As we continue to grow our social impact and push for period dignity across the UK, we’ve welcomed two key leadership changes and three new board members into our team.
Kate Smith Named CEO
Kate Smith, one of our co-founders, has stepped into the role of Chief Executive Officer. Kate has been with Hey Girls since day one, helping shape our values and mission. She brings passion and purpose to everything she does, from driving education and period health forward to expanding our donation work and staying true to people over profit values. Kate’s leadership marks an exciting new chapter for Hey Girls, built on the strong foundation already in place. Kate says:
“I’m incredibly proud to step into the role of CEO at Hey Girls. I believe doing good in business is essential, and I’ll continue to ensure that social impact remains at the heart of everything we do. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I’m confident in our team and excited about the journey we’re on together.”
Chris Shutt Appointed Managing Director
Joining Kate in the new leadership lineup is Chris Shutt, who now takes on the role of Managing Director. Chris has already led much of our day to day work as General Manager. In his new role, he’ll lead on sales and customer service and ensure our operations support our bigger mission. Chris brings steady leadership, deep experience in the social enterprise world, and a passion for impact. Chris says:
“It’s an honour to step into the role of Managing Director. I’m passionate about making sure our day to day operations support our wider mission, and I look forward to working closely with our team, partners, and customers to keep Hey Girls moving forward.”
Celia Hodson Becomes Chair of the Board
Our founder, Celia Hodson OBE, has moved out of daily operations and into her new role as Chair of the Board. Celia will continue to support Hey Girls through strong governance and strategic oversight, while also launching her new venture W/O Pads, a values led brand developing premium incontinence products, made With Out Compromise. Celia shares:
“Stepping into the role of Chair gives me the opportunity to support Hey Girls in a new way, championing strong governance and long-term vision while making space to grow W/O Pads. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Hey Girls and even more excited to see where this brilliant team will take it next. And as for W/O, stay tuned, we’ve got something truly special coming.”
A Stronger Team for the Future
We’re also welcoming three brilliant new board members, adding even more brain power and fresh perspective to our team. We can’t wait for you to meet them.
So what does this all mean? More power behind our mission. More passion. More people pushing for change. This team is ready to make noise, take action, and keep period dignity at the heart of everything we do.
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