About Us

Jerome was born and lives in Richmond. He was a senior Partner at one of Europe’s leading technology venture capital firms, Balderton Capital, for 20 years before stepping back into a consultancy role in late 2021. Until 2001 he had been a Partner at City law firms, Eversheds and then Nabarro, specialising in corporate/investment work. He became a Trustee of Richmond Foundation in 2018 and Chair in 2022. He is a Practitioner in Residence at the London School of Economics, Marshall Institute and member of the Investment Committee of LSE’s 100x Impact Accelerator. He is a Governor of the Board at The Southbank Centre (Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Hayward Gallery) as well as Chair of Earth Security, a think tank identifying opportunities for global finance to invest in the protection of the Earth’s natural assets. He was previously Vice Chair of The Fore, a seed funder of start up UK charities, and a Trustee of Mental Health Innovations, the digital mental health charity behind the Shout 85258 text support app.

Owen has dedicated himself to serving the public sector and charitable organisations throughout his career. His diverse professional experience has included roles in residential social work, education, and now, as a lawyer. Owen was a Partner and is now a Consultant at Winckworth Sherwood LLP, where he worked for a range of education and charity clients. Outside of work, Owen spends his time walking the Welsh (and other) hills with his dog and enjoying a range of sporting activities. He has been a trustee since 2015.

Ruth and her family have lived in Richmond Borough for the past ten years. She has spent her career in the charitable sector. Past roles include Manager Community Investment at HSBC, Director of London Catalyst, and Director of the Ashley Family Foundation (interim). In a volunteer capacity, Ruth has served on several committees and panels including three years on the Grants Committee of BBC Children in Need. She is an affiliate member of ICSA and her most recent experience has focused on charity governance, including four years as Governance and Policy Officer/Board Clerk at Westway Trust. She is currently Board Secretary of the EY Foundation. Ruth has been a trustee of the Richmond Foundation since 2020.

Carol’s professional experience reflects a commitment to excellence and service within the charitable sector. Carol possesses expertise in grant making and has a thorough understanding of charity trustee requirements. With over a decade of experience at the Church of England National Church Institutions, her role oversaw a network of over 12,000 charities and she advised on accounting best practices and governance. Carol is a Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant. Since recently retiring she is focussing on developing her interests in gardening, photography and travel as well as continuing to work with the Richmond Foundation. Carol has been a Trustee of the Richmond Foundation since 2018.

Chris is a long-term Richmond resident and past Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He brings over 35 years’ experience at global real estate consultants Cushman and Wakefield (previously Healey and Baker), with particular expertise in all aspects of retail property, but including offices, industrial and residential opportunities. More recently, Chris was Property Consultant to Fenwick department stores. Chris is an experienced Expert Witness and past member of the Institute of Arbitrators. He also served as Governor and Vice Chair at Kings House School, Richmond and as a Governor at West Buckland School, Devon. Chris joined our board of Trustees in 2019.

After completing her PhD, Mary worked at a fair access education charity, helping it to grow to deliver programmes to 10,000 pupils a year. She then spent five years at a social enterprise supporting young women affected by gangs and county lines, with responsibility for fundraising and strategy. She is now back working with universities, this time tackling fair access to postgraduate degrees as Head of Strategy and Operations for Martingale Foundation. She brings a wealth of experience from volunteering with Samaritans, as a School Governor with responsibility for safeguarding, and as a member of the Grants Committee of Westminster Almshouses. Having lived in Richmond almost her entire life, she’s delighted to now be raising two children in the borough, and supporting the excellent work of the Richmond Foundation. Mary joined us as a trustee in 2023.

Sarah graduated from Durham University in 2008 with a degree in Natural Sciences. After spending some time as a ski guide in the Alps, she began her career as a solicitor at Taylor Wessing LLP. Sarah specializes in commercial real estate, working with a wide variety of clients on transactions across a broad range of sectors. Sarah is deeply committed to charitable work. She has volunteered with the Blackfriars Citizens Advice Bureau, participated in a reading scheme for primary school children in Elephant and Castle, and supported Future Hope, a charity founded by her uncle to provide education for vulnerable street children in Kolkata.

A native Londoner, Sarah moved to Richmond in 2019, where she lives with her husband and their two young children. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, reading, and exploring the green spaces of the borough. In 2023, Sarah became a trustee of the Richmond Foundation.

Stephen moved to Richmond in 1988, where he and his wife raised their three sons. Stephen’s working career covers audit, international finance and technology. Stephen served as a Councillor for North Richmond for six years from 2012 to 2018 including a year as the Borough’s Deputy Mayor. He was co-opted as a Richmond Society Trustee in July 2018 to oversee infrastructure and transport issues. For 10 years he served as a non-executive Director of Richmond Housing Partnership. Stephen is also Treasurer of the London Forum, an umbrella organization representing London’s civic and amenity groups. Stephen joined the Richmond Foundation as a Trustee in 2021 and in that capacity was appointed Chair of OneRichmond in 2023.

Richard Pyne has served as a Liberal Democrat Councillor for the North Richmond Ward since being first elected in 2018. He lives in East Sheen with his wife Helen and has been elected Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2024-2025. Professionally, Richard worked in Human Resources in industry before moving into management consultancy in 1988 when he first moved to the Borough. He was a Partner in a global consulting firm and conducted many change management projects in Europe, the Middle East and the USA. Richard has served as the Deputy Chairman of the Council’s Planning Committee and is a Board member of the Museum of Richmond. He is a long-standing horticultural volunteer at Kew Gardens and regularly opens his garden for charity. He joined our trustees in 2019.

Joanna trained as a doctor in Sheffield, and after qualifying she specialised in psychiatry. Following several years working as a psychiatrist in the NHS, including in Richmond, Joanna left full time clinical practice to work in the pharmaceutical industry. In medical and regulatory functions, Joanna held increasingly senior leadership roles in the UK, EU and worldwide. Her pharmaceutical work culminated in her position as Senior Vice President for Global Clinical Safety at GSK, from which she retired in 2018. Joanna has a Masters degree in Organisational Behaviour and is a trained business coach. Joanna has had the good fortune to live in Richmond since 1991, and in her spare time enjoys cycling, sailing, golf, music and reading. Joanna joined our board of Trustees in 2018.

Duncan brings over two decades of experience in investment banking and currently oversees a consultancy company working for financial institutions. Duncan has a multifaceted professional background with significant experience in finance, trading, structuring, sales, risk management and leadership roles. After graduating in Mathematics from Durham University in 1994, he moved to Richmond in 1999, where he is married with two children. Duncan finds joy in gardening, running and strolling with his dogs in Richmond Park. Duncan joined our board of Trustees in 2020.

David has proudly called East Sheen home since 1979, where he and his family have been deeply rooted in the community. David is a Chartered Surveyor with over 35 years’ experience in commercial and residential development and founded his own consultancy company Woodswift Projects in 1994. David also dedicated ten years as Development Director at Spheyhawk PLC and oversaw regeneration projects including Old Isleworth riverside area and Thames Valley Business Park. In recent years, his expertise has increasingly focussed on re-assessment of building design and occupational energy targets to meet the demands for sustainable development. When not enjoying outdoor pursuits like cycling, skiing, or fly fishing, David also serves as a Trustee of Burma Forces Welfare Associations, embodying his commitment to serving communities near and far. We welcomed David to our board of Trustees in 2022.

Claire’s professional life started in the investment management industry, where she worked for over twenty-five years, holding board level positions at Gartmore Investment Management and Jupiter Asset Management. A change of direction mid-career led to university teaching roles at Roehampton Business School and at the LSE. Claire has lived in Richmond since 1986 and her two daughters were born and educated in the borough. She served as Chair of Governors at The Vineyard School in Richmond and currently holds the position of Governor at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College (RHACC). Claire became a trustee of the Richmond Foundation in 2020.