2023 has been a year of growth and change at Oaks, as we welcomed eight fantastic new starters (with another new and exciting addition to be announced in the new year!). However, January will also bring some changes to our leadership team, as we say goodbye to two very important members: our Managing Director, Luke Southall, and Director of Special Projects, Katy Baker, who have decided to move on to new and exciting chapters elsewhere. The impact Luke and Katy have had on Oaks cannot be overstated, with our team, work and clients all benefiting from their incredible contributions over the years.
Katy joined Oaks in 2018, and moved quickly up to become Director of Services, leading much of our consultancy work across our core sectors. Throughout her time here, she has achieved so much: supporting countless organisations to achieve charitable status, realise their strategic vision, review and improve their governance, hit fundraising targets, and much, much more! In 2022, she founded Metal for Good (MFG) alongside her husband, Chris - a charity which uses the positive values of rock, metal and other alternative subcultures to make a positive difference in communities. Since its inception, MFG has grown exponentially, and, as of January, Katy has decided to move on from Oaks to dedicate more of her time and expertise to leading it. Although sad to see her go, we are so excited to see MGF continue to go from strength to strength.
After an amazing 14-year tenure, Luke has also made the decision to begin a new chapter 2024. He has been with us throughout (almost!) every step of our journey: joining the small founding team as an intern in 2010 and becoming integral to our transformation into the organisation we are today. As Managing Director, he has driven us to grow, improve and achieve more for our team and our clients, while always keeping his customary sense of humour and humility. These values have become a core part of the Oaks culture, and will continue to underpin the way we work long into the future. We know Luke will continue to achieve great things wherever he goes next, and we look forward to seeing the incredible impact he will make.
It’s business as usual at Oaks, as we enter 2024 with a fantastic team and some exciting plans. Stay tuned for further updates in the new year, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
For all media enquiries, contact tilly@oaksconsultancy.co.uk