Think Ahead announces Philippa Mariani as new Chief Executive

As we say a sad goodbye to our co-founder, Ella Joseph, we are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Chief Executive.

Philippa Mariani will be joining Think Ahead in December 2022. Philippa is an experienced strategic leader with a commercial outlook and a strong track record at CEO level in mental health and social care. She has worked in mental health advocacy and service delivery since 2006, and before that she was Director of Development at a national children’s charity and Head of Consumer Affairs at BT.

She has previously held CEO roles in a user-led disability charity and a housing association providing supported living and residential care for people with mental health care needs.

Philippa joins Think Ahead directly from her role as CEO at Mind in Croydon, a mental health charity where she developed strategic delivery partnerships with NHS Trusts, Integrated Care System commissioners and the voluntary and community sector.

Think Ahead Chair of Trustees, Dame Carol Black says: 
“We are so pleased to be welcoming Philippa to the Think Ahead team. She comes to us with such a wealth of experience and expertise in mental health and the wider charity sector. Our co-founder Ella has established Think Ahead as a charity with a reputation for delivering real change, and we look forward to Philippa building on these excellent foundations.”

Philippa says: 
“I’m delighted to be joining the team at Think Ahead at such an exciting time in its development. I’m looking forward to building on its success to date, and the legacy left by Ella Joseph, its founding CEO, to expand access to fast-track mental health social work training. A top quality, highly committed workforce in mental health has never been more needed and Think Ahead plays a pivotal role with its partners at the DHSC and in integrated care systems in making that happen.”

Before Philippa’s arrival, Think Ahead’s Recruitment Director, Ivan Wise, will become the interim Chief Executive. Ivan has been a director at Think Ahead since its inception and has a wealth of expertise and experience that will be hugely important in ensuring that Think Ahead continues to deliver during this time of change.

For all media enquiries, please contact Penny East on p.east@thinkahead.org.