The charity works to encourage the industry to hire more people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and has partnered with the PRCA and PRWeek and various agencies on its initiatives.
Its two new trustees were appointed following an open recruitment process including interviews by other trustees.
Pinch was president of the CIPR during 2015 and is also currently a non-executive director of the Health and Safety Executive. She began her career as a BBC journalist and set up her agency, Pinch Point Communications, in 2013. Lehal founded public affairs and comms firm ICG in 2006, building it to a 30-strong team before selling to Four at the start of the year. He continues to work for the group.
Pinch said: "The foundation is already established as the leading initiative for BAME diversity in communications and for me, this is a unique opportunity to help shape the industry’s approach to addressing this crucial issue."
The charity's CEO Sarah Stimson thanked outgoing chair of three years Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs for her "tireless work and commitment". The vice-chair role is a new creation.
The charity's governing document states that it must always have one trustee from original sponsor agency Brunswick and Taylor Bennett, the executive search firm that set it up. Brunswick is represented by director Simon Maine and Taylor Bennett by consultant Claudia Mair.
Other board members come from agencies Golin and Powerscourt, and from Vodafone, which has also supported the charity financially.
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