Statement on the passing of Alistair Darling
30 November 2023It is with great sadness that we learned today of the death of Alistair Darling, who until recently was Chair of the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust.
Alistair joined the Trust’s board in November 2016 and became Chair the following year. Under his leadership the Trust grew into an established independent funder, awarding £10 million during this time to a wide range of initiatives focussed on improving the lives of those on lower incomes and tackling financial hardship. Alistair also chaired the Pensions Review, a partnership between the Trust and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which aims to improve living standards and financial security in retirement.
He brought to the Trust the great store of wisdom and experience he gained from his time in government. Alistair’s leadership was a key element of the Trust’s success. He brought together people to work towards a common cause. His unwavering dedication to social justice and his belief that everyone deserved a fair chance in life was at the centre of everything that he did. His impact was immense. A decent, kind and humorous man, we were honoured to work with him here at the Trust.
Our sympathies go out to his family. He will be greatly missed by everyone at the Trust.