Today (18 December 2025) is Susan Kay’s last day in the office. After nearly ten years at the helm as CEO, she is deservedly sailing into retirement – figuratively and literally.
Sue has had a successful career (or careers) spanning the public, private and non-profit sectors. In her retirement speech she likened a career to plotting a voyage: “You vaguely know what your destination is, the kind of boat you have, your own skill as a sailor and the current weather conditions but there are lots of options as to how to get there and you don’t know what’s going to happen along the way. Storms, rocks, foul tide, and if you’re very unlucky, pirates. It’s why sailing log books never ask for destination – they say ‘towards’ because you can’t predict what’s going to happen and whether you’re going to get there.”
She spoke about a career, like a voyage, never being linear: “You learn to watch out for the rocks and as you can’t sail into the wind, you need to learn how to prepare, be equipped and to tack – zig zagging and coming upon your destination from a different direction.” She urged us not to forget the importance of being curious and following the route less travelled from time to time, to take in the beautiful scenery.
The importance of building a good crew
Sue pointed out that while some people enjoy headline-grabbing competitive solo circumnavigation, she is not one of them: “Nothing you do is possible without the support of others. You’re only ever standing on the shoulders of, and learning from, the pioneers and explorers who have gone before. And you’re only as good as the crew you build to take the boat on the next leg of the voyage.”
She gave her heartfelt thanks to her team, past and present, and to Trustees and Committee members. It says a lot that former Chairs Professor Jim McEwen and Professor Alison Petch made the journey from Scotland to London to be at Sue’s leaving do.
Sailor’s farewell
Following her own version of the shipping forecast, renamed the retirement forecast, Sue concluded her speech by raising the sailor’s farewell: “I wish you all fair winds and following seas – and long may your big jib draw.”
The whole team would like to wish Sue a long and happy retirement. We thank her for her hard work, determination and leadership that has transformed the Vivensa Foundation over the past ten years. She will be missed, but not forgotten.
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You can read the change conversation series between Sue and her successor, Katy Saunders, here. Part one is about evolutionary change; part two is about how collaboration can de-risk change; part three is about sharing the learning; and part four is a look back on the changes that have happened since the start of the financial year.