Tim Naor Hilton is Refugee Action’s new Chief Executive.

Tim has worked at Refugee Action for 19 years, starting as a frontline development worker in Manchester in 2002, before progressing to Area Manager in Greater Manchester and then Head of Asylum in 2015.

A critical part of Refugee Action’s Senior Leadership Team for the past seven years, Tim has piloted many of the organisation’s strategic innovations.

He led on Asylum Services, set up the Good Practice and Partnerships Team, which supports other charities across the country, and the Experts by Experience groups in Manchester and Bradford. He has also led on trusts and foundations fundraising.

Tim will shift into the permanent role with effect from Wednesday 28 April.

Tim said:

“I’m very excited to be Refugee Action’s new Chief Executive. Refugees and people seeking asylum are facing more challenges than ever before, with the government proposing to reduce their rights and a flawed and dehumanising accommodation and support system in place.

“I start this new role with a big commitment to ramping up our plans to shift power within the charity to people with lived experience. This means not only ensuring refugees are at the heart of our movement but creating employment opportunities for them at Refugee Action and the wider sector.”

Penny Lawrence, Chair of the board of trustees at Refugee Action, said:

“The board is confident in and inspired by Tim’s values-led leadership, his vision for Refugee Action, his commitment to shifting power to refugees, and to his leadership.

“His track record of working collaboratively with an openness to learning and such humility but always with a steely eye on what matters most to the refugees and asylum seekers will serve Refugee Action so well in these challenging uncertain times.”

Cathy Lebadou, Chair of the experts by experience steering group, said:

““It was such an honour and a rewarding experience to sit on the recruitment panel of Refugee Action Chief Executive. I am confident that under Tim’s leadership Refugee Action will continue to thrive and fight for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. Tim spearheaded the experts by experience initiative and has since pushed for it to be where it is now.

“I am confident that the essence of shifting power will be embedded in all levels of Refugee Actions’s works, we are yet to see transformational innovations that a collective culture brings.”