Stewardship names Art Russell as chief financial officer

By AI, Created 3:31 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – Stewardship has appointed Art Russell as chief financial officer as the Christian charity expands after a record 2024. The move is designed to strengthen financial leadership, governance and long-term sustainability while Felicity Griffiths shifts to chief operating officer.

Why it matters: - Stewardship is adding senior finance leadership during a period of growth in grants, assets and donor activity. - The CFO change is meant to support financial strategy, governance and long-term sustainability. - The leadership shift also lets Felicity Griffiths focus on operations, technology and strategic projects.

What happened: - Stewardship appointed Art Russell as its new chief financial officer. - Russell joins the Christian charity after more than 30 years of international financial leadership experience. - Felicity Griffiths will move from chief finance and operating officer to chief operating officer. - Janie Oliver, Stewardship’s CEO, said the appointment comes at a significant point in the organisation’s growth.

The details: - Stewardship reported a record 2024 for grants out, with £106m distributed to more than 12,000 church, charity and Christian worker partners. - Stewardship’s assets under management reached £215m for the first time in 2024. - In 2025, Stewardship said it helped more than 30,000 donors give around £160m in support of over 12,000 churches, charities and Christian workers. - Russell most recently served as CFO of APC Technology Group and SMT Corp. - Russell previously held CFO roles at VivoPower, where he also served as interim chief executive officer, and at Bond Aviation Group. - Earlier in his career, Russell held senior finance roles at NorTerra Inc. and Deloitte Canada. - At Stewardship, Russell will oversee financial strategy, governance and operations. - Stewardship described its mission as helping Christians be wise and generous stewards of what God entrusts to them. - Griffiths has served as Stewardship’s CFOO since January 2024.

Between the lines: - Stewardship is signaling that its next phase of growth depends on tighter financial controls as well as operational execution. - The split between CFO and COO duties suggests the organisation is separating finance oversight from broader internal operations. - Oliver framed the move as both a succession step and a way to sustain momentum in technology and strategic work. - Russell framed the role as an opportunity to strengthen governance and support sustainable growth.

What’s next: - Russell is expected to take responsibility for Stewardship’s financial leadership as the organisation continues expanding its services. - Griffiths will now concentrate on operational excellence, service delivery and organisational effectiveness. - Stewardship appears set to keep building on its record fundraising and asset growth while refining its leadership structure.

The bottom line: - Stewardship is betting that a dedicated CFO will help it scale without losing financial discipline.