The Deputy Prime Minister has approved the further appointments, without competition, of Phil Bowen as Interim Chair of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and of Karin Phillips MBE as a member with experience and knowledge of Wales from 1 June 2026 to 30 June 2027.
The Deputy Prime Minister has also extended the terms of Jacob Sakil, Susannah Hancock, and Louise Shorter as YJB members from 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027.
The YJB is an independent Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) established by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (‘the Act’) to oversee the youth justice system in England Wales.
The Deputy Prime Minister appoints Board members, under the Act, in his capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Ministers consulted the Commissioner for Public Appointments before further appointing, without competition, Phil Bowen and Karin Phillips. These appointments will ensure that the YJB has continuity of leadership and governance during a period of restructuring, as part of the Government’s wider programme of reform of youth justice services.
Biographies
Phil Bowen was appointed a YJB Board Member on 1 March 2023 and was appointed, without competition, Interim Chair on 1January 2026. He was previously Director of the Centre for Justice Innovation; leading the organisation and overseeing the implementation of its overarching strategy since 2012. During that time, he has been a policy fellow to two Lord Chancellors. Prior to running the Centre, Phil was a Civil Servant working for the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and as an adviser on criminal justice reform in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit.
Karin Phillips MBE was appointed a YJB Board member, without competition, on 1 November 2024. She is currently a school governor at a high school in Cardiff, where she serves as the lead governor for safeguarding. Previously, she held the position of vice chair on the governing body of a primary school. Following several years in medical research, she transitioned to the Government Statistical Service. Mrs Phillips has held multiple positions within the Welsh Government, including the role of Deputy Director for Community Safety. Karin is a Trustee of the Neighbourhood Watch for England and Wales.
Susannah Hancock was appointed a YJB Board member on 1 December 2020. She was appointed as Chief Executive of the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner on 26 March 2026. Previous roles include Chief Executive for the National Fire Chiefs Council, Chief Executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. and she was Assistant Chief Executive of Victim Support and Chief Executive of the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in Essex.
Jacob Sakil was appointed a YJB Board member on 1 December 2020. He is a passionate advocate for youth social action and community engagement. He is a former young mayor of Lewisham and currently a community link officer supporting the development of grassroots voluntary, community and faith organisations who directly with young people in his home borough. He is also Youth Justice Service representative and sits on the Business in the Community’s Place Taskforce supporting the collaborative potential of business to strengthen communities around the UK.
Louise Shorter was appointed a YJB Board member on 1 December 2020. She is a criminal justice expert specialising in miscarriages of justice. She runs the Justice Project at the University of East Anglia, she presents and produces TV documentaries and podcasts, and she founded the registered charity Inside Justice. She sits on the Board of Inside Time, the national newspaper for prisoners.