Our executives

Jo Rowland, CEO

We welcome Jo Rowland to the RSPCA as our new Chief Executive. A lifelong animal lover, Jo is a strategic and transformational leader who has devoted her career to public service and she is passionate about building a better society for all.

Our CEO, Jo Rowland, holding her tabby cat

Hear from Jo

Jo is a former Director General in the Home Office and has held a number of key roles in the civil service including in HMRC, Justice and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Jo has an impressive track record in managing highly complex issues, such as leading HMRC’s response to covid, spearheading the Government’s initiatives to support business through the pandemic and receiving a CB (Companion of the Order of Bath) in recognition of her services to the economy.

Passionate about animals, Jo has adopted pets from the RSPCA throughout her life and now owns three RSPCA rescue cats - Margaret, Charlie and Flobie. Her family have fond memories of visiting her local RSPCA branch, Stubbington Ark, in Fareham, where her children would drop their pocket money in the collection box and from where they adopted their childhood best friends, two cats called Honey and Bubbles.

As a lifelong animal lover, I am honoured and excited to join the RSPCA as it enters its next vital chapter. We have a proud, 200 year legacy of changing behaviour, changing attitudes, changing laws and changing animals’ lives.

Joanna Rowland, CEO

Jo also said "Animals are facing bigger challenges than ever, but we are ready to meet those challenges. We have an ambitious strategy to 2030 and strong foundations to build a more sustainable and resilient future. So now it’s my turn, working with every one of you, to deliver on those ambitions so we can create the world we all want to see for animals.”