The UK Government has announced the appointment of Charles Counsell as the interim Chair of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Counsell is set to serve in this role for nine months, starting on February 1, 2025. He takes over from Marcus Boyle, who is stepping down at the end of January next year.
Since April 2024, Counsell has held the position of Senior Independent Director at the UKGC. Prior to this, he was the CEO of The Pensions Regulator, where he served from April 2019 to March 2023. During his tenure, Counsell was instrumental in crafting a corporate strategy focused on prioritizing pension savers. He also introduced the regulator’s inaugural Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, along with its Climate Change strategies.
Counsell’s prior experience includes his role as CEO of the Money Advice Service and serving as Executive Director of Automatic Enrolment at The Pensions Regulator. Meanwhile, Marcus Boyle, who has led the Commission since September 2021, will be departing. His original term was to run until September 4, 2026.
In November, Baroness Twycross, the Minister for Gambling, acknowledged Boyle’s contributions as the Commission underwent significant changes due to the Gambling Act Review and the initiation of the fourth National Lottery licence. She expressed gratitude for his dedication and wished him well in his future endeavors.