Our trustees

Our Board of trustees at the 2012 AGM

There are 12 Trustees in total, appointed by our Council following the change in our status to become a charitable company limited by guarantee.

Chair - Una O'Brien CBE

Una O'BrienPermanent Secretary at the Department of Health, Una has 20 years experience of health policy and leading and managing change in health services. She was previously the Department of Health's Director General of Policy and Strategy, and prior to that the Department's Director of Provider Reform Policy.

In 2005, Una completed a three year secondment as Director of Development and Clinical Governance at University College London NHS Foundation Trust. 

Between 1998 and 2001, Una was Secretary to the Bristol/Kennedy Inquiry, the largest public inquiry to date into the NHS. 

 

Other previous roles include Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Health and to the Secretary of State for Transport.

In the 1980s, she helped establish London Lighthouse, a pioneering third sector provider of services for people with HIV and AIDS.

She was appointed to the role of Chair in April 2012, succeeding Sir Stephen Laws.

Vice Chair - Tim Flesher CB

Tim left the Civil Service in March 2010. His most recent roles were: Chief of Corporate Services, Defence Equipment and Support (2007-2010); Deputy Chief of Defence Logistics, Defence Logistics Organisation (2003-2007); Director General (Corporate Services) and Deputy Chairman, Inland Revenue (1998-2003).

He also has senior experience in OFSTED, the Home Office, and was Private Secretary to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from 1982-1986.

Graeme Henderson

Graeme is Head of Health and Work at the Department of Health. He was nominated to the Management Board in 2007 by the Council of Civil Service Unions. A health and safety professional with wide experience, he is the past National President of the Prospect trade union.

Treasurer - Peter Connor CBE

Peter retired from the Civil Service in late 2006, having held senior finance and operational management posts in the Department for Education and Skills, and its predecessors. He was nominated to the post of Treasurer by the Cabinet Office in 2007.

Catherine Bell CB

Catherine retired from the Civil Service in 2005. Her last role was as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Current appointments include: Governor of the London School of Economics; non-executive director, United Utilities Group; non-executive director, Ensus Ltd; non-executive director, Civil Aviation Authority. She was also non-executive director of Swiss Reinsurance GB from 1999-2008.

She has been Chair of the Property Trustees since January 2009, and has a PhD in economic history.

Richard Hatfield CB CBE

Richard left the Civil Service in April 2012. His most recent role was Director General, International Networks and Environment at the Department for Transport. His previous career was principally at the Ministry of Defence, where he was Policy Director from 1996-2001 and Personnel Director from 2001-2008.

He is currently a member of the Management Board, having been appointed at the AGM in 2007.

Hilary Douglas CB

Hilary left the Civil Service in December 2009. Her most recent roles were Director General for Operations and Change at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2006-2009); Chief Operating Officer, Office for National Statistics (2004-2006); Managing Director, Corporate, HM Treasury (2000-2004); Director for HR and Corporate Services, Department for Education and Employment (1997-2000).

Previous roles include time at the Cabinet Office and OFSTED, and an early career in policy roles at the Department for Education.

She currently works with Praesta, an international executive coaching firm. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a trustee of Surrey Jobmatch.

Anna Southall

Anna is currently Interim Chair and Vice-Chair of the Big Lottery Fund. She has been on the Board of the Barrow Cadbury Trust since 1974, and was Chair from 1996-2006.

She is a Trustee of the Clore Social Leadership Programme, and a member of the Government's Spoilation Advisory Panel.

Her last career post, which she left in 2003, was as Chief Executive of the Musuems and Archives Council; prior to that she was Director of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.

Siobhan Benita

Siobhan was Deputy Director, Corporate Management and Employee Engagement at the Department of Health. Previously she was Head of Civil Service Communication in the Cabinet Office (2008-2009), following three years as Senior Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary. She has also worked in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit.

Patrick Hughes

Patrick left the Civil Service in April 2012. His prior role was as Director for London, Jobcentre Plus and prior to that he worked in the Department for Work and Pensions and its predecessor departments.

Previously he was East of England Director for Jobcentre Plus (2004-2008), and Head of Operations and Performance Improvement, Jobcentre Plus (2003-2004).

Richard Corden

Richard is the former Chief Executive of the Commission for the Compact, a Cabinet Office NDPB. He has experience working with the Charity Commission as Head of Investigations and Head of Charity Standards, and worked in the Office of the Third Sector where he was responsible for the Charities Act 2006.

He is a trustee of Charity Trustee Networks, a charity funded by the Office for Civil Society to promote good governance in charities generally. He now works for Central Lobby Consultants.

Vivienne Dews

Vivienne is an Executive Director and Board member at the Office of Fair Trading. A financially qualified career Civil Servant, she worked for many years in the Home Office, particularly on Immigration issues.

She became the Chief Executive of the Police Information Technology Organisation, and immediately before moving to her current post, was Director of Resources and Planning at the Health and Safety Executive.

She is a co-opted trustee on Mencap's Audit and Assurance Committee, and the Vice Chair of Governors at a school for children with physical and learning disabilities.