GambleAware appoints Anna Hargrave as Transition CEO

GambleAware, the UK-based charity dedicated to addressing gambling-related harms, has announced the appointment of Anna Hargrave as its new Transition CEO. This appointment comes as Zoe Osmond prepares to step down after more than four years at the helm. Hargrave will lead the organisation during its final six months, managing both day-to-day operations and the charity’s strategic legacy as it approaches a managed closure.

Leadership change ahead of managed closure

Zoe Osmond, who has served as GambleAware’s Chief Executive Officer for four and a half years, will officially step down at the end of September. Her tenure has been characterised by significant achievements in reframing gambling harms as a public health issue and strengthening the charity’s commissioning and research programmes.

GambleAware Chair of Trustees, Andy Boucher, expressed gratitude for Osmond’s contributions, stating, “Few charities can truly say they’ve delivered on their founding mission, but GambleAware and the exceptional team behind it have played a pivotal role in reframing gambling harms as a public health issue and helped to shape the foundations of the new gambling harms prevention and treatment system.”

The leadership transition represents a critical step in ensuring a smooth handover to the new statutory gambling harms system, which is expected to take full effect following the charity’s closure.

Anna Hargrave’s appointment and mandate

Anna Hargrave joined GambleAware in November 2021, where she has held the roles of Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy and Commissioning Officer. In these roles, she has overseen the organisation’s commissioning strategies and has been instrumental in advancing public health-focused initiatives within the charity. Her leadership has been credited with re-commissioning the National Gambling Support Network, a cornerstone project aimed at improving access to gambling support services across the UK.

In her new capacity as Transition CEO, Hargrave will assume full responsibility for the operational management of the charity while also prioritising the completion of its “legacy ambitions.” These include ensuring that the charity’s research, commissioning frameworks, and best practices are effectively transferred to the incoming statutory system.

Hargrave outlined her collaborative approach, noting, “I look forward to continuing to work with the new commissioners as they get to grips with their new responsibilities within the statutory system and will work with them to ensure their efforts build upon the current system’s achievements and insights to ensure learnings are carried forward.”

Focus on public health and research initiatives

Throughout her tenure at GambleAware, Hargrave has maintained a strong commitment to embedding public health principles into the charity’s work. She has overseen initiatives designed to mitigate gambling harms, including funding research into safer gambling practices and promoting responsible gambling campaigns across operator networks.

Even in its final phase of operations, GambleAware continues to contribute to the evidence base on gambling harms. Last week, the charity published a report assessing the effectiveness of operator-led responsible gambling promotion, providing insights that are expected to inform the design and regulation of future interventions under the statutory system.

By ensuring that research findings, commissioning knowledge, and strategic insights are preserved, Hargrave aims to protect the legacy of GambleAware’s contributions to gambling harm prevention. This is a critical element as the UK transitions to a fully statutory system intended to address gambling harms at a national level.

Hargrave’s professional background

Prior to joining GambleAware, Hargrave accumulated extensive experience in senior roles within the National Health Service (NHS). Her background in healthcare management and strategic commissioning has equipped her with the expertise required to navigate complex organisational transitions, including stakeholder engagement, programme evaluation, and operational oversight.

Her ability to integrate public health approaches with organisational strategy has been widely recognised. Under her leadership, GambleAware has implemented evidence-based initiatives aimed at reducing gambling-related harms and increasing accessibility to support services for affected individuals.

Zoe Osmond’s legacy

Zoe Osmond’s departure marks the end of a transformative chapter for GambleAware. During her tenure, the charity successfully repositioned gambling harms as a public health concern, influencing both policy and practice across the UK.

Reflecting on her time at the charity, Osmond said, “Few charities can truly say they’ve delivered on their founding mission, but GambleAware and the exceptional team behind it have played a pivotal role in reframing gambling harms as a public health issue and helped to shape the foundations of the new gambling harms prevention and treatment system.”

Osmond’s leadership was also characterised by a strong focus on partnerships with regulators, operators, and public health bodies, ensuring that the charity’s initiatives were grounded in robust evidence and aligned with national public health priorities.

The role of the Transition CEO

The appointment of a Transition CEO is a strategic decision aimed at maintaining continuity and oversight as GambleAware moves towards closure. The role involves not only managing the charity’s day-to-day operations but also overseeing the orderly transfer of responsibilities, knowledge, and ongoing initiatives to the emerging statutory gambling harms system.

Hargrave’s responsibilities will include:

• Ensuring ongoing research and commissioning activities are completed and documented
• Facilitating knowledge transfer to the new statutory commissioners
• Preserving the operational and strategic insights gained by GambleAware
• Maintaining stakeholder engagement to support a smooth transition

Her tenure is therefore both operational and strategic, providing a bridge between the charity’s established work and the new public health-focused statutory system that will take over gambling harm prevention in the UK.

Looking forward: handover to statutory system

The new statutory gambling harms system represents a significant evolution in the UK’s approach to gambling regulation and harm prevention. It is expected to take full operational control once GambleAware concludes its managed closure, scheduled for 30 March next year.

Hargrave’s leadership during this transitional period is critical to ensuring that GambleAware’s achievements are preserved and that the lessons learned over the past decade inform the new system. Her focus on collaboration with incoming commissioners will be essential in maintaining continuity in service provision and public health interventions.

GambleAware’s final phase

As the charity enters its final operational phase, several key activities remain ongoing:

• Completion of commissioned research studies
• Continued engagement with gambling operators and regulators
• Public reporting on responsible gambling initiatives
• Documentation of best practices and lessons learned

These efforts will ensure that GambleAware’s contributions are not lost and that the new statutory system can benefit from a foundation of evidence-based practice and operational expertise.

Conclusion

The appointment of Anna Hargrave as Transition CEO marks a pivotal moment for GambleAware as it prepares for managed closure. Hargrave brings extensive experience in strategic leadership and public health, positioning her to safeguard the charity’s legacy and ensure a smooth transition to the statutory gambling harms system.

Under her guidance, GambleAware will continue to deliver research, manage commissioned projects, and engage with stakeholders while laying the groundwork for the new system. Zoe Osmond’s departure closes a significant chapter in the charity’s history, but with Hargrave at the helm, GambleAware’s contributions to gambling harm prevention and public health are set to endure beyond the charity’s operational lifespan.

FAQs

What is the role of a Transition CEO at GambleAware?
The Transition CEO manages day-to-day operations while overseeing the charity’s closure and ensuring a smooth handover to the new statutory gambling harms system.

Why is GambleAware closing?
GambleAware is concluding its operations as the UK moves towards a statutory system designed to address gambling harms at a national level.

Who is Anna Hargrave?
Anna Hargrave is the newly appointed Transition CEO of GambleAware, previously serving as Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy and Commissioning Officer.

What has Zoe Osmond achieved at GambleAware?
Osmond reframed gambling harms as a public health issue and strengthened the charity’s commissioning and research initiatives.

What is the National Gambling Support Network?
It is a key GambleAware initiative providing support services for individuals affected by gambling harms, re-commissioned under Hargrave’s leadership.

How long will Hargrave serve as Transition CEO?
Hargrave will oversee GambleAware during its final six months before the charity completes its managed closure.

What will happen to GambleAware’s research?
Ongoing research will be completed and documented, with insights transferred to the new statutory system.

How is GambleAware collaborating with new commissioners?
Hargrave will work closely with the new statutory commissioners to ensure continuity and preservation of best practices.

What is the statutory gambling harms system?
It is a public health-focused regulatory framework that will take over gambling harm prevention responsibilities from GambleAware.

Why is the Transition CEO important?
The role ensures continuity, protects the charity’s legacy, and facilitates the orderly transfer of responsibilities to the statutory system.