British gambling addiction charity Gordon Moody has named Monica Shafaq as its new chief executive officer.

Following an extensive and thorough recruitment process conducted by Gordon Moody’s board of trustees over recent months, Shafaq will take the helm from January 2024.

She brings 13 years’ experience in the charity sector and joins Gordon Moody from mental health charity The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, where she has served as CEO since 2010.

Shafaq will succeed interim CEO Matthew Hickey, who will continue to support the leadership team at Gordon Moody until the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition.

“It is a huge privilege to have been appointed the new CEO of Gordon Moody,” said Shafaq. “It’s an honour to lead an organisation that is committed to making a positive impact to the lives of those affected by gambling harm and to work with the remarkable team of passionate individuals.

“Together, we will work tirelessly to raise awareness, provide support, and a path to recovery. I am excited to collaborate with existing partners and stakeholders as well as forging new relationships to drive meaningful change.

“I am leaving The Kaleidoscope Plus Group with a heavy heart but filled with pride for what the team has achieved over the past 13 years. We have done some extraordinary work together fighting for mental health equality and I know that we will remain strong allies going forward,” she added.

During Hickey’s tenure, Gordon Moody has grown its treatment capacity from 120 to 270 a year, and oversaw the opening of the UK’s first women-only residential treatment centre in 2021, paving the way for a new West Midlands-based treatment facility due to open in 2024, which will increase the number of bed spaces to 350.

“We are delighted to welcome Monica to the Gordon Moody team as our new chief executive officer and we would also like to express our sincere thanks to our departing CEO, Matthew Hickey, who has worked tirelessly to advance our cause over the past four years,” said Gordon Moody trustee Claire Arnold.

“Monica brings a wealth of experience from her work in the charity sector, most recently from The Kaleidoscope Plus Group and her energy for achieving social change will be a huge asset to Gordon Moody.

“We look forward to the new era of leadership under Monica Shafaq’s guidance and are confident that her expertise will contribute significantly to our mission of addressing gambling harm and its profound impact on individuals and families.”