Our Board

Chair Michael J Snyder, DSc, FCA, MSI

Michael Snyder is the Senior Partner of Chartered Accountants, Kingston Smith. The firm has 45 partners and over 400 staff in a network of 6 offices in London and around the M25.

He specialises in advising owner-managed businesses, conducting negotiations on behalf of clients and financial planning for the family. Michael has direct experience of managing commercial as well as professional businesses and his key clients range from media and advertising companies, architects and surveyors and financial services. In addition to a considerable and varied client commitment he is responsible for the management and strategic direction of the firm. He also has experience of being involved as a Director and Chairman in running manufacturing, distribution and contracting companies.

Michael is the deputy chair the Corporation of London's Policy & Resources Committee, which sets their strategic priorities, allocates their resources and is responsible for relations with Government - at European, national, regional and local levels.

A Common Councilman of the Corporation of London since 1986, Michael is a former Chairman of both the Corporation's Finance Committee and the Barbican Estate Committee. Michael also serves on the Association of London Government Leaders' Committee and on the board of Thames Gateway London Partnership; Training for Life; Film London and is a trustee of Academy Sponsors Trust. He is also a member of the Small Business Investment Taskforce and chairs the Government Accountants Working Group. He is also a Governor of the London Metropolitan University and the City of London School for Girls.

Councillor Heidi Alexander, London Borough of Lewisham

Heidi Alexander is the Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for Regeneration. She was first elected as a Councillor in June 2004 and has held her current position since May 2006. She also sits on London Council's Transport and Environment Committee, the Thames Gateway London Partnership Board and the Greater London Enterprise Board.

Ranjit Singh Baxi BSc, MBA, FRSA, J & H International

R. S. Baxi manages his own business, exporting secondary fibres (waste paper) to Asia. His business received the Queen's award for International Trade in 2001.

Ranjit Baxi is also a Director of Soulier UK Limited (part of Veolia Environment - a French conglomerate) that is involved in the water utilities, refuse collection and recycling business. Ranjit Baxi is also Vice President of the Bureau of International Recycling (B.I.R.), based in Brussels. This organisation is a European trade body which looks at aspects of international recycling.

Mr. Baxi is a member of the Bank of England's small firm's panel for East London. Ranjit Baxi works tirelessly for the Asian community and he received the Asian Achievers Award for Industry in 2002.

Richard E Gooding OBE, London City Airport



Current Position: Chief Executive, London City Airport

Joined British European Airways as a General Apprentice in 1966: worked in overseas sales, passenger and ramp handling, and overseas area management.  Left in 1981 to join Manchester Airport initially to run ramp handling and the passenger terminal, and subsequently as Operations Director.

Appointed as Ogden Allied's Managing Director and first UK staff member in 1985 to develop a new European ground handling business.

In 1991, appointed Chief Executive of London Luton Airport with a remit to restore profitability and growth, culminating in the re-launch of the airport as the centre of low cost scheduled, charter and corporate aircraft services in the London area.

In 1996, appointed by the new owner of London City Airport to manage and develop this special, niche, top end of the market operation. Since then the airport has more than trebled in size, as well as achieving profitability, and expanded into aircraft management and operation.

The airport was sold again in 2006 and its current owners (Global Infrastructure Partners) are working closely with Richard and the management team to further develop and maximise the value of the airport.

Richard is past Chairman and current Non Executive director of the Airport Operators Association, and President of the Newham Chamber of Commerce,. He is also involved in the voluntary sector as Chair of Newham Homes, a Non Executive Director of the Royal Docks Trust, Leaside Regeneration, Royal Docks Partnership and the London Skills & Employment Board.

Joe Greenwell, Ford of Britain

 

Joe Greenwell was appointed to the role of chairman, Ford of Britain, on 1 January 2009.  This appointment recognises the need for the company to have a strong voice with government and other key external organisations.

Joe Greenwell is also the 2009 president of the UK automotive industry's trade organisation, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and he is Chairman of BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.

Prior to his appointment to these positions, Joe Greenwell was vice president, Government Affairs, Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe, from 1 September 2005.

Greenwell's responsibilities included helping to develop and co-ordinate Ford Motor Company's strategy with Government and other official bodies in the European region. 

Prior to this position, Joe Greenwell was Chairman and CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover where he was responsible for overseeing sales and production expansion at Land Rover and setting in train necessary structural changes at Jaguar.

Previously, he had been vice president, Marketing and Operations, since August 2002.  In that role, he was responsible for Ford of Canada, Ford of Mexico, Worldwide Direct Market Operations and Global Marketing.

Prior to that, Joe Greenwell had been Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, Ford of Europe and had performed the same role at Jaguar Cars.

George Iacobescu, Canary Wharf

George Iacobescu CBE is Chief Executive Officer of Canary Wharf Group, a company with assets of 5 billion pounds which has developed 1.4 million square metres in 33 buildings with a further 1.1 million square metres to follow.

Canary Wharf is internationally recognised as the largest inner city regeneration project in the world and has become the centre of London's third business district with high quality office accommodation, over 200 shops, bars and restaurants within three retail malls and 20 acres of landscaped open spaces.

George is a Co-Chairman of Teach First, Director of London First, Director of Gateway to London and on the Advisory Board of the UK Academy of Finance. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. He was appointed Commander of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen in 2003.

George is a graduate in Civil and Industrial Engineering from Bucharest, Romania. 1997: Chief Executive, CWG 1995: Deputy Chief Executive, CWG 1988: Senior Vice President, Olympia & York, Canary Wharf 1978 - 1987: Construction Manager and then Vice President, Olympia & York, New York. World Financial Centre and Chicago. 1975-1978: Construction Director Homeco Investments, Montreal and Toronto, Canada.

Councillor Mick McCarthy, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

 
Councillor McCarthy is the executive member for Regeneration which includes spatial regeneration, skills and enterprise. He is also a board member of London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and an executive member of the Thames Gateway London Partnership. He is a vice chair of London Councils Economic Development Forum.

Councillor McCarthy works for BT as a Location Manager and is a school governor at both Rush Green Junior and All Saints Catholic School and Technology College.

Councillor Conor McAuley, London Borough of Newham

A member of Newham Council since 1982. Deputy Leader of the Council 1985-88 and 1996 -1999. Chairman Newham Council's Environment & Planning Committee1990-1995. Board member of the London Docklands Development Corporation from 1991 until it's winding up in March 1998.

In addition, he was a founder director of the Stratford Development Partnership Ltd. He chairs the Stratford Tomorrow's City SRB Partnership. He is a member of the London Thames Gateway Urban Development Corporation Board and Vice Chair of the Thames Gateway London Partnership.

He led Newham's successful campaign for an International Passenger Station on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link at Stratford. He currently advises Newham's elected Mayor on Regeneration issues. Cllr McAuley is also a non-executive director of the Newham Primary Care Trust.

Terry Morgan, Tube Lines

Terry Morgan leads and manages Tube Lines in order to ensure that the company delivers on their vision of an outstanding Tube for London.

He joined Tube Lines from BAE Systems. In his role as Group Managing Director - Operations and as a member of the Executive Committee he was responsible for five Divisions with 14,000 employees and a turnover of almost $2 billion.

In a previous role as the Director of HR, he was responsible for the full range of HR activities at BAE with the real challenge of establishing a 'one company' approach. In that regard he was responsible for leading a Change Programme to achieve the vision of being a Benchmark Company.

Councillor Guy Nicholson, London Borough of Hackney

Guy Nicholson is an elected Councillor for the London Borough of Hackney, holding the Cabinet portfolio for Regeneration and the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. He currently sits on a number of boards at local, sub-regional and regional levels. These include the London European Programmes Committee, the Thames Gateway London Partnership Board, the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation Board, the new Sport & Physical Activity East London Partnership Board, the City Fringe Single Programme Partnership Board, the Shoreditch New Deal for Communities Board and Hackney`s Local Strategic Partnership.

He has also led on the development of Arts, Cultural and Creative Industries policy both locally and across the sub-region as well as participating on a number of Arts Council England led advisory panels reviewing the policy for the Contemporary Visual Arts in the UK and the future policy direction for Art in Public Spaces.

At a local level he has been leading on Hackney's Planning policy review and the Borough's transport infrastructure development with particular regard for the overland rail network. He has been leading on London's 2012 Olympic project for Hackney over the last 6 years.

Before being elected as a Councillor in 1998, he worked in the theatre industry having graduated in Theatre Design from the then Central School of Art & Design in London. He has worked in the performing arts both in the UK, across Europe, the United States and Japan with various UK and foreign based producing companies staging a broad range of productions.

Councillor John Waters, London Borough of Bexley

John Waters has lived in Bexley all his life. He is married, with one grown-up daughter.

John is the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing. He is a non-executive director of Bexley Care Trust, which is responsible for NHS primary care services (eg GPs, dentists, opticians) in Bexley.

He is a governor of Mayplace Primary School and of Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, and is a trustee of Bexley United Charities. His main interests on the Council are environmental and regeneration issues.

Councillor Michael White, London Borough of Havering

Cllr. Michael White is married with four children. He was educated in Dagenham and went to college in Havering. He attended the University of North London where he obtained a BA (Hons) in Politics.

Michael worked in information technology for the Police IT Organisation for 12 years. The sole purpose of this organisation is the design and provision of ICT systems for the Police to enable and assist them to undertake their law enforcement duties.

Michael joined the Conservative Party in 1982 and has been involved in politics ever since. He has been a Member of Havering Council for 13 years and in that time has held many different positions mainly in the fields of Information Technology and Communications.

In 1998 he became Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Havering Council and Deputy Leader of the Council in 2002. His responsibilities were e-government and communications but he later took on responsibility for the Council's drive to improve its CPA score.

In May 2004 he became Leader of the Council with a focus on improving the community leadership role of councillors representing the authority. He also Chairs the Havering Strategic Partnership.

Michael is a member of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation Board and also sits on the Environment and Transport Sub-Committees of the Corporation, he is Vice-Chair of Thames Gateway London Partnership; a member of the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence Board; and in 2008 was elected as Deputy Leader of London Councils.

Michael also holds the portfolio for Improvement on London Councils which involves Capital Ambitions, the London Centre of Excellence and London Connects. His responsibilities also include London Overview & Scrutiny, the GLPC and other parts of the Human Resource agenda.

John Williams, Gateway to London 

 
John Williams was appointed Chief Executive of Gateway to London in February 2009.  He has a long and varied background in both private and public organisations and has held several senior positions based around trade and investment.

John was previously the first Director in the North East of England office for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).  Whilst there he oversaw a rise in regional export performance of almost 30% to £10 billion and worked closely with the Regional Development Agency on the co-ordination of trade & investment support and investor development.  He also set up a regional international trade office, the only public-private venture of its kind in the UK, which helped deliver support to business.

John's career has also included a secondment to the Department for Trade & Industry as an export promoter, where he advised businesses, Ministers and senior Government officials on trade & investment with the Middle East, and managed two inter-governmental Trade & Economic Committees, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  He was also seconded to the International Office at Newcastle University, working with university authorities on devising and deploying an internationalisation strategy.

Outside his day-to-day work, John has been Honorary Treasurer of a young people's charity, a member of the Northumbria Probation Service Committee and has worked with the Cabinet Office on developing an e-learning website for ethnic minority members of the Civil Service.

John is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Commercial Management and a Member of the Institute of Directors. He is also a keen runner and cyclist, a qualified Sports Massage Therapist, a UK Athletics coach to marathon distance and has a Diploma in Sports Psychology.