November 2023: Engage Britain has now merged with Demos. You can still find all our work from 2019-2023 here, but to get in touch or find out about our new ventures, go to https://demos.co.uk/

Miriam Levin appointed CEO of Engage Britain

Miriam Levin has been appointed CEO of Engage Britain. She replaces Julian McCrae, the former managing director and, alongside Guy Hands, founder of the organisation.

Julian will remain a senior advisor during the transition, while Guy and Julia Hands have agreed to continue to provide support.

Engage Britain is a charity working to open up policy making that puts people at the heart of the decisions that most affect them. Its initial project on health and care shows that involving people leads to a deeper understanding of real problems, helps find new ways through challenges and delivers better, more robust policies.

Some projects, like Engage Britain’s ‘green badge’ initiative – which exempts frontline care workers from residential parking charges – and the need for an independent body in charge of NHS workforce planning, caught the attention of Westminster last autumn.

With the continued support of Guy and Julia Hands, the charity can put the public at the centre of policy-making in other areas, as well as continuing developing policies to improve people’s access to the health and care they need.

Miriam Levin, CEO of Engage Britain

Prior to taking up this role, Miriam Levin was Programme Director at Engage Britain, leading on its first ground-breaking project to build policy from the grassroots up to ensure everyone gets the health and care they need. Before this, she was Head of Community Action for the UK Government where she ran national community empowerment programmes using deliberative democracy to involve people in public decision making and community organising. Miriam was Senior Consultant at Soundings, leading community engagement work around planning and regeneration, and was Head of Outreach at English Heritage. Her postgraduate studies have taken in several disciplines from archaeology to museology, regeneration to urban design, some of which she still uses.


QUOTES

“It is a great privilege to have been appointed as Chief Executive of Engage Britain at such an exciting time in the organisation’s evolution. Policies to improve our health and care systems developed by those who draw on services and on the frontline are gaining real traction and we will continue to push hard for their adoption by decision makers. 

Our fantastic team is now preparing to build on this success to other areas. We will apply the lessons we have learned on how best to help those at the sharp end of policy failures find solutions. I look forward to working with them, with our ever-expanding network of partners and most importantly with our participants to make this country a better place for us all. I am hugely grateful to Julian McCrae for taking Engage Britain so far and that we’ll be able to continue to draw on his knowledge and experience as we take the next steps.”

–       Miriam Levin, CEO, Engage Britain


“I am delighted that Miriam is taking on the leadership of Engage Britain. She is a passionate and determined advocate for the central role the public need to play in solving society’s biggest problems. She starts at a moment when there is huge demand for the type of insight and practical guidance that Engage Britain can provide. The organisation has an exciting next chapter in store.”

–       Adam Hawksbee, Deputy Director of Onward and Trustee of Engage Britain


“When Julian and I first started discussing what became Engage Britain five years ago, we knew there was a pressing need to put people back at the heart of tackling the country’s biggest issues. Julia and I are very grateful to Julian for starting that vital work and establishing the organisation. We are delighted that Miriam Levin will now take on its important mission, and look forward to continuing to support Engage Britain.” 

–       Guy Hands, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Terra Firma


“It’s been five years since Guy and I first discussed how to put people, with all their different views, knowledge and experience, at the heart of finding answers to the challenges facing our country. Since then, I have had the privilege of working with a fantastic group of people, establishing Engage Britain and leading its work on health and care, on poverty and community action. I’m delighted that Miriam will be taking our mission forward, focusing Engage Britain on achieving lasting change. Over the years, I’ve relied on her support for me, her great insight and the sheer energy she’s brought to making things happen. Engage Britain could not have achieved anything without her, and I’m certain she will lead the organisation to greater things.” 

–       Julian McCrae 


ENDS

For further information, please contact Francis Elliott, Director of External Affairs on 0203 953 6329 / media@engagebritain.org