The changes, first outlined in April, respond to a more challenging operating environment, marked by funding pressures, rising costs, climate change and increased regulatory demands, and form a key part of our evolving strategy.
The new structure
The new structure combines existing leadership roles with newly created and expanded positions. It will improve efficiency across our extensive maintenance responsibilities whilst placing a greater emphasis on customers, communities and partnerships to help secure the long-term future of the UK’s canal network.
The most significant change brings together our operations and engineering functions into one unified division. This is being led by Malcolm Horne who has been with us for four years and was appointed chief operations officer following a competitive recruitment process.
Susie Mather will take up the role of chief policy & communications officer also after a competitive process and having led our communications and external relations over the past three years.
A new customer & place division has been created to focus on delivering outstanding boating and customer experience, and deepening community connections. Caroline King will lead the division and will join on 1 October 2026 from Ageas UK, bringing more than 30 years’ leadership experience. Henriette Breukelaar, who has led our West Midlands region, will step in on an interim basis from 1 July.
Simon Major will join us on 5 October 2026 as chief assurance officer, strengthening our approach to governance, risk and regulatory compliance. He joins from The King’s Trust and brings extensive experience across the charity sector. Beth Hawthorn, our head of legal, will act as interim from 1 July.
Laura Davies will join the charity on 16 September 2026 from Transport for London as chief of staff. She brings deep expertise in strategy, governance and transformation, and will support the chief executive and executive team in driving delivery.
The other executive roles, which remain unchanged, are the chief financial officer, chief investment officer and chief people officer. An interim fundraising director is currently reviewing our ambition for charitable income to contribute to the significant cost of keeping the canal network open and operational.
A demanding and complex period
Campbell Robb, our chief executive, comments: “We’re entering a more demanding and complex period, and these changes ensure we’re set up to respond with focus, pace and clarity.
“This is about building a leadership team that combines experience with fresh thinking, so we can strengthen our impact, deepen our connections with communities and safeguard the long-term future of our canal network.
“We need to increase the pace of work to keep the canal network maintained and available, raising the funds required and making the case for the modern role of canals within society. We will also be taking forward key pieces of work including the boater transformation programme and implementing the recommendations from the independent Commission into boat licensing.”
The depature of long-serving senior leaders
The changes mark the departure of three long-serving senior leaders. Julie Sharman, chief operating officer, retires from the executive team after 30 years of service to the waterways, Heather Clarke, strategy & impact director, retires with nearly 29 years of service, and Tom Deards, legal & governance director, will leave us at the end of July after 19 years of service.
Campbell continues: “I’d like to pay huge tribute to Julie, Heather and Tom for their significant contribution to the canal network over many years. This includes the journey that took the canals into the charitable sector and the foundations that they put in place for us to take the next steps in ensuring that the canal network prospers and is recognised for the critical infrastructure role that it can play within today’s society.”
Further work to review structures below executive level will follow, although this is at an early stage. Existing contact points with us including customer service, out of hours emergencies, social media channels, and licence and mooring communications, all remain unchanged.
