Our charity trustees help to provide vital governance and support to The Mission to Seafarers as we work around the world, providing support to the 1.89 million seafarers of all nationalities, genders and ranks.
We are grateful for all of the voluntary work which is carried out in the name of The Mission to Seafarers which ultimately allows us to continue providing invaluable support to Seafarers when they need it most.
You can learn more about the general roles and responsibilities of each of our charity Trustees by reading their individual bios below.
Tom is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Mission to Seafarers. Tom has over 30 years’ experience in the maritime sector, including several years as Marine Director at Lloyds Register. He is currently Senior Advisor for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)- Europe, after transitioning from the post of Secretary General there.
Highly regarded within the maritime industry, Tom has featured in the Lloyd’s List Top 100 People in Global Shipping and the Tradewinds Power 100.
David grew up in Uganda. His earliest memories include several journeys on the Union Castle Line (including rounding the Cape of Good Hope). He has worked for the Church of England for 30 years. He is the emissary of the Archbishop of Congo. Together with his son, Mark, he has completed two long motorbike journeys across Eastern and Central Africa.
David is one of Hampshire Country Council’s 2050 Commissioners. He is sailing and restoring a 1938 wooden yacht called Sard, which is moored close to the container port in Southampton, against a pub wall.
David was recently appointed as the Vice Chairman of The Mission to Seafarers Board in 2023.
Sam Swire is an Executive Director of John Swire and Sons Ltd in London. He is Chairman of the China Navigation Company, Director of Swire Pacific, Cathay Pacific Airways, and John Swire and Sons Australia, as well as Chairman of the Swire Chinese Language Foundation. He has a degree in Modern History from the University of Oxford.
Gary joined the Board of Trustees of The Mission to Seafarers in January 2023. He is a qualified chartered accountant who began his career at KPMG in London. His current permanent role is as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of KNOT Offshore Partners, a US-listed owner and operator of shuttle tankers. Prior to this, he worked at NYK, a large multinational Shipping and Logistics Company for almost 15 years and most recently, as Finance Director for NYK’s Energy Shipping Transportation business in the EMEA region.
Gary is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, holds a degree in Economics from Loughborough University and is also a Trustee of a small local Charity that supports children that have suffered a bereavement.
Gary became the Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Audit and Risk Committee in July 2023.
Andrew joined the Mission to Seafarers as a Trustee in October 2015, having worked as a port Chaplain in Rotterdam (1992 – 1995). He was appointed Dean of St Paul’s in 2022, having served as Dean of Durham since 2016. Previously he was the Rector of St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey where he was installed as a Canon of Westminster in October 2010. Prior to that he was a Canon Residentiary at Bristol Cathedral and was Acting Dean of Bristol (June 2009 to May 2010). Over the past 30 years, he has been involved in church school education, tutoring those training for lay and ordained ministry and the care of church buildings.
Mike joined the Board of Trustees of the Mission to Seafarers in January 2023.
Before being appointed Archdeacon of Southend in the Diocese of Chelmsford in June 2021, Mike served as Mission and Stewardship Advisor to the Bishop of Bradwell. He was previously Vicar of St. Edward the Confessor Romford and Area Dean of Havering. Before his ordination, He worked as a Theatre Producer.
William is a Partner at Law Firm HFW, where he advises a wide variety of companies across the commercial shipping and yachting industries on a range of transactional shipping matters. William is also experienced in matters of physical and cyber security and advises ship owners and others on the contractual, regulatory and compliance issues arising out of operating in complex environments.
William read history at the University of Exeter. He graduated in 2004 and went on to study for his Graduate Diploma in Law at Oxford Brookes University. He joined Norton Rose LLP as a trainee solicitor in 2006, before qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2008 and joining the London office of Holman Fenwick Willan LLP.
William became a trustee in January 2015.
Peter joined the Mission to Seafarers as a Trustee in April 2019. Peter is actively involved in charitable work and has been involved with The Mission to Seafarers in Durban, and the wider Africa region for over 20 years.
After qualifying as Chartered Accountant in South Africa and practicing as audit manager and then partner for over 10 years, Peter started his own firm which provides a wide range of strategic and business support services to companies in South Africa.
Claire is Head of Communications and CSR for Europe at CMA CGM a global container shipping company, and part of the CMA CGM Group which provides sea, land, air and logistics solutions worldwide. Her previous experience includes Senior Account Director for Navigate PR, a PR firm specialising in maritime corporate communications, Head of Communications for Abu Dhabi Ports, a government organisation in the United Arab Emirates, Communications Manager for The Maersk Company, Maersk Line and Svitzer in the UK and the Chamber of Shipping providing communications support for a wide range of maritime industry initiatives. Claire became a Trustee in October 2015.
Robert is the Managing Director of Ferris & Co (Belfast) Limited, a family-owned business in road transport, warehousing and stevedoring founded in 1890. He is also a Director of Belfast Port Services Limited and has been Chairman of The Mission to Seafarers Northern Ireland Committee since 1999. He was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000 in recognition of his services to the fishing industry. Robert was appointed a Trustee of The Mission to Seafarers in July 2016.
Tim Smith has worked in the container shipping industry for over 35 years, for much of that time in Asia, including more than 20 years living in Hong Kong, and time living and working in Singapore and Australia. He worked initially with P&O Containers and then P&O Nedlloyd.
From 2008-2015, Tim held the role of Chief Executive of the North Asia Region for Maersk Line. Tim was responsible for all aspects of Maersk Line’s business in Japan, Korea, China/HK and Taiwan.
In July 2015, Tim relocated to Beijing, China and assumed a new role as Chairman of Maersk China and Maersk Group Chief Representative for North Asia. In this role Tim was responsible to maximize the Group’s commercial opportunities across all its various business units in the North Asia region, as well as for risk management and compliance, and leadership development.
From March 2018, Tim returned to Hong Kong and is currently a Senior Advisor and Board Member for APM Terminals, the port and terminals division of the Maersk Group.
Tim became a Trustee in January 2022.
Alexandra Harwood is an Underwriter at NorthStandard, based in the Northeast of England. She has experience in Risk Management, all lines of Marine Insurances, Marine Claims, and Commercial Operations within the Maritime sector.
She studied Geology at the University of Durham. She graduated in 2009 and completed her Master’s degree in Risk Management at Kings College, London. She joined Marsh & McLennan as a Risk Consultant in 2010 before transferring internally to becoming a Marine Insurance Broker. Thereafter, she worked for a large ship owner where she managed the company’s insurance portfolio. In 2018, She returned to her roots in Newcastle to work for NorthStandard.
Alexandra became a Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers in April 2023.