The CEO of Scotland’s animal welfare charity the Scottish SPCA, Kirsteen Campbell, has announced that she is stepping down from the charity after almost eight years in post.
Kirsteen, who will leave the 185 year old charity in May 2025, joined the Scottish SPCA in July 2017 and has overseen the development of an ambitious new ten year strategy and vision to make Scotland the best place for an animal to call home.
Under Kirsteen’s leadership, in recent years we have expanded our work in communities across the country to prevent unintentional animal abuse, providing community veterinary support to those most in need, working with food banks to provide pet food, and helping thousands of people and pets to stay together with support. We have continued to rescue thousands of pets, farmed and wild animals in need across the country, and recently relaunched our fostering and adoption service to help animals find their forever homes more quickly than ever.
We have also been at the forefront of campaigning for change, successfully campaigning for the Scottish Parliament ban on snares and glue traps, and have led the way under Kirsteen’s leadership in successfully calling for a change in the law to transform the lives of rescue animals caught up in legal proceedings.
Kirsteen Campbell said:
“Leading this incredible charity has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I am so proud of all that our amazing colleagues, volunteers, partners and supporters across Scotland have achieved in our time together, but I have decided that it’s the right time to think about the next stage of my career. I know that the Scottish SPCA will be in safe hands and in a very strong position, with a clear strategy and plan for its sustainable future. I will remain a champion and supporter of the Scottish SPCA’s incredible work for all animals in communities across Scotland.”
Chair of the Board of Trustees Fiona Macleod said:
“The Board of Trustees and I are enormously grateful to Kirsteen for her outstanding leadership, vision and dedication to the Scottish SPCA over the past eight years. Under her guidance we have achieved significant milestones for animal welfare and strengthened our position as Scotland’s leading animal welfare charity. We wish Kirsteen all the very best for the future.
“I am confident that we will attract a high quality field of candidates to lead one of Scotland’s largest, most respected and impactful charities.”
The process of recruiting Kirsteen’s successor as CEO is underway. Until a permanent successor is in post, our current Director of People, Culture and Transformation Anna Hart will take on the role of Interim CEO.
Kirsteen is currently exploring other opportunities before deciding on the next step in her leadership career.
