Leadership team

Mark Hodgkinson

Chief Executive

Mark joined Scope as Chief Executive in January 2019.

He spent his early career working for Sir Richard Branson, running Virgin Money. He has led businesses through major changes in many different sectors including restaurants, housing, shops, care homes, leisure, entertainment and financial services. More recently, Mark was brought in by the government to lead their home-building initiative at Homes England. He is also a Non-Executive Director of social enterprise Oomph!

Mark’s approach is always to put the customer first and at the centre of the organisations he has led. He is proud to work at Scope where disabled people are at the heart of everything we do and excited to lead the organisation to deliver our Everyday Equality strategy.

Mark is Co-Chair of the Disability Charities Consortium.

Kwesi Afful

Executive Director of Digital and Marketing

Kwesi joins us as the Executive Director of Digital and Marketing.

Kwesi has worked for the NHS in programme management for almost 17 years. Leading digital and engagement programmes.

He led the Digital Citizen Education programme for NHS North West London. The programme won an NHS Parliamentary award in 2017.

Kwesi has a long-term condition and a young son with autism. He says this makes him aware of how much the system needs to change to support disabled people better.

Louise Youngman

Executive Director of People

Louise joined Scope in February 2019 as Head of HR and stepped up to Executive Director of People in the summer of 2019. She is responsible for the overall people plan at Scope. Louise ensures Scope attracts, retains and develops great people to deliver its strategy.

Louise started her career in Retail, before moving into Housing. Prior to joining Scope, she held HR and Volunteering leadership roles at Royal National Institute of Blind People and National Deaf Children’s Society.

James Taylor

Executive Director of Strategy, Impact and Social Change

James joined Scope in 2016 as Head of Policy and has been in his current role since July 2020. He is responsible for Scope’s policy work, campaigning, research and insight as well as external communications.

James started his career in the Civil Service before moving into the charity sector. He has held campaigning and influencing roles at a number of organisations including Stonewall and Which? securing changes to laws, regulations and public attitudes.

James is disabled and has had Spina Bifida since birth.

Anna Burman

Executive Director of Finance and Technology

Anna joined Scope in August 2020. She is delighted to be working at Scope managing finance and technology to enable the organisation to continue its work towards everyday equality.

Anna qualified as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG and spent the first part of her career there as an Audit Director advising a wide variety of clients. For the last 9 years Anna was Director of Finance at London and Partners, the international trade, investment and promotional agency for London. A not for profit company funded from public and private sources.

She is also a Trustee and Treasurer for the Friends of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a small UK charity.

John McLachlan

Executive Director of Services

John leads our service offer ensuring we are providing the support disabled people and their families need. This includes family and employment services, information and advice, online community and community engagement.

John joined Scope in 1987 as a Support Worker and has worked at each level of the organisation. His early career focussed on work with disabled young people and their families, particularly within education. Later he moved to work with disabled adults focussing on service design and change. Over the last few years John and his team have been busy establishing our current set of services.

John continues to be proud to work for Scope.

Ruth Blazye

Executive Director of Retail and Communities

Ruth joined Scope in June 2020 leading our store and ecommerce teams, shaping and delivering our Community strategy work.

Ruth started her retailing career as a graduate with Marks & Spencer with a variety of roles spanning store operations, HR, store development and more. She has also held senior roles with B&Q, Hamleys and the Co-op where she led on the Co-op Community strategy across the UK.

Ruth is a Non-executive director for TwistFizz, a Not-for-profit organisation that encourages young people to get more active through a variety of activities.