Aberdeen Cyrenians announces change in leadership

Aberdeen Cyrenians have announced the imminent departure of their chief executive, Mike Burns, as he moves takes on the role of CEO of national mental health charity, Penumbra.  To ensure stability and continuity for the vital charity, an interim structure has been put in place from 1st July 2021.  Chris Bennett-Taylor, Head of Corporate and Business Services, will assume the role of Interim CEO from that date.  Chris will be supported by Ruth Ogilvie, Residential Services Lead, who will move into the role of Head of Services, leading all aspects of social care delivery and professional practice.  Lynda Reid-Fowler, Community Services Lead, will move into the role of Services and Operations Lead, supporting all of our projects and service management.  Katie Strachan, Corporate Services Team Leader, will move into the role of Support Services Lead, taking on some of Chris’s day-to-day responsibilities.

Rebecca Walker, chair of Aberdeen Cyrenians said:

“We are incredibly grateful to Mike for the strong and transformative leadership with which he has guided the organisation during his tenure.  The multiple awards won by the organisation in recent years are a testament to the fantastic work of the team in delivering care and support for those in crisis.  This past year has been an incredible challenge like no other.  The Board would like to thank Mike and the whole team at Aberdeen Cyrenians for their dedication and passion throughout the pandemic.

We are pleased that Mike will still be working closely with Aberdeen Cyrenians in his new role at Penumbra, one of our key partners, and wish him well as he takes on the new challenges of a national agenda on mental health.

Thanks to our robust structure, the current leadership team have been able to easily step up whilst the Board considers the best options for the future.  Chris has extensive leadership experience and has made equally important contributions to the organisation, making him the ideal candidate to provide further strong leadership and organisational stability.

Mike Burns, outgoing CEO of Aberdeen Cyrenians said:

“It has been my pleasure to lead Aberdeen Cyrenians and to work with the leadership team to grow the organisation, delivering new and expanded services to support the most vulnerable in our community.  I am particularly proud of team and the response to the COVID pandemic and wish Chris and the new leadership team every success.”