Former Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone will take over as Officer in Overall Command of Kenova following the appointment of Jon Boutcher as interim Chief Constable of PSNI.
Mr Boutcher, who has led Kenova since its inception in 2016, was confirmed into the three-month role with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Thursday, 12 October 2023.
While he will remain Head of Kenova, Sir Iain has agreed to take on the role of Officer in Overall Command (OIOC).
Mr Boutcher said: "I have made a commitment to Kenova families and remain steadfast in my determination to deliver those promises. In advance of agreeing to take on this role I recognised the responsibility and the focus needed, so have agreed with Sir Iain for him to take on the role of OIOC of Kenova on an interim basis. Sir Iain has been closely involved with Kenova since it began as a member of both the independent steering group and then as chair of the Governance Board, I am grateful he has agreed to take on this role. I trust him, and the wider team, implicitly to continue this vitally important work and ensure no victim or family is let down.
"He and the Kenova team will ensure the remaining work continues uninterrupted whilst I am in this interim role and that work will have my unwavering support."
The Kenova Interim Report has successfully passed through the final stages of the legal protocol regarding criminal prejudice with the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland and has now been submitted to the PSNI for publication.
Mr Boutcher added: "Whilst leading Kenova, I have worked with victims and families, multiple stakeholders and a range of partners across Northern Ireland, and of course the PSNI itself, so have a good understanding of the challenges the organisation faces and am acutely aware how distracting and frustrating recent events will have been for everyone.
"They now need a period of stability and to be allowed to get on with doing the job, and they have my full support in doing just that."