Full Fact announces new chief executive

FULL Fact is pleased to announce that Chris Morris will join as its new CEO in October.

Following an open recruitment process, the independent fact-checking charity has appointed a new chief executive.

Chris will play a crucial role in leading the charity in its fact-checking and campaigning work ahead of the next general election. He is a prominent expert in the world of fact-checking, with a deep understanding of impartiality, and the importance of reflecting all strands of political opinion.

Chris was previously with the BBC, where he was the face and voice of Reality Check, the fact-checking service run by the broadcaster. During his tenure, Chris covered two general elections, post-Brexit politics, the US Presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other major news events including the COP26 summit. Before leading Reality Check, Chris spent more than two decades as a senior correspondent covering global news from around the world.

Will Moy, who led the team of fact-checkers and campaigners since 2010, stood down as CEO in July. Full Fact’s Head of AI, Andy Dudfield, assumed the role of Interim CEO and will stay in post until Chris joins the organisation.

Michael Samuel, Full Fact’s chair and co-founder, said:

“Full Fact’s board of cross-party trustees is delighted to welcome Chris Morris as our new CEO in the autumn.

“Following a turbulent time in politics, and with more than 50,000 supporters standing behind our campaign for honest politics, Chris joins Full Fact at a pivotal moment, and I feel strongly that the organisation is in the best possible hands as we move into this new, exciting era.

“Chris’ proven track record in reporting on information from all sides of the political spectrum will provide continuity for the organisation. His fresh perspective will strengthen Full Fact’s reputation and the vital work it does ensuring every voter can make an informed choice at the next general election and beyond.”

Chris Morris said:

“Joining Full Fact is a huge privilege, particularly in the run up to the general election. Misinformation affects everyone’s ability to make informed decisions, and in the past voters have been badly let down by low standards of honesty in politics across the political spectrum.

“The next general election is vulnerable to the threat of bad information, and Full Fact is in a unique position to ensure voters can access all the facts and hold candidates to account. Our ground-breaking work using AI to promote reliable information, and our reputation for fact-checking all parties robustly will stand us in very good stead. I am delighted to be able to play a crucial role in this.

“Full Fact has carefully built a reputation for impartiality over the last 13 years— as CEO, that is something I am committed to safeguarding.”