This week marks a significant moment for Drive Forward Foundation (DFF), as we announce the departure of our CEO, Anton Babey, after ten incredible years of leadership.

Anton has been instrumental in shaping the charity and supporting care-experienced young people in finding meaningful employment. In his place, we are excited to welcome Russell Winnard, who will be joining us in December as our new CEO.

Reflecting on his decade with DFF, Anton shared:

“When I joined Drive Forward, I was deeply inspired by the ambition to not just offer services but to truly transform lives. Witnessing the resilience and success of the young people we serve has been the most fulfilling part of my role. I leave the charity in a strong position, confident in its future impact. To the young people, team, and new CEO – I wish you every success and will always be cheering you on.”

During Anton’s tenure, he played a key role in advancing our mission and vision, helping countless care-experienced young people overcome barriers to employment through holistic, person-centred support. His leadership has left a lasting legacy that will continue to shape our work for years to come.

Sir Max Hill, Chair of Trustees, expressed his gratitude for Anton’s service, saying:

“It has been a privilege to work alongside Anton during his final year as CEO of DFF. The hallmark of DFF staff, exemplified by Anton, is a passion for improving the life chances of care-experienced young people. Anton has excelled in giving our young people their own voice and being a safe steward of all that DFF holds dear. We wish him a well-deserved rest and thank him for his exceptional service.”

As we bid farewell to Anton, we are also thrilled to announce the arrival of our new CEO, Russell Winnard. With a background in education and the charitable sector, Russell brings a wealth of experience and a passion for policy-driven social change. He has spent years supporting young people through financial education, work readiness, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on influencing government policies to create better opportunities for future generations.

Russell shared his excitement about joining DFF, saying:

“Drive Forward Foundation is an incredibly special organisation, making life-changing differences to care-experienced young people. I am thrilled to be joining a charity that is so closely aligned with my own purpose and values, and I would like to thank Anton for all his support in making this important transition as smooth as possible. I look forward to learning from the team and building on the fantastic work already being done.”

Russell’s experience in fostering both young people’s development and advocating for change at the policy level makes him an ideal fit to lead DFF into its next chapter. We are confident that under his leadership, DFF will continue to thrive and make an even greater impact.

To read Anton Babey’s farewell message, please visit My Journey with DFF: A Decade of Transformation.