Claire joined BBC Children in Need in 2018.

Claire began her career in retail completing the Sainsbury’s management training programme and spending seven years in various store management roles, before moving on to M&S. She spent seven years at M&S, firstly as a manager in store and latterly as a member of the Press Office, looking after corporate PR and major events as well as being part of the delivery team for M&S’ sustainability programme, Plan A.  

 In 2009, Claire became Head of Community Fundraising at blood cancer charity, Bloodwise, eventually heading up the campaigns, events and major supporters team. In 2012, she joined the NSPCC, initially leading the events team, before taking on a senior leadership role as Head of Partnerships, managing the teams responsible for creating and delivering major partnerships with commercial organisations, major supporters and celebrities, before being promoted to Deputy Director of Fundraising in early 2018. 

Nassali joined Children in Need in 2022 to lead on Campaign Transformation and became the charity’s first Director for Change and Transformation in 2023. She is responsible for managing the change programme and driving the strategy roadmap to help us reach our charitable ambition to support every child to thrive and be the best they can be.

Following her Experimental Psychology degree at Oxford University, Nassali started her career as a Maths Teacher through Teach First, gaining her PCGE and later an MA in Education Leadership. On leaving teaching she joined The Co-op, leading large scale change transformation programmes in retail operations, whilst continuing to support the education sector first as a coach to trainee teachers, and then as a school governor at the Co-operative Academy of Manchester. Nassali then joined The Co-op’s community team as their first Member Pioneer Manager where she developed and led a team of 200 Member Pioneers responsible for bringing people together and making great things happen in their local communities. From 2018 she held a number of change and transformation roles, designing and delivering community strategy, propositions and funding programmes.

Fozia joined BBC Children in Need in October 2020 with responsibility for the charity’s impact and grant-making activities. Fozia was previously CEO of the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation. 

 In addition to her professional experience, Fozia has held a number of voluntary, advisory roles on grant making boards. She has been a Trustee at the Association of Charitable Foundations and established the national Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) coalition of foundations which supports the implementation of more effective and equitable grant making strategies. Fozia also chaired the Extending Reach Programme at Scouts UK and was a Commissioner for the Inclusive Growth Commission in Luton. 

Fozia studied law at LSE and began her career as an Employment Solicitor before moving into the charity sector, subsequently achieving a Master’s degree in Grantmaking, Philanthropy and Social Investment at Cass Business School, City University. She is now a Visiting Lecturer at Cass Business School, on the Charity Management Master’s Programme. 

Jo is an Insight and Planning Director with extensive experience in the FMCG and retail sectors, gained across both in-house and agency roles. She is BBC Children in Need’s first Director of Insight and has been with the charity since 2017. Jo leads the charity’s Insight team to undertake our own research as well as monitoring and analysing consumer and sector trends, with the aim of ensuring our grant-making and audience engagement strategies are effective and have the greatest impact on young lives. 

Prior to joining BBC Children in Need, Jo worked for Kellogg’s from 2002 to 2017, joining as Senior Insight Manager, before being promoted to Head of Insight & Planning (UK) and then becoming Insight & Planning Director leading the European team. Jo also spent time at advertising agency McCann-Erickson Manchester Ltd (2000-2002) where she was responsible for developing communications strategies for key clients and new business prospects. Prior to this, Jo worked at Sony Computer Entertainment (1996-2000) where she was responsible for all research undertaken within the Psygnosis software business, and for Nestle UK (1992-1996), delivering marketing-related research and analysis to their confectionery business. 

Nicky joined the charity in 2015 as Financial Controller.

Prior to joining BBC Children in Need, between 2011-2015 Nicky was Finance Director at Diversity Travel, an organisation that provides business travel services to the charity, not for profit, humanitarian and missionary sectors and was responsible for all operational, strategic and statutory finances. Nicky qualified as an accountant in 1999 whilst working in the commercial sector at Stirling Group, a global garment developer and manufacturer, joining initially as Management Accountant before being promoted to Group Financial Controller. During the 13 years at Stirling Group she managed the finances through the evolution of the organisation from owned UK manufacturing to outsourced overseas operations and supported the successful refinancing of the business from public shareholding to private equity.