Jewish Care announces next chairman

Jewish Care, one of the community’s largest charities, has appointed a new chairman.

Marcus Sperber, a trustee since 2021, will succeed Jonathan Zenios when he steps down from the role in September 2024.

Zenios navigated Jewish Care, which supports more than 10,000 people each week, through the pandemic.

During his tenure as Chairman, the Sandringham care campus has been completed and planning permission has been secured for the charity’s next major capital development in Redbridge.

In a statement, the charity said he has built a Board of Trustees with “a formidable governance culture ensuring the appropriate balance between support and effective scrutiny”.

It added that during Jonathan’s time as Chairman, Jewish Care has, since October 2021 aligned its pay strategy with the London Living Wage, helping “ensure Jewish Care continues to recruit and retain the most talented staff team of 1,300 employees, delivering care and support to 10,000 members of the community.”

Jonathan’s tenure has also been marked by two important mergers. The
decision by Sunridge Court to join the family of Jewish Care homes was, the charity said, “both a recognition of the tough climate for standalone organisations, as well as being welcomed by both organisations as an opportunity to widen Jewish Care’s ability to reach more members of the Jewish community.”

In recent weeks, the Boards of both Jami and Jewish Care have announced that the charities are to merge and become one, securing the future growth of services for those in the community who experience mental illness and distress.

Moving forward, Marcus Sperber will take up the position of Jewish Care’s Chairman in September 2024. He has been involved with the charity for several years and joined its Board of Trustees in November 2021. He currently sits on the charity’s internal audit, assurance and risk committee and its remuneration committee.

Sperber has also sat on the boards and committees of organisations including UJIA, North West London Jewish Day School, the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and the Shen Charitable Trust.

He also has over 30 years of experience in the real estate and investment management industry. Marcus currently runs his own investment and advisory business, Northcroft Capital, and acts as a non-executive director and advisor to a number of investment managers, pension funds and property companies. His previous roles include spending 17 years at BlackRock where he was global head of real estate and where he served on BlackRock’s global operating committee, global human capital committee and European executive committee.

Marcus is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Responding to the announcement of his appointment as chairman-designate, Marcus Sperber said: “Jewish Care is a cause very close to my heart, and I am truly honoured to be taking up the role of Chairman later this year. The organisation has an exceptional Board of Trustees and an incredibly talented team of staff and volunteers led by CEO, Daniel Carmel-Brown.

“I am very much looking forward to working alongside all of them, partnering with them, to ensure that we continue to reach and provide care to clients and their families in our community who need our support. It is a privilege to be part of Jewish Care’s critical work and to be able to give back to the Jewish and wider community.

“I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of the current Chairman, Jonathan Zenios, who has achieved so much throughout his term so far, and to acknowledge his commitment and dedication, helping to grow and strengthen the organisation.”

Lord Levy, Jewish Care’s life president said he is thrilled to be welcoming Marcus as the organisation’s next Chairman in September: “His strategic and visionary thinking, breadth of experience and expertise will ensure that Jewish Care continues to be a leading organisation and provider of care, not only in the community, but also in the wider social care sector.

“I also want to express my deepest thanks and appreciation to Jonathan Zenios for his immense leadership and the enormous contribution he has made to the organisation during his time as Chairman to date and historically for over two decades, having previously served as Treasurer.”

Jonathan Zenios, outgoing Chairman said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Board have chosen Marcus as my successor, and I have every confidence that the organisation will benefit hugely from his experience and skills. It has been an honour to lead Jewish Care over the last four years and I feel incredibly proud of the growth and progress that has been made during this time.

“Our community is blessed to have some of the finest social care charities in the world and it is a privilege chairing such a prestigious organisation during a challenging period. Ahead of stepping down later this year I want to thank for all their support the whole Board of Trustees (present and past), Lord Levy, our life president, Steven Lewis, our president and Dame Gail Ronson and Stephen Zimmerman, our honorary presidents. As a team, I could not have wished for more and I know Marcus will be extended the same support when he takes up the role in the autumn.”