Charles Counsell appointed as Gambling Commission Interim Chair
Counsell arrives with an extensive background in high-level regulatory and strategic roles, most notably serving as CEO of The Pensions Regulator from April 2019 to March 2023.
Key points:
– Charles Counsell OBE appointed Interim Chair of the Gambling Commission for nine months, starting 1 February 2025
– Counsell previously served as CEO of The Pensions Regulator and Money Advice Service
– Counsell’s appointment comes as Marcus Boyle prepares to step down at the end of his term on 31 January 2025
Charles Counsell OBE has been named Interim Chair of the Gambling Commission, with his nine-month term set to begin on 1 February 2025.
Counsell, who has served as the Commission’s Senior Independent Director since April 2024, brings extensive leadership experience from both the private and public sectors.
Counsell has held a range of other high-profile roles, including CEO of The Pensions Regulator (2019–2023). Here, he played a key role in shaping a new corporate strategy and introducing equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and climate change initiatives.
Prior to this, he also held executive positions at the Money Advice Service and worked as Executive Director of Automatic Enrolment.
Good to know: As part of the appointment process, any significant political activity within the past five years has to be disclosed; Counsell has not declared any such activity
The Chair role – remunerated at £55,000 ($70,000) annually – adheres to the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, which is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The appointment of Charles Counsell comes as Marcus Boyle prepares to step down at the end of his term on 31 January 2025.
Boyle’s three-year tenure marked a period of significant transformation for the Gambling Commission, including the launch of the fourth National Lottery licence, which helped raise over £50bn for good causes.
He also spearheaded key initiatives from the Gambling Act Review, aimed at reducing gambling-related harm and increasing regulatory transparency.
With Boyle’s departure, the Commission transitions to Counsell’s leadership during an important phase. Counsell’s experience hopes to position him to build on Boyle’s progress and ensure continuity as the Commission pursues its three-year strategy (2024–2027), focusing on harm prevention, transparency and modernisation.
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