Rupert Abbott

Executive Director

Rupert Abbott is GiveOut’s Executive Director. He has over 15 years’ international human rights and social impact experience, a track record of building and leading impactful teams and organisations, and a passion for progressive philanthropy. A qualified lawyer, he co-founded the human rights experts’ hub RightsStart, and has held senior roles with the Human Rights House Foundation, Amnesty International, the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials and the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.

Outside GiveOut, he is a trustee of the Association of Charitable Foundations, the membership body for UK foundations and grant-making charities. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Future Forum think tank in Cambodia and on the Supervisory Board of Climate Counsel, which pursues environmental and climate justice through international criminal law.

He trained and qualified as a lawyer at the global firm Baker & McKenzie and was awarded a high commendation by the Law Society for his pro bono human rights work. He studied law at the University of Sussex and holds a BA and MA in modern history from the University of Oxford.