Age International announces new Chair appointment

Age International is pleased to announce that Alison Davies has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. She succeeds Ann Keeling who is stepping down after almost eight years of service, the transition taking place on Monday 23 February 2026.

Alison Davies and Ann Keeling.

During her time as Chair, Ann Keeling has played a pivotal role in strengthening Age International’s impact in both emergency response and long‑term systems change. Her contribution has helped to push ageing issues higher up the global agenda. Major achievements include:

• Overseeing Age International’s largest humanitarian response to date which supported more than 250,000 older people across Ukraine, Moldova and Poland.
• Championed a shift towards locally-led programming across the global network of Age International’s partner, HelpAge International, which continues to deepen local and national partner organisations’ leadership and decision‑making.
• Highlighting the contribution of older women and advocating for older women’s rights.

Alison Davies joins the organisation with a strong track record in leadership and governance across the private, academic and charitable sectors. She brings extensive experience in banking, finance and international digital transformation, having previously held senior executive roles at Skipton Building Society and HSBC. Alison currently chairs Skipton Building Society’s Charitable Foundation and has a non-executive role with York St John University.

Ann Keeling said:

“It has been a privilege to chair the Age International Board for the past eight years, alongside my service on the Age UK Board. I have been honoured to work with extraordinary trustees and staff as we navigated major challenges - from the pandemic to humanitarian emergencies in Ukraine, Gaza, Pakistan and Myanmar as part of the Disasters Emergency Committee. Under the leadership of HelpAge International, we have supported the localisation and expansion of the partners’ network, and advanced global advocacy, including for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. I am delighted to hand the role of Chair to Alison Davies, and I remain committed to championing the needs and contributions of older people everywhere.”

Alison Davies said:

“As I step into this role, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the incredible work Ann has done during her tenure as chair. Ann’s contributions have not only advanced our goals but also built a strong foundation for the future. I’m truly passionate about driving meaningful change for older people - especially in countries where poverty, health system challenges and lack of awareness of older people’s rights can mean their contributions go unnoticed. I deeply value and respect the voices of older people, and I’m committed to making sure their lived experiences are front and centre as we move towards a new UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.”