Our Trustees

Tom Boardley
Chairman of The Mission to Seafarers Board

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.

The Right Revd David Williams
Bishop of Basingstoke
Vice Chairman of The Mission to Seafarers Board

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
Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Grants and Programme Committee

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 Chapman
Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Audit and Risk Committee

Gary joined the Board of Trustees of The Mission to Seafarers in January 2023 and became the Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Audit and Risk Committee in July 2023.

Gary’s current permanent role is as Chief Financial Officer of Navigator Gas, a US-listed owner and operator of gas tankers. Prior to this Gary was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of KNOT Offshore Partners, a US-listed owner and operator of shuttle tankers. Gary also previously worked for almost 15 years at NYK, a large multinational shipping and logistics company, with much of that time being spent 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 and began his career at KPMG in London. He holds a degree in Economics from Loughborough University and is also a Trustee of a local charity that supports children that have suffered a bereavement.

Peter Cottrell
Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Investment Committee

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

The Venerable Mike Power
Trustee Member

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. Mike is now the Archdeacon of West Ham.

Tim Smith
Trustee Member

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
Trustee Member

Alexandra Harwood is a Broker at Price Forbes, 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 and graduated in 2009 before completing her Master’s degree in Risk Management at Kings College, London. Alexandra joined Marsh & McLennan as a Risk Consultant in 2010 and made an internal transfer to become 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 before taking a business development focused broking role with Price Forbes in 2024.

Alexandra became a Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers in April 2023.

Neale Rodrigues
Chair of The Mission to Seafarers Remuneration Committee

Neale Rodrigues is an experienced marine professional with 14 years of seagoing experience on various types of merchant vessels. After coming ashore almost 30 years ago, Neale initially worked in Hong Kong and other countries in Asia before moving to the UK with his family. His work experience includes commercial and technical shipping management and operations, quality assurance, and claims handling, as well as 16 years in Protection & Indemnity Marine Insurance. Neale regularly led and participated in training programmes and seminars for seafarers and their managers, on topics including physical wellbeing and mental health.

Neale moved to a marine consultancy role in October 2021, and provides expert advice, reports, and technical assistance on marine and cargo matters. He is also involved in Maritime Courts and Arbitrations.

Neale was formerly a Trustee for the Mission to Seafarers for 12 years, the last three as Vice-Chair, and currently assists with the Mission’s Global Ambassador programme. He was reappointed as Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers in January 2024.

Anisha Franklin
Trustee Member

Anisha Franklin is currently a Senior Counsel at the holding level of the MSC Group. She advises top management and shareholders on group-wide strategic, legal, corporate, and finance initiatives, implementing these across divisions and departments, and advocates the Group’s positions with stakeholders across the industry. She also leads projects that address the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.

Anisha read Law with Transnational Legal Studies at King’s College London and Georgetown University Law Center. She is also dual-qualified on the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales and sworn into the Paris Bar. Prior to joining the MSC Group, Anisha practiced both French and English law across the London, Paris and Geneva offices of international law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW).

She has a family background deeply rooted in shipping and seafaring, and she is passionate about serving the international trade, transportation (commercial and passenger), and finance industries.

Anisha became a Trustee of the Mission to Seafarers in January 2024.