CFG Chair, Hugh Wallace, describes his journey in the charity sector which led him to his role on the CFG Board and to eventually being appointed as Chair. Hugh talks about some of the challenges of the role as well as his excitement at leading the organisation through a digital transformation.
I've worked in and around the charity and public sector for over 20 years now. My first major foray into the third sector was as Head of Digital Communications at Oxfam, a role I held until 2009. Since then, I've had stints at National Museums Scotland and in the Scottish Government, before landing my current role as Chief Information Officer at Research Data Scotland, a charity that focuses on access to public sector data.
Although I've bounced around different sectors, the thing that connects my roles is an emphasis on public good or public benefit, which has always been important to me. And CFG, in supporting the whole sector through the direct impact on their members, as well through their advocacy on behalf of all charities, certainly fit the bill.
My role with CFG
I joined the board in January 2023, partly because of my background in digital transformation and development, and in 2024 was appointed as Chair. During my time on the board, I've aimed to provide useful perspectives from my experience in both the strategic and practical use of technology.
When I talk to anyone about being a trustee, I highlight the hugely beneficial elements in being able to see how another organisation operates, how decisions get taken, and how strategies get formed. In my time with CFG so far, it's been really enjoyable and rewarding to get a sense, and under the skin, of how a relatively small team makes such a big difference across the sector.
My previous roles in organisations that strive to make a positive difference to people's lives— whether through art, humanitarian aid, or user-centred services — influence everything I do. I've found there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to any workplace, and so much depends on the culture and people.
With CFG, an organisation that works with lots of other organisations, it's really important to retain an outward focus and be prepared to embrace new ways of getting things done.
Challenges and opportunities as chair
These are difficult times in the sector, and almost all organisations are feeling the pinch in one way or another. As a board member, you need to lean into some of those challenges and help provide a steer for the leadership team that balances ambition with sometimes difficult choices.
Whether it's budgetary obstacles, political uncertainty, societal pressures, or climate change, there are a lot of existential threats out there. On the technology front, there's the pressure to embrace emerging technologies like AI, as well as the struggle to just get the basics right or get proper infrastructure in place.
Steering all of this takes up a lot of head space, but I see that CFG has a big role to play in helping other organisations navigate some of that uncertainty. So, both a big challenge and opportunity for me as Chair, and for the board as a whole, is to provide relevant guidance and be armed with relevant knowledge.
It's a genuine privilege to be in the role of CFG Chair, and I'm hugely excited about the potential of working with my hugely experienced fellow trustees and the dynamic CFG team. As we all know, there are tricky waters to navigate, but I'm looking forward to tackling those with a talented and motivated group of people around me.
I hope to be able to provide stability, to make sure the board represents as diverse a set of viewpoints as possible, to make sure the board is providing valuable input without unnecessarily obstructing, and acting as a critical friend.
I’m confident that my previous experience as a Chief Information Officer (CIO) helps to support CFG’s ongoing digital transformation. Early in the process we set up a sub-group of board members to make sure the digital transformation programme had a dedicated place to seek answers to specific questions that arose and make delegated decisions on behalf of the board.
All change programmes are hard, and digital transformation often leads to new processes and broader rejigging across organisations. Whilst making sure you have the right technology that's fit for the modern world is important, the culture aspect is arguably the most important of all.
Bringing people along with you throughout the process and being realistic about what change means is essential to a successful 'transformation'. I think my role as CIO, as well as some of my other experiences in digital implementation, has helped give the right support and input during this process.
Life outside work
Away from the (virtual) office I like to run, although my 50-year-old knees are starting to complain about this, and I've discovered a love for the gym in the last six months that I would never have imagined possible (it's all about finding the right audiobooks).
I also read (and listen to) a fair amount of both fiction and non-fiction, and I also like to write. I pen a reasonably regular newsletter that attempts to intersect the relationship between technology and culture.
I also have a nine and an 11-year-old, who tend to dictate a lot of what I do with my spare time. We love camping as a family and try to explore the wonderful Scottish countryside as much as possible. I'm also a big cinema buff and a fan of live music, so I try to visit the big screen and attend gigs whenever time permits.
On reflection, I see many parallels between my personal pursuits and my work with CFG. The endurance required for running mirrors the persistence needed to navigate challenging times in the charity sector. My newfound appreciation for the gym reminds me that growth often comes through pushing boundaries and embracing new approaches, much like CFG's digital transformation journey.
And perhaps most importantly, my love for storytelling, whether it’s through reading or writing, reinforces my belief in the power of sharing knowledge and experiences across the sector, which lies at the heart of CFG's mission to connect, support, and strengthen charities across the UK.