Resources
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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 and Chair of Maritime UK. Tom has over 40 years’ experience in the maritime sector, including several years as Marine Director at Lloyds Register. His most recent full-time role was with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Europe, as Secretary General, based in Brussels. The first part of Tom’s career was in the container shipping and ports industry with P&O and NYK.
He also is a member of the UK Chamber of Shipping Supervisory Board, the Lloyd’s List Editorial Board and the Council of RINA (Royal Institution of Naval Architects).
Tom has featured several times in the Lloyd’s List Top 100 People in Global Shipping. He served on the UK DfT expert panel for the Maritime Growth Study and the Maritime 2050 report.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Karen Davis joined the Oil Companies International Marine Forum in December 2021 as Managing Director. As Managing Director, she leads the Secretariat to deliver OCIMF’s vision of “a global marine industry that causes no harm to people or the environment” by building a culture of engagement that seeks and encourages diversity of thought, innovation, and an openness to change when promoting best practice within the industry.
A graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Karen Davis is a veteran master mariner with extensive experience in downstream and upstream business gained at ConocoPhillips. She spent 15 years at sea, sailing from Third Mate to Master aboard supertankers carrying crude oil and clean products.
Karen transitioned from sailing aboard ships to their technical management, and in 2013 became ConocoPhillips’ Global Marine Assurance Manager leading a decentralised team focused on eliminating marine risk. In 2019, Karen was seconded to Qatargas Operating Company as a Limited Senior Adviser supporting OPCO and North Field Expansion Project.
Karen is a member of the Green Award Foundation’s Board. She is also President and founding Board Member of a non-profit organization, First-10-Forward, whose mission is to advance the professional goals of women and girls pursuing non-traditional careers.
Karen Davis became a Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers on 29 January 2025.
Amanda is a multilingual employment lawyer and HR Director with international experience across multiple sectors in businesses of all sizes from large corporates and PE-backed Companies to start-ups, SMEs and Charities.
Following a successful corporate career in senior HR and legal roles, Amanda established her consultancy business in 2020. She is also an experienced Governor, Non-Executive Director, and Board advisor.
Amanda Lennon became a Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers on 29 January 2025.
Jeremy Sutton is Chief Executive Officer of Swire Shipping. He took on the role in August 2022, having previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer.
Jeremy is a New Zealander, and industry veteran, with 25 years of experience in diverse roles in the shipping and transportation industry in Asia, New Zealand and the USA. Jeremy joined Tasman Orient Line (a Swire subsidiary) in New Zealand in 2006 before moving to Singapore in 2008 and over the past 17 years has held various management roles with Swire Shipping.
Jeremy is a Board Member with the NorthStandard P&I Club, Singapore Maritime Foundation and World Shipping Council. He is currently based in Singapore. He became a Trustee with The Mission to Seafarers on 17 March, 2025.