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Unseen appoints Renae Mann as next CEO

With more than 25 years in social justice, Renae brings a depth of experience informed by frontline insight. Her career has consistently focused on amplifying the voices of those affected by exploitation and exclusion.

Unseen has appointed Renae Mann as its next Chief Executive, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the organisation as founding CEO Andrew Wallis OBE prepares to step down. 

Renae joins Unseen at the end of June, bringing with her with more than 25 years’ experience working in social justice and supporting people with lived experience of exploitation, injustice, and exclusion.  

She most recently served as Executive Director of Services at the Refugee Council, where she led an ambitious strategy to improve access to safety and support for refugees rebuilding their lives in the UK. 

Renae said: “I am delighted to join the excellent team at Unseen, building on the tremendous impact that Andrew has led for nearly 20 years with survivors. 

“I am inspired by the transformative impact Unseen has had in improving protections for modern slavery survivors including the creation of the Modern Slavery Act and its more recent work promoting responsible business practices. Yet there is still much to do to end modern slavery. 

“Modern slavery is rising in the UK, devastating the lives of the people who are abused and exploited. There is an urgent need to strengthen protections. Unseen is uniquely positioned to empower survivors, equip practitioners and businesses with the expertise to identify and prevent modern slavery, and influence government to ensure communities are free from abuse and exploitation.” 

Rosey Hurst, Chair of Unseen, said: “Renae brings deep expertise, compassion, and strategic vision at a time when the fight against modern slavery is more urgent than ever. The board is confident that she will build on Andrew’s extraordinary legacy and lead Unseen into its next phase of impact, strengthening our ability to support survivors and influence lasting systemic change.” 

Responding to rising risks of exploitation 

Renae’s leadership comes at a critical moment, as the hostile environment and recent government reforms have denied many survivors support and protection. 

She brings both frontline insight and national influence, having regularly provided expert perspectives in the media and enabled refugees to influence policy and practice.  

From the end of June until the end of August, Andrew will continue with Unseen as founder, supporting Renae and ensuring continuity and momentum during the transition. 

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Justine Currell

As I came to understand more about the issue, including through a visit to an Unseen safehouse, I knew I needed to do more to stop this abuse and exploitation.

For the last five years of my Civil Service career, I was the Modern Slavery Senior Policy Advisor in the Home Office and led on development of the Modern Slavery Act, including the transparency in supply chains provision and business guidance.

I joined Unseen to lead the development of the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, and Unseen’s work with businesses. I am regularly called upon to present at national and international conferences and use my experience of working with Ministers to influence other governments internationally to take action to address modern slavery and, in particular, business supply chain issues.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, music, reading and travelling.

Andrew Wallis

What ultimately compelled me to act was a report on how people from Eastern Europe were being trafficked through Bristol airport to the USA. Kate Garbers, who went on to be an Unseen Director, and I wrote to all the city councillors, MPs and the Police Chief Constable challenging them on the issue. The challenge came back to us: this city needs safe housing for trafficked women. And so Unseen began.

But we never wanted Unseen to be just about safe housing. We wanted to end slavery once and for all, and that remains our driving focus.

I chaired the working group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery”. This is now acknowledged as the catalyst behind the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015. It was a great honour to be awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours that year. On the other hand, I’ve also been described as “the loveliest disrupter you could ever hope to meet”.

This job has taken me from building flat-pack furniture for safehouses, to working with businesses to address slavery in supply chains, to delivering training, raising awareness and advising governments around the world.

When not at work, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my dog Harley, cooking, supporting Liverpool and Yorkshire CC, music (I’m a former DJ) and endurance events such as the Three Peaks Challenge and Tribe Freedom Runs – which I vow never to do again. Until the next time.