{{Short description|UK activist (born 1972)}} {{other people|Michele Mitchell}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=February 2019}} {{Infobox person | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE|size=100}} | image = Michelle Mitchell crop.jpg | name = Michelle Mitchell | birth_name = Michelle Elizabeth Mitchell | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}} | alma_mater = University of Manchester <br />University College London <br />Insead<br />Harvard Kennedy School | employer = Age UK <br />Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain <br />National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children<br />Charter 88 | organisation = Young Women's Trust <br /> King's Fund <br /> Power to Change Trust <br /> Fawcett Society }} '''Michelle Elizabeth Mitchell''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}}<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | author=Anon| title=Mitchell, Michelle Elizabeth | id = U279589 | year = 2017 | doi =10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U279589 | edition = online Oxford University Press|location=Oxford}}</ref> is the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK. She has worked extensively in the charity sector, having led Age UK, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and the Fawcett Society.
== Education and early career == Mitchell grew up in Ellesmere Port.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/michelle-mitchell-im-not-one-status-quo/management/article/1308998|title=Michelle Mitchell: 'I'm not one for the status quo'|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> She was the first in her family to attend university, and studied economics at the University of Manchester, earning a bachelor's degree in 1994.<ref name=":0" /> She worked for Donald Dewar after graduating, completing a Master's degree at University College London in political administration in the evenings.<ref name=":0" /> In 1997 she joined Charter 88, a political campaigning group who worked on the House of Lords Reform Bill 2012.<ref name=":0" /> She earned an International Executive Diploma from INSEAD in 2005 and an Innovations in Governance qualification from the John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2006.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhsengland-appointments.com/about-us/our-board|title=Our board|website=nhsengland-appointments.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref>
== Career == Mitchell was appointed the governmental affairs adviser to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in 2000.<ref name=":0" /> Mitchell worked at Age Concern as Head of Public Affairs from 2002 and Director of Communications from 2007.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1062945/profile-michelle-mitchell-charity-director-age-uk|title=Profile: Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> From 2005 to 2008 Mitchell was Chair of Trustees of the Fawcett Society.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/aug/01/business.gender|title=Scarcity of women in boardrooms|last=Adams|first=Richard|date=2003-08-01|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref>
She worked as Charity Director at Age UK from 2010.<ref name=":1" /> Here, Mitchell launched ''Let's Talk Money'' to get the charity to tackle several political issues, aiming to improve old people's incomes.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://howtospendit.ft.com/art-philanthropy/961-the-mergers-that-herald-the-age-of-the-super-charity|title=The mergers that herald the age of the super-charity|date=2009-09-04|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en}}</ref> She spoke about her work on Woman's Hour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n9z0q|title=BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Natasha Baker; Knitwear; First Period|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> When she left she appointed Hannah Pearce and Angela Kitching to job share as Head of External Relations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/why-age-uks-head-external-relations-two-separate-people/your-career/article/1425375|title=Why Age UK's head of external relations is two separate people|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref>
Mitchell served as Chief Executive of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain from 2013 to 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://volunteers.mssociety.org.uk/news/2018/07/michelle-mitchell-ceo-leaving-ms-society-update|title=Michelle Mitchell, CEO, leaving MS Society - update {{!}} Volunteer news and resources|website=volunteers.mssociety.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.charitytimes.com/ct/Age_UK_director_general_appointed_as_new_MS_Society_chief_executive.php|title=Age UK director general appointed as new MS Society chief executive|website=charitytimes.com|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> She oversaw a 40% increase in access to treatments for MS and launched a £100 million fundraising campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/latest-jobs/i-believe-you-can-change-the-world-in-many-ways|title=I believe you can change the world in many ways|website=mssociety.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> During this time she wrote regularly for the Huffington Post.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/michelle-mitchell/|title=Michelle Mitchell|website=HuffPost UK|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> She has extensive non-executive experience, including as a non-executive director of NHS England and a Trustee of the King's Fund and Power to Change Trust.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 February 2016 |title=NHS England welcomes two new Non-Executive Directors |url=https://www.england.nhs.uk/2016/02/non-executive-directors/ |access-date=23 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/press-release/2018-05-01-cancer-research-uk-appoints-new-chief-executive-1|title=Cancer Research UK appoints new chief executive|date=2018-05-01|work=Cancer Research UK|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en}}</ref>
Mitchell was appointed the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/05/01/whos-moving-appointments-round/#.W_HZgpNKiMI|title=Who's moving where? Appointments round-up {{!}} UK Fundraising|date=2018-05-01|work=UK Fundraising|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cancer/news/2018/ceo-cruk.html|title=2018: CEO CRUK {{!}} Cancer research {{!}} University of Bristol|last=Bristol|first=University of|website=bristol.ac.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref> She is responsible for the leadership and direction of the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. She has helped put the charity on a strong footing to achieve its vision of bringing about a world where everybody can lead longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 March 2022 |title=Our strategy to beat cancer |url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/our-organisation/our-strategy-to-beat-cancer |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=Cancer Research UK}}</ref>
During her tenure at Cancer Research UK, Mitchell has overseen the publication of Longer, Better Lives: A manifesto for cancer research and care, which called on the next UK government to introduce measures that could help prevent 20,000 cancer deaths every year by 2040.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2023 |title=Longer, better lives: A manifesto for cancer research and care |url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/we-develop-policy/manifesto-for-cancer-research-and-care |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=Cancer Research UK}}</ref> She also led the development of More Research, Less Cancer, the largest ever philanthropic campaign by a UK charity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 February 2024 |title=More Research, Less Cancer |url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/donate/philanthropy/more-research-less-cancer |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=Cancer Research UK}}</ref>
===Awards and honours=== Mitchell was appointed Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to Older People and the Voluntary Sector.<ref name=whoswho/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2454231|title=Michelle MITCHELL|website=www.thegazette.co.uk|access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref> She was named by Cranfield University as one of the 100 Women to Watch in 2018, and was recognised as one of the 100 Influential Women in Oncology by OncoDaily.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://diversityuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CRANFIELD-100-WOMEN-TO-WATCH-SUPPLEMENT-FV.pdf|title=Cranfield 100 Women to Watch 2018 - Diversity UK|website=Diversity UK|access-date=2018-11-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to follow on Social Media in 2023 |url=https://oncodaily.com/positive/9118.html |website=OncoDaily}}</ref> She joined the University of Cambridge's Homerton College as an Honorary Fellow in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moss |first=Matthew |date=12 June 2023 |title=Michelle Mitchell OBE joins as an Honorary Fellow |url=https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homersphere/news/michelle-mitchell-obe-joins-honorary-fellow |access-date=23 April 2024 |work=Homerton College, University of Cambridge}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Michelle}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Women chief executives Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester Category:Alumni of University College London Category:Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire