With two decades of experience in the public and third sectors, including as chief executive of the Sight Scotland group, Mark O’Donnell will join Age Scotland at a critical time for many older people as they face surging and unaffordable household costs, and recover from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He is looking forward to helping build on the charity’s successes and grow its reach and impact.

Age Scotland works to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50. Its mission is to inspire, involve and empower older people in Scotland, and influence others, so that people in Scotland enjoy better later lives.

It provides a national helpline and friendship line for older people, their families and carers; offer free information and advice on a wide range of topics about later life; support hundreds of older people’s community groups across Scotland; campaign to influence and shape public policy; promote health and wellbeing initiatives; and work with people with experience of dementia, older veterans, ethnic minority older people and the LGBTQ+ community to ensure that their needs are met and their views are heard.

Mark O’Donnell said: “I am honoured and delighted to be asked to become Age Scotland’s next CEO. The stark personal, social and economic challenges facing many older people in Scotland means that the charity’s mission of enabling everyone to make the most of later life is as important as ever.

“I look forward to working relentlessly and constructively with all of our stakeholders, staff and volunteers to tackle those challenges head-on. I want to help build on the organisation’s successes whilst striving for new, innovative and sustainable ways to grow and improve its reach and impact on behalf of older people in Scotland.”

Stuart Purdy, chair of Age Scotland, said: “Age Scotland is delighted to have appointed a proven leader of Mark’s capability as our Chief Executive. Mark’s record of leadership and service in major Scottish charities is evidence of his capability, capacity and commitment to serve. These qualities and values are shared by the whole Age Scotland team whose dedication to serving older people in Scotland has been so important.

“Under Mark’s leadership, Age Scotland will continue to lead on influencing public policy and providing advice and service to our older people in Scotland. We will also look to serve and represent growing numbers of older people in our communities across the country.”