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Our Executive Team

Meet our executive team, who lead our work at The King’s Foundation.

Kristina Murrin CBE

Chief Executive Officer June 2023 – present

Kris became Chief Executive of The King’s Foundation in June 2023, having worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors. After starting her career with P&G, Kris went on to help build the world’s largest independent innovation consultancy – What If. Kris then worked in UK Prime Ministers Delivery Unit under Tony Blair and as Director for Policy and Implementation at No 10 under Prime Minister David Cameron. She has been a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government in London and a Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. She led the UK Government’s review into innovation in Defence and Security in 2017. In 2018 she was asked to establish a new National Leadership Centre by the Chancellor and worked as its founding CEO before becoming the CEO of the Royal Anniversary Trust.

Photograph of Emily Cherrington standing outside

Emily Cherrington LVO

Deputy Chief Executive May 2017 – present

Emily has worked for The King’s Foundation since 2017 and is currently Deputy Chief Executive. Prior to her role Emily worked as Assistant Private Secretary to His Majesty The King when he was The Prince of Wales, based at Clarence House, where she was responsible for liaison with HM’s charitable patronages and his programme of engagements around the UK. Between 2006-2008 Emily worked as a Parliamentary Researcher for a Member of Parliament, based at Westminster.

Kieran Ferguson CFA

Chief Financial Officer February 2019 – present

Prior to his role as Chief Financial Officer at The King’s Foundation, Kieran worked at Virgin Money and spent eight years in management roles across risk, the CEO’s office, finance and treasury. Latterly, he held the role of Head of Credit Portfolio Management and was responsible for determining credit portfolio strategy for the bank’s liquid asset portfolio. Kieran was also appointed to the Virgin Stakeholder Pension Independent Governance Committee (IGC) and served on the Committee for four years overseeing fund performance and value for money for members.

Kieran started his career at Accenture where he worked with banking clients on business transformation and technology projects. Kieran holds a first-class honours degree in law and business (LLB Hons) from the University of Edinburgh. He has been a CFA charterholder since 2018 and was appointed to the board of CFA UK in 2020.

Gordon Neil

Executive Director – Estates & Operations 2015 – present

Gordon joined the King’s Foundation in 2015, having held senior management positions in contracts and estate management roles in both the public and private sector. Since then, with the organisation’s rapid growth, his role and remit has expanded and he now holds strategic responsibility for all aspects of The Foundation’s Estates, Operations and Commercial activities. Gordon is also currently serving as a Non-Executive Director on the Board at Ayrshire College.

Constantine Innemée

Executive Director – Highgrove & Partnerships October 2019 – present

Constantine is responsible for The King’s Foundation’s stewardship of Highgrove Gardens, encompassing both the commercial activity surrounding the garden tours and Highgrove shop, as well as oversight over the gardens themselves. Constantine joined The King’s Foundation from the communications office at Clarence House, where he worked for the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall as part of a team responsible for the communications, including domestic engagements and international tours.

Dr Simon Sadinsky

Executive Director – Education October 2012 – present

Simon oversees The King’s Foundation’s education, health and other charitable activities. In addition to his role at The King’s Foundation, he serves on the Governing Board of the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, sits on the Advisory Board of the Harmony Institute, is a Professor of Practice at the University of Wales, is a Research Fellow at the University of Grenoble, and sits on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Craft. Prior to joining the King’s Foundation, Simon worked within the education and community development sector in the UK, US and internationally. He holds an MSc in Population and Development from the London School of Economics, an MA Urban Policy from the University of Illinois-Chicago, a BA Political Science from Colorado College and has recently completed a PhD in Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow.

Ben Bolgar MVO RIBA RIAS

Executive Director – Projects May 2002 – present

Ben has led over 50 collaborative planning and design frameworks that cover city expansions, new towns, brownfield remediation, town centre regeneration, heritage, ecological and healthcare projects. He has also contributed to many Patronage projects including the Armed Forces Memoria, St. Martin in the Fields, the Royal College of Music, Tintagel Bridge and the National Gallery. Ben is an honorary fellow at the University College of Estate Management, a visiting fellow at Kellogg College, Oxford and a research fellow at Grenoble University. Outside of his role at The King’s Foundation, Ben is Design Director at the development company Stockbridge Land, promoting large mixed-use sites in Cambridge and London.

Colin Mackenzie-Blackman

Executive Director – Development October 2022 – present

Colin leads the Development Department which is responsible for delivering approximately half of The King’s Foundation’s income through philanthropic gifts, grants and corporate partnerships. Colin has spent 20 years in the third sector including working for the NSPCC, the Royal Opera House, Shakespeare’s Globe and Trees for Life. Colin is also a trustee of Inverness-based special needs charity, SNAP, as well as a school governor.

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