Scouts CEO Matt Hyde OBE to become new Lloyds Bank Foundation CEO

After 11 years as the CEO of the Scout Association, Matt Hyde will join Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales as their next CEO, taking over from Paul Streets who led the Foundation for a decade and announced his intention to retire in December 2023.

As the leader of the Scouts Matt has championed the value of developing the skills, confidence, and resilience of young people and wider communities through thousands of local charities, supported by 140,000 volunteers. He led the Scouts to achieving greater equity, diversity and inclusion, growing Scouting in areas of deprivation, increasing the membership among girls to nurture life skills and lifelong impact and by starting a race equity programme. He’s a passionate advocate for the power of volunteering having co-founded The Big Help Out and seen the power of community activism as CEO of the NUS.

With his track record of being a collaborative and inclusive leader Matt will take the Foundation forward progressively to meet its mission to partner with small and local charities, people and communities working towards a more just and compassionate society.

On joining the Foundation Matt says:

“For our communities to prosper we need a thriving civil society, representing the people they serve and working in partnership with Government and the private sector. Small and local charities that are embedded in our communities are a lifeline for so many people and yet the demand they are facing is immense and the funding and external environment challenging. That’s why I’m excited to join Lloyds Bank Foundation who plays such a vital role in providing critical support and championing local charities across England and Wales.  I am committed to working in partnership with others to ensure investment in these charities grows, so that together we can make the greatest impact to build a just and compassionate society.

“I want to thank, and pay tribute to, the many staff and volunteers I have worked with at Scouts over the past 11 years. It’s been a huge privilege to play a part in helping hundreds of thousands young people gain skills for life over that time. Scouts is an incredible movement with amazing people who I will miss them greatly, but it is the right time to begin an exciting new chapter for Scouts and for me.”

Matt was selected by the Foundation’s trustees with input from the senior leadership team, staff representatives, and charity partners. Dame Ann Limb, Chair of Trustees at Lloyds Bank Foundation says of Matt’s appointment:

“Matt stood out to the Trustees for his passion and dedication to small community organisations that nurture people to achieve their aspirations, and in turn go on to strengthen their communities. He showed real collaboration in his approach and a commitment to inclusive leadership and taking the Foundation forward progressively with energy, vision and ambition. He is the right person to steer us to deliver our current strategy and then to take us into our next, welcoming challenge from Trustees, staff, charity partners and Lloyds Banking Group alike.”

Building on his experience of working within communities across the country, and his connections and trust across the sector, Matt will help advance the Foundation’s strategy of Building a Better Future based around:

• Being a partner to small and local charities tackling complex issues by providing unrestricted funding that is flexible and rooted in trust and offering a wide range of support to help charities strengthen.
  
  
• Amplifying the voices of small and local charities among Government and decision makers by sharing insight, championing their role and value, highlighting the challenges they face and critical role they play within communities and society.
  
  
• Embedding collaboration in everything the Foundation does working on the ground within communities and bringing charities, public sector agencies, Lloyds Banking Group and others together to identify and overcome challenges.
  
  

Matt will join the Foundation on 16 September 2024 and will finish his time with the Scouts on the weekend of their AGM and Gilwell Reunion. The Foundation’s COO James Phillips will act as interim CEO for the period between 6 June and 16 September.