Dame Julia Unwin confirmed as Chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales

Following a pre-appointment hearing with the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Julia Unwin has been appointed by the Secretary of State for a 3 year term from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.

Dame Julia Unwin

Dame Julia Unwin has had a long career largely in the voluntary sector, and has also served on the Boards of a number of regulatory and government bodies, including five years as a Charity Commissioner in the late 1990s. She was a member of the Board of the Housing Corporation for 9 years. She served as Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for a decade from 2007-2016. She has had experience as a consultant, adviser, mentor and speaker in the voluntary and broader public sector. Other roles include Board Member of the Financial Reporting Council and Chair of the Codes and Standards Committee.

Dame Julia chaired the Civil Society Futures Inquiry which reported in 2018, and was awarded a DBE in 2019 for her services to civil society.  As well as chairing the Board of Governors of York St John University, she is also the Inaugural Chair of Smart Data Foundry, a subsidiary of Edinburgh University engaged with using private sector data for public good.

Notes to editors 

• The Chair of the Charity Commission is remunerated at £62,500 per annum for a time commitment of two and half days per week. 
• This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 
• Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dame Julia Unwin has not declared any significant political activity. 
• Dame Julia appeared before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday 25 November 2025. A transcript of this hearing is available here.

• DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom.  To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.