38 Degrees appoints Matthew McGregor as new CEO

38 Degrees announced that it has appointed Matthew McGregor to the role of Chief Executive Officer. McGregor, who currently serves as Director of Campaigns and Communications at HOPE not hate and was formerly Director of Digital Rapid Response on Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, will take up his post on December 1st.

The exciting appointment comes as the campaign organisation – which already mobilises millions of people from across the UK to fight for the issues they care about – gets set to roll out a bold new five-year strategy, which looks to reach and mobilise large swathes of the British public who aren’t already involved in campaigning for change locally or nationally, and to put people with real life experiences of the issues 38 Degrees campaigns on front and centre.

McGregor has twenty years experience working in politics, campaigns and digital activism. Alongside HOPE not hate and Obama for America, he spent more than five years as a director at Blue State Digital – the digital strategy firm that revolutionised the way elections are fought.

McGregor has worked on headline projects and campaigns for political parties and NGOs across the world, including overhauling the UK Labour Party’s digital strategy and playing a key role in the campaign against repealing Obamacare.

Speaking on his hiring, Matthew said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed CEO at 38 Degrees. For the past 12 years, this organisation has been a powerhouse for change in our country by making politics more accessible to people across the country and revolutionizing the ways in which citizens can make their voices heard. Through our two million supporters from all walks of life across the UK, 38 Degrees is a uniquely independent organisation, accountable only to those who take action with us.”

“38 Degrees has incredible potential, from a technology platform second-to-none in the UK, to our motivated, passionate and generous supporter base. I am excited to oversee the implementation of our new strategy that will empower those who don’t normally take part in politics to advocate for the change they want to see in their communities and the nation. Promoting our vision of a fairer, sustainable and kinder country is more important than ever before, and I look forward to leading 38 Degrees as we help our supporters fight for those values.”

“I would like to thank Zoe Whyatt, the outgoing CEO, for her support and advice, as well as the board for their confidence in me to lead this extraordinary organisation. I’m incredibly proud to be joining such an impressive team, and look forward to empowering our supporters to make a difference.”

McGregor joins 38 Degrees as it gets set to roll out an ambitious five-year strategy, working toward the vision of a fairer, kinder, and more sustainable country where more everyone feels they can have their voice heard.

38 Degrees brings together more than two million people from every corner of the UK to advocate for change. Since 2008, the organisation has helped millions of people make real change happen, from fighting a No Deal Brexit to campaigning on the impact of trade deals on food standards.

Peter Tyson, Director and member of the founding team at 38 Degrees, said: “38 Degrees has a proud history of being at the forefront of innovation in digital campaigning, and enabling our supporters to influence decision makers. I am excited by Matthew’s appointment and the energy and focus he will bring to 38 Degrees. Matthew brings a wealth of experience in the political and campaigning sectors, and has proven he can bring about significant social change through his work at Hope Not Hate. He has the skills to build on what we have already done and to lead our organisation into the future with our exciting new strategy.”

Zoe Whyatt, Interim CEO of 38 Degrees, said: “Matthew is the ideal person to lead 38 Degrees into the future. Our new strategy has the potential to empower our supporters to make a real difference, and Matthew brings the leadership skills and experience in the sector to make this possible. I am excited to see what the future holds for 38 Degrees, and wish Matthew the best of luck.”