Farewell and Thank You to Outgoing CEO Andrew Bacon OBE

We recognise and celebrate the contributions of our outgoing CEO, Andrew Bacon, as we prepare to say a fond farewell at the end of October. After an 11-year journey leading Enactus UK & Ireland, Andrew is moving on to focus fully on his established academic career as Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Nottingham Business School.

Andrew's tenure at Enactus has been transformative. What began in his own words as a potential three-year venture turned into a decade-long commitment to growing the organisation from its foundations and securing its long-term stability. He took on the leadership role during a challenging period, dedicating himself to making Enactus UK & Ireland a more sustainable and ambitious organisation.

His leadership oversaw a period of significant achievement, including the UK's historic first-ever Enactus World Cup win in 2015 (Enactus Southampton), which elevated the profile of the UK programme globally. This was followed by his successful delivery of the 2017 Enactus World Cup in London, which required tremendous effort and saw the UK host a major international event, bringing together thousands of participants from around the world. Furthermore, Andrew demonstrated crucial leadership during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring Enactus emerged relatively unscathed.

Andrew's most enduring contribution is undoubtedly the NextGenLeaders (NGL) programme. This initiative strategically widened the scope of our work, instilling leadership skills in young people in schools as well as universities, making NGL a core part of our mission today. Beyond the programmes, Andrew focused on developing the organisation's internal capacity, mentoring and empowering staff to ensure stability and continuity.

After more than a decade of dedicated service, Andrew leaves Enactus UK & Ireland a more focused and impactful organisation. We cannot thank Andrew enough for his dedication and leadership over the past 11 years.

From all of us at Enactus UK & Ireland and our wider network, we wish Andrew the very best as he steps into this next phase of his career at the University of Nottingham.