FIGO's CEO: Frances Longley
Having joined FIGO in July 2023, Frances brings with her more than 25 years of leadership and governance experience in domestic and international charities.
FIGO's CEO, Frances Longley, has substantial experience as an advocate for women’s rights and especially their right to sexual and reproductive health. She has a strong track record growing successful and effective organisations and championing healthy and inclusive cultures. Together with a broad network of volunteers, Frances will lead FIGO to deliver on its ten-year strategy through four key pillars: education, research implementation, advocacy, and capacity building.
I am delighted to be leading FIGO at such a critical time for the status of women’s health and rights around the world. As a committed advocate for this work, I am proud to hold the CEO position at FIGO – an organisation with a unique global role in improving the health and wellbeing of women, girls and newborns and advocating for their rights.
Frances was ActionAid UK’s first woman CEO in its 50-year history. Prior to that she worked with CARE International UK as Executive Director for Programmes & Policy, following four years as Chief Executive of Amref Health Africa UK. She held senior interim roles with Unicef UK.
Frances was appointed as chair of the UK NGO sector working group on Leadership and Culture for Safeguarding in 2018. She regularly writes and speaks on the role of leadership and culture, and has provided consultancy and mentorship to organisations and individual leaders.
Frances is a board member at the Joffe Charitable Trust, a member of the BBC Appeals Advisory Committee and sits on the University of Oxford Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Committee. She has a Masters in Development Studies from SOAS University of London.
You can contact Frances via frances [at] figo.org or by calling +44 (0)20 3937 6051.