Iriss CEO Dee Fraser is moving on to new opportunities

Published in News on 28 Oct 2024

After four great years at Iriss, Dee Fraser is moving on to a different sector. It's an exciting opportunity to see what systems change looks like beyond social work and social care support. She is moving to WWT, an IT infrastructure company that supports other organisations to solve problems through technical innovation. 

We are delighted to announce that Stuart Muirhead will be stepping up to be our Interim CEO. Stuart has worked for Iriss for ten years as our Head of Programmes. He has a deep knowledge of Iriss’ work and extensive experience of working with partners to change social work and social care support for the better. 

Stuart has an academic grounding in mental health and well-being. Following his PhD he worked within the Scottish Government and the University of Sheffield, as well as carrying out a number of fixed-term consultancy research roles. Within each of these, he enjoyed working across the boundaries of academic, policy and practitioner knowledge putting these together to see how to make change for the better. 


Dee said 

“It is with very mixed feelings that I resign from Iriss, I am proud to have worked with such a strong and talented team over the last four years.  However for me the opportunity with WWT is too good to miss. I am looking forward to moving from social to technical innovation and seeing how systems change looks in a new culture and context. 

I know I am leaving the team in excellent hands. Stuart is an exceptionally talented colleague, and I know the team have the skills, knowledge and thoughtfulness to lead improvement and foundational innovation in the future. I look forward to seeing the great things they will do!”

Stuart said

“Dee joined Iriss as CEO when COVID restrictions were still active and she was unable to meet Iriss colleagues in person. On reflection, that was probably the most challenging time to begin to lead an organisation. Despite that timing, Dee immediately started to introduce an evolved focus to the work of Iriss, one that saw us building on our internal strengths to listen to, and truly work alongside, organisations within social work and care. 

She led us in navigating, and communicating, how we make meaningful change happen in the complex systems we work within. She leaves an organisation that is more confident in its purpose and its future, and a staff team and board that is hugely thankful for the time she spent here.”