Team

As a Managing Director of the Foundation, Andrew Barnett plays a lead role in sourcing new investments and working with the leadership of those organizations as an operating partner and board member as they grow to build capacity and to achieve their maximum impact. As a member of the Foundation’s senior leadership team, he also helps to execute the Foundation’s strategy and goals and contributes to its thought leadership and external outreach. Andrew is based in the United Kingdom and works closely with DRK’s European team headquartered in The Hague, The Netherlands, led by Senior Managing Director and Europe Director, Lisa Jordan.

Andrew is a public servant and social entrepreneur with three decade’s experience of working with across different sectors to help bring positive change to the lives of underserved citizens and communities. Most recently, Andrew served as Director at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s United Kingdom branch. Prior to that, he played a key role as Policy and Communications Director at the poverty-fighting Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Andrew co-founded the UK’s Campaign to End Loneliness, resulting in the first-ever Minister for Loneliness and a national governmental plan to tackle the problem. He was a founding director of the Global Social Innovation Exchange; inspired the setting up of Arts and Homelessness International; co-founded a coalition of NGOs focused on making the case for a stronger emphasis on public engagement as a key part of the net zero transition; chaired the trustees of the Church Urban Fund. He currently serves as member of the UK Poverty Strategy Commission and of the Archbishops’ Council’s Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board targeting support for low-income communities and church growth.

Andrew’s contribution to social change was recognized with the award of an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in The Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours list. He holds a master’s degree from the University of St Andrews.