Diakonia's Secretary General resigns

Lena Ingelstam chooses to resign from her position as Secretary General of Diakonia, following criticism of how a recent reorganization has been handled. Deputy Secretary General Mattias Brunander temporarily takes over the position.

– The best way forward for Diakonia is without me. But I will always be proud to have been part of the organization’s fantastic work, says Lena Ingelstam.

The reorganization that has been carried out at Diakonia's headquarters in Stockholm during 2022 has created quite a storm. The main reason why Lena Ingelstam chooses to resign with immediate effect is that she does not feel she has the trust of the employees.

– The need for Diakonia’s work has never been greater. The challenges in the world are so big and the work for people living in poverty and under oppression is incredibly important. A leadership with the trust of the staff is needed, and I don't have that full trust today. It is therefore better for Diakonia to be led by someone else.

Diakonia's board chairman Pether Nordin emphasizes that the board has had a very good collaboration with Lena Ingelstam, who was tasked with carrying out the reorganization due to an unbalanced budget and a skewed distribution of competence and resources within the organization.

– I am very sorry that Lena chooses to leave, but I also understand why, because it has been a tough situation for both her and the staff. Lena has really contributed to equipping Diakonia for future challenges by pushing for development and change with great force. When Lena leaves the organization, Diakonia loses a knowledgeable, committed, and courageous leader, he says.

During the entire period that the reorganization has taken place, Diakonia's international operations have been unaffected. Now the board looks ahead and focuses on working together with the staff to build a strong trust in the organization's management and eventually be able to fill the position of secretary general again.

– We are very happy that Mattias Brunander is stepping in as acting secretary general. He has been at Diakonia for many years and has extensive experience in management and development cooperation . The most important thing is that the work for people in poverty and oppression around the world can continue as strong as always. We have almost 300 employees in over 20 countries who work every day for a just, equal and sustainable world, says Pether Nordin.