London: A British Indian expert in the field of philanthropy and large-scale events was on Wednesday named as the chief executive of British Asian Trust, a charity founded by King Charles to tackle poverty, inequality and injustice in South Asia.
Hitan Mehta, awarded an OBE in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours List in recognition of his years of service to Britain’s South Asian community, played a key role in establishing the British Asian Trust as its first-ever employee.
Over the past 18 years, London-based Mehta has worked closely with King Charles III, who founded the charity as the Prince of Wales in 2007 and continues as its founding patron.
“It is an honour to step into this role at such a pivotal moment for the British Asian Trust. As we enter an important period of global and UK diaspora engagement, I am deeply grateful to our trustees, our royal founding patron, and our valued partners and supporters for their continued confidence in our mission,” said Mehta, formerly the charity’s Executive Director.
He takes over as CEO from Richard Hawkes, who stepped down from the role after 10 years during which the British Asian Trust claims to have significantly expanded its scale and impact, “improving the lives of more than 18 million people across South Asia”.
“It has been great to work alongside him (Hawkes); his dedication and commitment to impact have helped grow the organisation. I am committed to building on the strong foundations that we have created.
“Together with our exceptional team, I look forward to advancing our global footprint, driving innovation, and continuing to deliver meaningful and lasting change for communities across South Asia,” added Mehta.
The British Asian Trust described him as being “central” to its global expansion, helping shape its growth across the UK, South Asia, the Gulf, and most recently North America.
He is credited with leading the charity’s efforts to deepen engagement with the global South Asian diaspora, building influential networks across philanthropy, finance and business to strengthen the trust’s mission worldwide.
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Chair of the Board of Trustees, added: “As a founding leader of the British Asian Trust, Hitan has shaped the organisation’s values, networks and global impact from its earliest days.
“His deep knowledge of South Asia, his credibility across international philanthropy, and his trusted relationships within the British Asian community make him uniquely placed to guide the Trust into its next chapter, building on Richard’s decade of transformational leadership.”
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