A charity set up in the name of Captain Sir Tom Moore tried to appoint the fundraiser’s daughter as CEO with a six-figure salary before a watchdog intervened to block the move, The Independent understand.
The Captain Tom Foundation – at the center of a Charity Commission regulatory compliance case – came under scrutiny last week after accounts emerged that it had donated thousands of pounds to businesses run by the girl and the late veteran’s son-in-law.
Now The Independent was told that part of the watchdog case involved a request by the foundation to appoint Hannah Ingram-Moore as CEO with a salary equivalent to about one-tenth of her total first-year income.
It is understood the charity – set up in May 2020 after the former army officer raised £39million for NHS charities – wanted to pay her in the region of £150,000 for the role. This figure represents 13.68% of the charity’s total income for the first year.
It is understood that the proposal to entrust him with the role was made by administrators without a recruitment campaign or competition.
However, the Charity Commission terminated the appointment last summer after being contacted by the foundation, The Independent has been said. The foundation said that during trustees’ discussions with the watchdog, Ms Ingram-Moore ‘made the decision that the CEO role was not something she wanted to pursue’ so she could focus on other commitments.
A salary of £150,000 would be comparable to the RSPCA, which was recorded as paying its highest earner of £150,007, according to a list of the 100 highest-earning charities produced last year by an industry publication. Third sector which placed him 98th. The animal charity’s annual income has been recorded at £142million, more than 100 times that of the Captain Tom Foundation.
Ms Ingram-Moore, who spoke about setting up the foundation, was appointed trustee of the charity on February 1, 2021 but stepped down on March 15, according to the accounts. Her husband, Colin, was appointed trustee on the same date and remains in office as the family’s representative.
Charity accounts released earlier this month reveal £54,039 was paid to two companies run by Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband
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The foundation has sought permission from the Charity Commission over the proposed appointment because of a clause in its statutes, which says directors or ‘connected’ people must seek written consent from the watchdog before being employed. by the charity.
When The Independent approached the foundation for comment, he at first appeared to deny the six-figure salary was on offer. Stephen Jones, Chairman of the Board, said: “The decision to seek consent to appoint Hannah Ingram-Moore in a temporary role as interim CEO has been made by the independent directors who have undertaken an exercise benchmarking to assess an appropriate salary. for the role. All discussions with the Charity Commission are highly confidential, but your reference to a “six-figure salary” is categorically denied. »
However, when The Independent pointed out that he had inquired about an initial request to appoint Ms Ingram-Moore as CEO, rather than an interim position, and asked the charity to clarify whether it declined to Having sought permission from the Charity Commission to appoint her CEO with a proposed six-figure salary, a more detailed statement was provided. He did not deny a six-figure salary had been offered, but said the “revisited” salary Ms Ingram-Moore had received as interim CEO was “categorically not six-figure”.
Attributed to Mr Jones, the statement read: ‘In 2021, the foundation approached the commission for consent (as required by law and the foundation’s governing document) regarding the appointment of Hannah Ingram-Moore as CEO. As part of this consent process, the directors undertook a formal benchmarking exercise to assess an appropriate salary for the role.
“This report made recommendations to trustees as to an appropriate salary (within a range) based on a range of charities operating with equivalent financial positions and charitable activities. This was provided to the commission as part of the consent request, in the interest of full disclosure, along with a proposal from the directors as to what the salary for the role of CEO should be.
“It is the commission’s responsibility to review and challenge any request for consent, but in any event, during the directors’ discussions with the commission, Hannah Ingram-Moore made the decision that the role of CEO n It wasn’t something she wanted to pursue the way she wanted. focus on other commitments, both personal and professional. However, she has agreed to support the trustees for an interim period, subject to obtaining the consent of the commission.
“On this basis, the commission supported and gave the directors its formal consent that Hannah Ingram-Moore be appointed as interim CEO from August 2021 for a defined period of nine months. Trustees revisited their salary considerations as part of discussions with the commission, before making a decision on what that salary should be. This salary will of course be disclosed as it should be in the accounts of the period concerned but is categorically not six figures.
“The directors are, as agreed with the commission, in the process of undertaking an open recruitment process to identify and recruit a CEO. Details on this and on the role and salary expectations are public knowledge. This process is in progress. ongoing, but regardless, Hannah Ingram-Moore will be stepping down as interim CEO at the end of April and the directors are grateful for her support during this time.
The Charity Commission – which opened the regulatory compliance case at the foundation last March – said it could not comment beyond its previous statement, which read: ‘We have been in constant contact with the trustees of the Captain Tom Foundation on its set-up and governance arrangements and, as part of this work, will now assess accounts recently submitted by the charity.
Hannah Ingram-Moore’s website describes her as “one of Britain’s leading businesswomen”.
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Ms Ingram-Moore’s personal website – which describes her as ‘one of Britain’s leading businesswomen’ – listed her as the ‘founder and CEO’ of the Captain Tom Foundation, but that was changed after The Independent approached the charity to comment on ‘the founder and interim CEO’. Ms Ingram-Moore’s Linkedin profile says she is the “voice of the Captain Tom Foundation”.
A document dated December 2021 describes an “appointment package” for the CEO – with a “welcome letter” from acting CEO Ms Ingram-Moore – at a stated salary of £55,000-£60,000.
Charity accounts released earlier this month reveal £54,039 was paid to two companies run by Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore. They also show that £162,336 was spent on running costs – more than was given in donations to Mind, the Royal British Legion, children’s charity Helen & Douglas House and the charity palliative care center Willen Hospice.
The charity says its job is to keep alive the legacy of Captain Tom, who died in February last year.
