Wenta appoints former GOSH Charity fundraising chief Louise Parkes as new Chair
Not-for-profit and social enterprise, Wenta, now one of the largest enterprise agencies in England, is delighted to announce the appointment of Louise Parkes, CEO of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, as its new Chair.
Business support organisation Wenta has appointed experienced charity leader Louise Parkes as its new Chair, bringing more than two decades of experience from some of the UK’s best-known charitable organisations.
Louise joins the role following senior leadership work at GOSH Charity, where she oversaw major fundraising initiatives, strategic development and sector-leading partnerships. Across her 20-year career in the voluntary sector, she has held senior roles with major charities including Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation, Barnardo’s and Shelter, building a strong track record in organisational transformation, income growth and championing innovation.
Her appointment also marks a natural progression within the organisation, having served as a Non-Executive Director on Wenta’s Board for the past six years.
Commenting on the new role, Louise said: “I’m honoured to be joining Wenta at such a pivotal moment in its journey. Wenta’s mission to make it simpler and more accessible for anyone to start and run a business is incredibly important, especially in today’s changing environment.
“I look forward to working with the team, partners and communities to help shape the next exciting phase of Wenta’s national impact.”
Alongside Louise’s appointment, Graham Lane has been named Vice Chair. Graham previously served as Interim Chair of Wenta and is also the CEO of IT company Cheeky Munkey, bringing significant commercial and digital expertise to the organisation as it continues its transformation.
Graham said: “I’m proud to continue supporting Wenta in this next chapter, working alongside Louise, the Wenta Board and wider team.
“Together, we are committed to strengthening and growing Wenta’s reach and impact, ensuring the organisation continues to break barriers and support more people and their businesses for the decades to come.”
Ed Jordan, CEO of Wenta, welcomed the appointments, saying their combined expertise will be key as the organisation expands its services.
He said: “We are so pleased to have Louise join as Chair and for Graham to continue supporting Wenta as Vice Chair. Their combined experience in charity leadership, digital innovation and organisational growth is exactly what Wenta needs as we continue to evolve and expand our services both locally in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and London as well as nationally.
“Their guidance will be invaluable as we shape the future of enterprise support in the UK.”
The appointments come at an important moment for Wenta as it progresses several major developments, including The DomeWorks, a forthcoming innovation and enterprise hub in Watford that aims to become Hertfordshire’s flagship home for business support.
The organisation is also preparing to launch a new website designed to become a leading online destination for practical business advice, helping people across the UK start and grow their own ventures.
Founded more than 42 years ago, Wenta continues to focus on supporting people looking to re-skill, retrain and build businesses, helping entrepreneurs, small business owners and communities strengthen their confidence, wellbeing and economic prospects.