Governance
OUR PATRON – Field Marshal The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL ADC GEN
General David Richards led operations in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan. He is best known for his command in Sierra Leone in 2000, when he interpreted his orders creatively to achieve much more than was at first thought possible, ensuring the ultimate defeat of the RUF rebels and the avoidance of much bloodshed in the capital, Freetown. He went on to command NATO forces in Afghanistan during the Alliance’s expansion of responsibility across the whole country.
Having first commanded the British Army, in 2010 David became Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of Britain’s armed forces and their strategic commander as well as the Prime Minister’s military adviser and a member of the National Security Council. In this capacity, amongst many other tasks, he played a major role in the Libyan campaign in 2011 and in devising the UK’s final strategy for Afghanistan.
He retired in July 2013. His UK operational awards include a Mention in Despatches, Commander of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order and Knight Commander of the Bath; the first officer to receive an operational knighthood since World War 2. In 2011 he received the annual Churchillian Award for leadership. He was created Baron Richards of Herstmonceux in February 2014 and now sits in the House of Lords.
Amongst many other appointments David is a visiting Professor of Exeter University and an Honorary Fellow of both King’s College London and Cardiff University. He is Senior Adviser to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, an adviser to a number of governments and commercial businesses, Non-Executive Chairman of Arturius International Ltd and Chairman of Equilibrium Gulf.
OUR PRESIDENT – Mr Ian Taylor MBE
Ian Taylor was an MP 1987-2010. He was Minister of Science & Technology 1994-7. He chaired the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee and the Space Committee. In 2008, he gained the Sir Arthur C. Clarke Award for Individual Achievement in Promoting Space and Science.
Ian is an Advisor to the Dolma Development Fund which works mainly in Nepal with local entrepreneurs to alleviate poverty by supporting sustainable businesses, jobs and education. He was a founding trustee of the bio-science educational charity, Centre of the Cell, until it was transferred to Queen Mary University of London (July 2014). He was an officer of the Parliamentary Group on Corporate Social Responsibility.
In the late 1990’s Ian chaired Research into Ageing and now chairs the Development Committee for the British Society for Research on Ageing. He served on the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey’s Royal British Legion Fundraising Committee for over 12 years until 2010. In the 1980’s, he was Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council.
Ian is now an advisor to several technology companies in the UK, EU and USA. He is a Partner at Planit Ventures Inc, an experienced technology sector team focused on venture capital, R&D and innovation including software platforms for real-time big data analysis and integration to enhance health and environmental outcomes.
He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists.
www.ian-taylor.eu
OUR CHAIR – Geraldine Norris DL
Geraldine is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and a Member of the Institute of Fundraising. Formerly Corporate Affairs Director EMEA of a global real estate company, and Director of Operations for a national charity, she is currently serving as Chair of trustees of an independent school that recovers children who are so severely bullied that they self-exclude from school.
She joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in 2006 and served on its Board for five years with responsibility for recruitment and fundraising.
Geraldine is also a Freeman of the City of London a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Farriers, and was commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in 2022
OUR VICE – CHAIR – Christine Eberhardie TD MSc DHMSA
Christine is a retired general and neuroscience nurse. She gained experience in various parts of the UK and Belgium, and has also worked with national and international nursing organisations. In 1979, Chris was elected as the first Chair of the European Association of Neuroscience Nurses, and was elected Vice-President of the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses. Her research has centred around nutrition support in Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Chris joined the QARANC Reserve in 1970, and for most of the next 30 years was in the Army Neurosurgical Team. She was awarded the Territorial (Efficiency) Decoration in 1982, the First Clasp in 1988, and the 2nd Clasp in 1994.
On retirement, Chris lived in France until the death of her husband in 2015, at which point she returned to England to start a new career in the history of military medicine, and taking up volunteering in military charities.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS
Sarah Chapman Galley
Sarah is a chartered management accountant who has over a decade’s experience in financial services accounting, analytics and business management across Corporate Finance, Pension & Insurance Risk Management, Credit and Rates. As well as product expertise, Sarah specializes in investment banking cost management and non-financial risk.
Sarah champions diversity in the workplace, and is proud to feature in Deutsche Bank’s latest recruitment campaign. She was featured in Brummell Magazine’s ‘Top 30 Ones to Watch’ 2017, a celebration of rising stars in the City of London, and attended Wharton Business School’s 2017 Women’s Executive Leadership Programme. Sarah was nominated to participate in DB’s “High Performing Director” programme in 2019.
When Sarah is not being kept busy by her two young children, she enjoys rugby, keeping fit, STEM, and has passed the HSK3 Mandarin exam.
Huw Dolphin
Huw Dolphin joined us in 2024, is a solicitor and independent director, and provides us with the legal advice and knowledge that we need to operate effectively.
Having been a partner in a Global Law firm, Huw set up his own consulting practice in 2023. In this guise he provides commercial, strategic, and practical advice to boards of directors, lenders and investors involved in complex legal, commercial, and financial issues. Huw also managed one of his firm’s offices, which consisted of over 150 people, for over 5 years.
Among Huw’s professional interests are the encouragement of inclusion and diversity and the promotion of social mobility in the workplace. Huw has also previously held several roles in the voluntary and charitable sectors. As a father of an autistic son Huw also has a strong interest in how neuro-diverse young adults can be valued and found opportunities to contribute in work and society.
Major Rob Thomas
I had the honour and pleasure to be appointed Secretary to the League of Remembrance in February 2016, having completed 40 years of Army service, including operational tours in the Gulf, the Balkans, Northern Ireland and Cyprus, as well as a huge variety of more exotic postings including Canada, the USA and Dubai. My final job within the Army was to command the Colchester Personnel Recovery Centre, a unit dedicated to enabling the recovery of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and servicewomen, wounds and injuries mainly sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was this fantastically rewarding post that led to the League of Remembrance. After all we share the same aim – to support people who have lost their original purpose in life and help them to rejuvenate by discovering new things and a fresh purpose.
