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Peter Wanless

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Sir
Peter Wanless
CB
Chief Executive Officer of the NSPCC
In office
June 2013 – December 2024
Chief Executive Officer of the Big Lottery Fund
In office
February 2008 – May 2013
Personal details
Born
Peter Thomas Wanless

(1964-09-25) 25 September 1964 (age 60)
Residence(s)Seal, Kent, England
EducationSheldon School
Alma materUniversity of Leeds
INSEAD
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath (2007)

Sir Peter Thomas Wanless, CB (born 25 September 1964) is an English executive and former civil servant. From 2013 until 2024, he was the chief executive officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). In June 2022, he was appointed President of Somerset County Cricket Club. In July 2014, he was appointed by the British government to head a review into historical sex abuse claims.

Early life

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Wanless was born on 25 September 1964.[1] He was educated at Sheldon School, then a comprehensive school in Chippenham, Wiltshire.[2] He then studied International History and Politics at the University of Leeds, graduating with a BA degree in 1986.[3][2] He has since studied on the Advanced Management Programme at Insead.[3][2]

Career

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After joining the Civil Service, he held a variety of posts at the HM Treasury, including Head of Private Finance Policy, and Principal Private Secretary to three Cabinet Ministers.[4] including Michael Portillo, both when Portillo was Chief Secretary to the Treasury and later as Secretary of State for Employment.[5] Wanless later held senior positions within the Department for Education and Skills and its successor the Department for Children, Schools and Families,[2][6] including Director of School Performance and Reform and Director of Strategy and Communications.[4][2][6]

Wanless was CEO of the Big Lottery Fund between February 2008 and May 2013.[2] Since June 2013, he has been the chief executive officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).[7] He was a non-executive director of The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT), which operates academy schools in South East England.[8] He is currently a Trustee of the 5Rights Foundation and a member of the advisory board of the UK Government's National Leadership Centre.[9]

On April 9th 2024 Wanless announced he will be stepping down as NSPCC Chief Executive after 11 years.

Wanless Inquiry

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In July 2014, Home Secretary Theresa May announced that he would be leading a review into historical sex abuse claims.[10][11] His report, written with Richard Whittam QC, was published in November 2014. It "found nothing to support a concern that files had been deliberately or systematically removed or destroyed to cover up organised child abuse", but also said that it was "not possible to say whether files were ever removed or destroyed to cover up or hide allegations of organised or systematic child abuse by particular individuals because of the systems then in place".[12]

Personal life

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Married with one son, the family live in Seal, Kent.[11] Wanless is a lifelong supporter of Somerset County Cricket Club where he serves on the committee.[13] He describes himself as a "fan of jangly guitars, indie pop, Somerset cricket, Borgen....".[14] In June 2022, Wanless was appointed President of Somerset County Cricket Club.[15]

Honours

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Wanless was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2007 New Year Honours for his role as Director of School Performance and Reform in the Department for Education and Skills.[16][17] He was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to children, young people and the charitable sector.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "WANLESS, Peter Thomas". Who's Who 2015. Oxford University Press. November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Kelly, Annie (12 November 2008). "Giving it all away". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Peter Wanless". LinkedIn. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Executive Profile: Peter Wanless". Business Week. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  5. ^ O'Hara, Mary (9 July 2013). "Interview: Peter Wanless, head of NSPCC". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Peter WANLESS". People of Today. Debrett's. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  7. ^ Ainsworth, David (23 January 2013). "NSPCC appoints Peter Wanless as chief executive". ThirdSector. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  8. ^ Peter Wanless, TKAT Archived 11 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 July 2014
  9. ^ Wanless, Peter (25 July 2022). "Linked In". Linked In.
  10. ^ "May asks NSPCC boss to head child abuse review". BBC News. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b SPDoran (7 July 2014). "Sevenoaks charity chief Peter Wanless appointed to probe historical Westminster child sex allegations". Sevenoaks Chronicle. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  12. ^ "'No cover-up found' in abuse review by Peter Wanless". BBC News. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Peter Wanless". Sporting memories. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  14. ^ Profile at ThisIsMyJam.com. Retrieved 2 August 2014
  15. ^ Wanless, Peter (25 July 2022). "LinkedIn". LinkedIn.
  16. ^ "Peter Wanless". HuffPost. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  17. ^ "No. 58196". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2006. p. 2.
  18. ^ "No. 63218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N2.
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