy and campaigning organisation.
Wilkes said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to have been chief executive of such a brilliant organisation. I will be leaving with countless happy memories and feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with so many fantastic staff, volunteers, board members and supporters during my nine years with the organisation.
"I feel incredibly proud of the many countless achievements of Scottish Refugee Council and that we have helped and continue to help thousands of people on a daily basis.
“During my time as chief executive Scottish Refugee Council has seen many highlights and many challenges reflecting the change that the refugee sector has experienced.
"Despite these many changes I am confident that Scottish Refugee Council will continue to maintain its rightful and trusted place as Scotland’s leading refugee charity.”
Wilkes has also served on the boards of the British Refugee Council, the Equality Network, the Sheila McKechnie Foundation and until April 2015 Citizens Advice Scotland. He is currently a member of the boards of the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations (ACOSVO) and has been Chair of the White Ribbon Scotland campaign since 2010.
Sue Moody, SRC chair, added: “Over the last nine years John has made a huge contribution not only to Scottish Refugee Council but also to wider work with asylum seekers and refugees. There have been many achievements and challenges and projects that were ground-breaking becoming accepted as mainstream and awards for excellent work.
"So much of this reflects John's ability to bring out the best in people and to lead by example. Scottish Refugee Council’s Board of Trustees wish him well in his new post.”
