Our Trustees

She is currently the President of the British Olympic Association, one of two UK members of the International Olympic Committee and was a member of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games in 2012.

Barry was one of the longest serving members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons having attended 112 of its meetings as well as being president from 1993-1994. During his time as Chairman of World Horse Welfare Barry also served a year as High Sheriff of Lancashire, his home county.

He is currently Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire (DL) and Chairman of the Racehorse Welfare Board.

Sam gained further experience in Kentucky and Santa Anita, California before returning to work in the UK at The National Stud in 1988 for two years.  Subsequently Sam set up his own successful bloodstock consultancy – Bullard Bloodstock in 1993, which represented leading owners in Europe and managed racing syndicates in addition to selling Group 1 winners both on the flat and over jumps.

Sam is currently Director of Darley Stallions for Godolphin Management Co Ltd having joined the company in 2001, in addition to Director of both Godolphin Ireland and Godolphin SNC.  Sam is also a trustee of the British European Breeders’ Fund and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and past Chairman and remains on the Board of Fakenham Racecourse.

Jane was then appointed as Scottish Legal services Ombudsman and moved on to establish The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC). The SLCC was headed by a Board which Jane chaired. The SLCC handles all complaints against solicitors and advocates in Scotland and had oversight of disciplinary cases.   Jane also chaired the Discipline Board of the Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland managing the disciplinary process for actuaries.  Finally, she was appointed as Deputy UK Pensions Ombudsman.

Jane now manages her own property allowing her to pursue her interests in travel on horseback and by bike and walking her Border Terriers.

After studying Law Mark worked for Ralli International as a Commodities Broker from 1969-72. He founded Inter-Commodities, building it up over the years to one of the larger brokers of its kind in London. In 1982 a partnership was formed with Gerrard & National and the business renamed GNI. It covered futures on the financial markets and became the largest broker in London. In 1995 he became Chief Executive of Gerrard & National, until the business was sold to Old Mutual plc in 2000.  Following this, Mark became Chairman of Thornhill Asset Management as well as joining the Board of Fleming Family & Partners in 2003 and the Board of Caledonia plc. In 2008 he became full time Chief Executive of FF&P, remaining as such until its merger with Stonehage in 2015.  It is the largest family office business outside of the USA and Mark Chaired the UK business until retiring from Stonehage Fleming in 2021.

Now living and working in Staffordshire, Richard runs an international showjumping and dressage stable with his wife Gillian and his sons Tom and Joe.

Having ridden as a teenager, Rebecca has long been passionate about the nexus between equine welfare and international development.  She takes the opportunity to visit equine rescue centres whilst traveling for work and is passionate about building capacity on regulatory safeguards for animals and fostering behaviour change in young people’s relationship with animals.  She has an undergraduate degree from St Andrews University (2005) and is due to complete a professional Masters in Ethics from Oxford University.  Rebecca lives in France with her husband (an equine vet), daughter, two Arabian horses, rescued racehorse and multiple other animals.

Moving to Romania in 2006 she set up a property management business which to this day manages the commercial and residential investments of foreign investors.

Melissa’s passion for horses started when she had her first riding lesson aged 3 years old.  Upon moving back to Scotland, where she grew up, Melissa joined the Tayside Fundraising Committee for World Horse Welfare in 2016. Melissa lives in Angus with her husband, James, and two children, Alexander and Anastasia. Her hobbies include Dressage, Yoga, Skiing and Pilates.

She is Managing Partner of a renewable-energy and plant-based solutions investment outfit for past six years, before which she had gained over twenty years of strategy and financial leadership experience both at global and country level roles at Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline, PepsiCo, Deutsche Post and Procter & Gamble. She is an MBA & ACMA, and a huge proponent of Circular Economy.

Saima is currently Trustee of a performing arts charity, and Treasurer & Trustee of an environment and heritage charity. Her interest in animal welfare and adoration of horses led her to join World Horse Welfare.

Her passion project is an urban organic flower farming business leading to her budding interest in larger scale regenerative agriculture and re-wilding.

He was a governor of King’s College School for 25 years, and Chairman of Governors. He sat on its Finance and General Purposes Committee. He is now a governor of two Chinese schools in which King’s plays a part. He is a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn and sat on its Finance Committee. He is a Trustee of the Scholarship and Education funds. He is a Trustee of the Hurlingham Club.

He and his wife both have a love of horses, having started to ride from an early age. For 25 years, they rode in the New Forest, where they lived. They have owned their own horses, including advanced event horses.

Caroline has a personal interest in horses and was Chief Executive of the National Pony Society from 2008-9.

He is now a member of the HPA Council, HPA, Umpire & Rules Committee, HPA Disciplinary Committee (Disciplinary Officer) and HPA Pony Welfare and Disciplinary Committee.

Christopher also enjoys horse racing and is part-owner of two racehorses. He is married with one son, one step-daughter and one step-son; his hobbies include watching polo, shooting and fishing.

Julie then spent a year working for the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket followed by a year working for Defra as their veterinary advisor with responsibility for equine infectious disease and companion animal and equine welfare. Julie then spent 4 years at Bain and Company, a global strategy consulting firm before completing an MBA in France and Singapore in 2012-13.

Julie joined Portman Dental Care in January 2019 and is currently Chief Executive of UK and Ireland.

Merry moved to Newmarket in 2006 where she completed a PhD validating the use of MRI in the equine distal limb at the Animal Health Trust. Merry was then based at Newmarket Equine Hospital, where she set up and ran the standing low field MRI and nuclear scintigraphy services and worked as an out of hours emergency surgeon for five years. Merry was made a large animal associate of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging in 2011.

In 2013 Merry set up an independent equine teleradiology service and has worked since as a freelance equine diagnostic imaging and surgery consultant, based at her home in Hertfordshire, where she lives with her husband, two young children and menagerie of horses, ponies, dogs, hens and rabbits! Merry regularly teaches and presents at national and international veterinary conferences and CPD meetings.

Merry has completed a 4 year term on the Farriers Registration Council and is a co-opted member of the Health and Medicines committee within BEVA council. Merry has recently been appointed as a Trustee for STEF.

After he stopped riding competitively he became an active
course designer, including at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 and at Badminton
1989 – 2013. He also acted as the FEI Technical Delegate for Olympic Games,
World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games and European Championships.

He served as Chairman of the FEI Eventing Committee, the
British Equestrian Federation and British Eventing.

His first business career after leaving Oxford University
was in his family’s property investment companies – where he remains non
executive Chairman. He then spent 8 years as a director of British Equestrian
Promotions Ltd, working with the late Raymond Brooks Ward and Bob Dean on
equestrian sports sponsorship and show organisation. Finally he went in 1988 to
Badminton Horse Trials, where he was the Event Director for 31 years, retiring
in 2019.

Hugh is a Trustee of a local charity in his home village, Treasurer of his Parochial Church Council and a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers. He is married to Mandy and has 4 (very grown up!) children and 8 grandchildren.

He graduated in 1999 and worked in mixed practice in Herefordshire before moving to West Berkshire to a predominantly equine practice.

Chris was previously President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and was a Council member between 2009-21, he is Chair of the RCVS Fellowship Board. Chris was Chair of the Royal Agricultural Society and Trustee of Innovation for Agriculture between 2017-2020.

Chris is a keen runner and makes regular charity trips to Africa and India.