GambleAware has appointed Anna Hargrave as its new Transition CEO. She steps in as the charity prepares to close its doors by March 2026. The move follows Zoë Osmond OBE’s decision to step down after leading the organisation through a period of major change. The appointment signals a shift from strategy to delivery as GambleAware manages its final months.

  • Anna Hargrave will officially take over as GambleAware Transition CEO on 30 September 2025, after Zoë Osmond leaves her post. Her job is to guide the charity through its managed closure and ensure the handover to the new statutory system goes smoothly. She will also oversee daily operations until the end of March 2026.

  • The new role has been created to reflect GambleAware’s focus on winding down while making sure services remain uninterrupted. As the government takes on responsibility for prevention, treatment and research, Anna’s priority will be to keep projects on track and support networks running until the transfer is complete.

  • Zoë Osmond OBE steps down after seven years at GambleAware, where she has been CEO since 2021. During her tenure she pushed hard for the statutory levy and was central in shaping gambling harms as a wider public health concern. She also oversaw the redevelopment of the National Gambling Support Network, national awareness campaigns and major research programmes.

  • Zoë also pressed for tighter rules on gambling advertising and marketing. She called for bans on sports sponsorship, stronger health warnings on ads, and a pre-watershed advertising ban. She also raised the issue of treating the National Lottery in line with other gambling products.

  • GambleAware Chair Andy Boucher thanked Zoë for her contribution and welcomed Anna’s appointment. “Over the next several months we have some important delivery and legacy ambitions and I am very confident that under Anna’s leadership we will achieve the positive ending for the charity we are all working towards,” he said.

  • In her previous role as Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy and Commissioning Officer, Anna led the re-commissioning of the National Gambling Support Network. That work brought better access, stronger outcomes and higher-quality services. She also headed GambleAware’s evidence, delivery and commissioning functions during this period.

  • Anna Hargrave’s background in the NHS has shaped her public health approach at GambleAware. She has worked to ensure treatment and prevention reflect wider health priorities. That experience is expected to guide her as she leads the charity into its closure phase.

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