FRAME, the Nottingham-based medical research charity committed to reducing the number of animals used in scientific testing, has appointed former charity leader, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) specialist and veganism advocate George Gill to its Board of Trustees.
As founder of VeganFMCG, a company that supports FMCG SMEs in scaling up their business and brand, George also held an 11-year tenure at The Vegan Society, initially as head of business development and then as its CEO. Prior to this, George was CEO of Beyond Animal, a digital platform accelerating the growth of the vegan economy, and previously spent 20 years in sales and business development in FMCG, with a strong background in brand licensing and new product development.
At The Vegan Society, George was responsible for raising income revenue from £300k to £5m, leading the organisation’s promotion of the Vegan Trademark, and executing major campaigns such as the Grow Green Conference and Plate up for the Planet. He also played a key role in policy and advocacy initiatives such as the Ethical Vegan Protection (Equality Act) and the formation of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism.
FRAME is committed to replacing the use of animals in scientific experiments, and is dedicated to the development of new and scientifically valid methods that will replace the need for laboratory animals in medical and scientific research, education, and testing. The charity provides an annual donation to support the work of the FRAME Laboratory in Nottingham where scientists research and develop human-based alternatives to animal models.
FRAME’s Board of Trustees provides strategic direction and governance and works alongside the charity’s team that is led by CEO Celean Camp. George joins FRAME Trustees Sara Carbone, Dr Lesley Gilmour, Dr Anja Petrie, and Chair of Trustees, Dr Carol Treasure.
Of his appointment, George says: “In recent years, my career has focused on increasing animal-free ingredients and animal-free testing for products across alternative food protein, skincare, toiletries, detergents, fashion, and research medicine, with the goal of promoting veganism and plant-based living as a positive lifestyle choice rather than a fad. As a result, products have been developed from new synthetic ingredients, algae, and cell-cultured seafood by businesses across the world.
“There are many synergies with my work and FRAME’s vision and values, and I’m excited to use my experience to help influence crucial changes in policy, increase awareness of alternative, non-animal testing methods, generate funds for cutting-edge research, and support work on industry partnerships.”
FRAME CEO Celean Camp says: “George’s personal ethos, extensive experience in corporate outreach, and focus on promoting both animal welfare and ethical consumerism strongly align with FRAME’s vision of a world where non-animal research methods are accepted as scientific best practice.
“He brings in-depth charity leadership, governance knowledge and problem-solving skills to our Board of Trustees, which will be invaluable as we expand our education and outreach work and continue to grow and develop FRAME’s public and corporate support.”
