Marvin Rees went on expedition with British Exploring Society in 1990, and accepted the role of President of British Exploring Society in the summer of 2019, before also becoming our interim Chair in October 2024. Marvin served as the Mayor of Bristol from 2016 - 2024.
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Marvin was brought up in Bristol, where he later worked as a freelance journalist and radio presenter at BBC Radio Bristol and Ujima Radio, as the Programme Manager for race equality in mental health issues at NHS Bristol, and as the Communications and Events Manager at Black Development Agency (now Phoenix Social Enterprise). Marvin is the Founder of The Bristol Leadership Programme, a two-week programme that helps a dozen young people annually from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain what they aspire to. His education includes a Master's in Political Theory and Government at the University of Wales, a Master's in Global Economic Development at Eastern University (United States) and completion of the World Fellows Program at Yale University.
Tim is the Chairman of Cambridge Management Consulting and a William Pitt Fellow of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge. Tim is also the Chairman of Lightning Fibre, Chairman of the IoT pollution reduction technology business Iknaia, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director of sustainability consultancy Edenseven, and a Non-Executive Director of The Carrier Club.
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Tim’s previous executive career was in information and communications technology where he continues to act as a strategy advisor to technology firms and chairs a thinktank called The Intelligent Network (TIN) which is attended by CxOs from many of the world’s largest telecommunications, cloud and content providers. Tim is passionate about youth work, adventure, travel and the outdoors having travelled to over 100 countries and climbed or hiked in many of them. Tim has previously helped run youth clubs, summer camps and worked as an outdoor instructor. In addition to being the Vice Chair and Trustee of British Exploring Society, Tim is also a Patron and Member of the Development Board.
Carolyn has worked in marketing for over 20 years, including at the National Trust, British Museum and currently Art Fund, often taking special responsibility for developing and growing membership schemes.
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She has extensive experience in developing brands, fundraising, commercial partnerships, market research and marketing communications.
James is a tropical forest ecologist and investment professional specializing in financing nature conservation and restoration through nature-based solutions (NbS).
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James is Head of NbS at Posaidon Capital, with previous roles including Director of Natural Climate Solutions at World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and technical REDD+ and Forest Carbon Specialist at Mirova Natural Capital and Fauna & Flora International. His research and professional activities have taken him to all major tropical forest regions, including as a Knowledge Leader on expedition to the Peruvian Amazon in 2010 with British Exploring Society. James holds a B.A. in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford, a MRes in Ecology and Environmental Management from the University of York and a PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology from ETH Zurich. James lives in Switzerland where he spends his free time hiking and exploring the Alps.
Jim is a registered social worker based in Yorkshire. He has held senior leadership roles in both local authorities and charitable organisations.
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In the 1980s Jim completed an expedition with British Exploring Society to East Greenland and has maintained a love of the outdoors ever since. Having experienced first-hand the transformational power of expeditions, Jim is has taken every opportunity to encourage other young people to get involved with British Exploring Society ever since.
Lindsay is a sustainability professional based in Edinburgh, with 8 years’ experience in the Scottish public sector specialising in carbon reporting and environmental regulation.
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She has a background in biology and conservation and has previously worked with young people in a range of roles: at an outdoor residential centre on the Jurassic coast in Dorset, delivering environmental education sessions across Scotland in a converted double decker bus and leading international volunteers on practical conservation projects. Lindsay is a big advocate of the importance of the outdoors and exploration for mental health and building self-confidence. Some of her expedition highlights include collecting biological data in the Honduran cloud forest, working on community development projects in Zambia and Nicaragua and cycling to a water conference in Copenhagen. Lindsay first heard about the British Exploring Society during a chance encounter with an expedition while leading teams in northern Iceland creating new hiking trails for the Icelandic Environment Agency. She has gone on to volunteer as a knowledge and social leader with BES in Scotland and Kyrgyzstan and is looking forward to bringing this practical experience and sustainability expertise to her new role as Trustee.
Mark has worked extensively in youth development and social mobility over the past 25 years. He has led overseas youth expeditions in mountain and jungle environments and trained adult leaders.
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He set up National Schools Partnership, now called We Are Futures, in 2005 to encourage and support a wide range of businesses and charities to do more to support young people in formal education, skills development and careers opportunities. He has advised a wide range of corporate clients including Sky, NatWest, Samsung and Asda on their approach youth engagement and young talent.
Rahul works independently helping firms build out their businesses. He was previously the Partner who headed Investor Relations and Business Development for the TCI Platform where he worked and built The Children's Investment Fund, Parvus, TCI New Horizon, KDA Capital and Algebris Investments (2005-2009).
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Prior to TCI, Rahul worked as the Head of International Institutional Clients at UBP London (2004-2005) and as the Head of Client Service at TT International (1998-2004). Prior to working in finance, Rahul was an academic and studied in the UK, USA, Russia and Japan.
Richard is a chartered accountant and the Chair of accountancy firm Gerald Edalman. He specialises in private equity, corporate finance and business development.
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Richard hold several non-executive board positions for companies in various sectors ranging from investment advisers and technology companies to those in the retail, hospitality, business services, and professional services sectors. He is also a member of the Life Assurance Association and of the Institute of Directors.
Sarah Greasley is an experienced executive who has worked in technology for nearly 40 years. She has worked in global corporations such as IBM and Amazon Web Services, as well as Direct Line Group, where she was Group Chief Technology Officer. She is a strong advocate for inclusion, diversity and equity.
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Sarah is a Fellow of the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Sarah’s studies include a degree in Mathematics from Cambridge University. She has also been a school governor for the past 9 years with particular responsibility for technology and digital strategy.
Daragh was a trustee of British Exploring Society for nearly seven years, during which time he worked closely with the operations team to oversee the safety of British Exploring Society's expeditions. He now acts as an advisor to our Operations Sub-Committee.
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Daragh is passionate about the power of the outdoors and expeditions in wild environments to transform the lives of young people, and he is a strong advocate and supporter of British Exploring Society in making such opportunities available to all. He has worked in the investment industry for twenty five years and is a founding partner of investment firm, Hengistbury Investment Partners. Daragh enjoys skiing, tennis, martial arts, sailing and until recently amateur rugby. He is occasionally to be found wandering in both the Arctic and Antarctic, including skiing to the South Pole from the Ronne-Fichner ice shelf in 2008/9. Daragh is married to Anne, and they have two children.
Rachel has extensive experience in the Education sector, including in teaching, student support and outreach work. In her current role she leads on developing effective partnerships to deliver doctoral programmes and research training and skills development.
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Rachel is a rowing coach and is passionate about helping young people to enjoy the benefits of sport and the outdoors. She is currently training to row 3000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic and is using this project as a platform to inspire girls and women to take on their own challenges. She is not very good at sitting still and enjoys fell running, bouldering and freediving when not messing around in boats.
Rupert is a chartered accountant, financial entrepreneur, internet investor and ex-TA soldier who has spent most of his career in Asia, living in Hong Kong and Japan. He understands the positive impact of exploration on young people having been on his first, two month, expedition to Aldabra Atoll as a 16 year old.
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A love of adventure has taken him climbing in the Himalaya, Japan Alps and Antarctica, skippering a yacht across the Atlantic to Cuba, crossing the Sahara on local trucks and paddling up the Congo in a dugout canoe. The Eastwood family provides the Alexander Eastwood Award to encourage the participation on expedition of former YEs and members of University Officer Training Corps.
