The chief executive of The Fawcett Society is to join Mind in an interim senior role. 

Jemima Olchawski, who announced last year she would leave the women’s rights charity after three years, will move in March to become interim executive director of social change at Mind. 

She succeeds Jennifer Walters, who has become executive director of communications at the National Institute of Health and Care Research after three and a half years at Mind. 

Olchawski, who was head of policy at The Fawcett Society between 2015 and 2018 before becoming chief executive of the women’s and girls’ charity Agenda, returned to Fawcett in 2021 to take up the top job. 

She held previous roles as events manager and director at the left-wing think tank the Fabian Society and was a public policy manager for the London Borough of Newham.

Olchawski, who has agreed a nine-month contract at Mind, said: “Mind has an incredible record of breaking taboos, challenging stigma and changing policy to tackle the mental health crisis. 

“I’m delighted to be joining at a moment when there is so much potential to reform approaches to mental health and energy in the movement for change. 

“It’s an organisation with values that I hold dear and I’m looking forward to working with the brilliant team at Mind.”

Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said: “We are incredibly excited for Jemima to join the executive team at this pivotal moment for delivering Mind’s strategy to 2030. 

“There is still so much at stake and we must be bold and brave to advocate for sustainable change. 

“Jemima is the perfect fit to lead the fight for better services and rights for people with mental health problems.”