Trustees

A former inorganic chemist, Nicola worked in Private Equity for 18 years with City firm Charterhouse Capital Partners where today she is a Special Advisor. A former chair of office furniture recycler Green Works, she is a member of the Advisory Board of Cambridge’s Judge Business School, a director of Cambridge Enterprise Ltd (technology commercialisation) and of BPP University College of Professional Studies. Nicola joined the Trust’s Board in February 2005 and became chair on 1 June 2010.

Robert worked for BP for all his career in various operational, project and management roles in oil and gas exploration and production. He created and managed the Scottish Forest Alliance on behalf of BP which funded £10m of woodland creation in Scotland. He was elected to the Trust’s Board in February 2004. Robert became chair of the Board Affairs Committee in December 2009.

Alison is currently the Deputy Managing Director of IKANO Financial Services Ltd. Prior to this she spent several years working for the Woodland Trust. Her career also includes roles with IBM and Reuters. Alison joined the Trust's Board in June 2004 and is a member of its Finance Committee.

Jon is a Director of Changing Media, a company which consults with government and public bodies. A former executive producer of science and educational television with the BBC, Jon was also editorial director of BBC Online. He was Director of Culture Online with the Department for Culture Media and Sport and is a Visiting Industrial Professor at Bristol University, with particular interests in technology in education and the way children learn science. Jon joined the Trust’s Board in December 2008.

Caroline is a Non-Executive Director of SVG Capital PLC, a FTSE 250 listed company. She is also an Independent Non-Executive on the Board of the accountancy firm Grant Thornton. Caroline is a Consultant and Senior Adviser to the international law firm, Herbert Smith, having previously been a Corporate Finance Partner at Herbert Smith for 23 years, Head of the Firm's Global Corporate Practice and a member of the Firm's Executive Management Committee. Caroline is also a member of the CBI's Companies Committee and of the CBI Working Group on Corporate Governance. Caroline was appointed to the Board of the Woodland Trust in December 2009 and is a member of the Trust's Finance Committee.

Will has worked in retail all his working life developing the Tie Rack and Whittard of Chelsea as CEO; latterly Jack Wills, Le Pain Quotidien and Explore Learning as Chairman. He has previously worked with the British Museum Company, Cancer Research UK and Greenhouse Schools Project to further their aims. With his wife Kate he manages their woodland in Hertfordshire with the ‘help’ of his five teenage children. Will joined the Trust’s Board in December 2009.

James is a director of the research and communications agency Woodnewton and an advisor to Caroline Lucas MP. Until 2003 he was a senior civil servant in the Department of the Environment, including secondments to the FCO and the Prime Minister’s Office. From 2005 to 2009 he was Visiting Professor of Government at City University. James joined the Trust’s Board in September 2006 and is a member of its Finance Committee.

Anne worked in Government for 30 years specializing in regulation and Europe. She spent 10 years as a UK diplomat in Brussels working on, among other things, climate change and the environment. She is currently director of Europe and Government Affairs for NATS – the UK’s air traffic control company. Anne was appointed to the Board of the Woodland Trust in December 2009.

Elliott is the Chief Executive Officer of London Bridge Capital, an independent corporate finance advisory firm. He was formerly CEO at D1 Oils and Group Finance Director for AWG having previously worked at Aegis Group and Price Waterhouse. Elliott works principally in the utility, infrastructure and renewable energy sectors and is also a non-executive Director at Permastore. Elliott was appointed to the Board of the Woodland Trust in December 2008 and is chair of the Trust’s Finance Committee.

Jeremy is CEO of C Hoare and Co, the UK's leading and oldest private bank. Previously he was with Credit Suisse and Barclays. He is also a Trustee of Christianity Explored and the London Theological Seminary. He joined the Woodland Trust’s Board in December 2008.