Fighting mito,
finding hope.
Meet the team behind our charity, and discover how we work to fight mitochondrial disease and support those affected.
Our trustees provide vital leadership and direction for our charity, ensuring we operate effectively and stay true to our mission. In addition to guiding our organisation, they actively participate in our fundraisers and official Lily events.
Our board bring a diverse range of expertise, from HR and commercial acumen to legal insight, and their combined knowledge is invaluable in helping us make a meaningful impact on those affected by mitochondrial disease.
Chairman
“I’m Ben and I have the privilege of being Chair of this truly phenomenal charity. I’ve served on the board since 2011 and have a personal connection to mitochondrial disease through close family friends. I’m committed to working with Liz and the Lily team to help deliver on our ultimate aim of finding a cure for this awful disease. In my day job I work in marketing helping some of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses, and am currently at CarWow as their Global Chief Marketing Officer. I continually look for ways to help take Lily to the next level for our patients, families and supporters, and have run several half marathons, 10ks and even a marathon to help spread the word! I’m also a director of Women in Football – helping to level the playing field for women on and off the pitch.”
Director, Lead Safeguarding Trustee
“I’m Rupinder, the Managing Director of Pinder Reaux & Associates Ltd (a specialist media and sports law firm), and I began working for this amazing charity in the capacity of legal adviser. I was then honoured to be invited on to the Board of Directors to work with a strong, determined and dedicated team, helping families suffering from mitochondrial disease. Whilst being a solicitor and heading up my own company pretty much takes up most of my life, what spare time I do have I spend with my husband and two children.”
Director
“I’m a Managing Director within the financial services industry and, more importantly, I’m Lily’s auntie. After Lily was born, our family experienced some of the saddest and most difficult times. I was inspired by the strength of my tiny niece Lily, who in her short life fought against her fate to teach us about courage – that no matter how little time we have, we can make a huge impact if we try. Lily’s spirit has lived on and The Lily Foundation is a ‘can do’ charity who has taken on the unknown and is winning.”
Director
“I’m fortunate enough to have a great friendship with Jonathan Pearce, having acted for him as his accountant since 1989. So when he approached me to be a founder member of The Lily Foundation, I believed it was a great opportunity to get involved and ‘give something back in life’. I was also confident that I could help spread the word about our charity, through my own clients becoming interested and supportive of such a worthwhile cause.”
Director
“Hello, I’m Dean and I work as CEO of a division of RELX Group, a FTSE 20 global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools. I’ve enjoyed a career in football, banking, data and technology, and love building and working within high performance teams who make a difference. Lily is exactly that, and after meeting Liz and the team I wanted to do all I could to help them provide funding for research, educate and raise awareness of mitochondrial disease, in addition to supporting families when they need it most. The Lily family is large, ever-expanding and making a huge difference at a crucial time.”
Director
“I’m Claire and I work for the NHS as Chief People Officer based in London. I’ve been involved with this amazing charity for several years, having been inspired by Liz and her family’s commitment to provide support, advice and guidance to families, but ultimately to find a cure for this terrible condition. I’m honoured to be part of this board and to work with such a committed and driven team that I’m sure will enable the charity to achieve its ambition.”
Director
“My background is in medicine where I’ve spent most of my professional life caring for children and young adults with heart disease, specialising in heart failure and transplantation. I’ve had the good fortune to work with many colleagues around the world and collaborate with them in research and guideline development. It’s also been my privilege to look after many inspiring children and families and be part of their lives. I’ve been involved in charities for many years – initially with the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) in Newcastle and more recently as chair of an environmental charity, the Tyne Rivers Trust. I’m excited to be part of The Lily Foundation and hope I can contribute to their fantastic work for the benefit of the mitochondrial community.”
Director
“My background is a little unusual. I started my career as a clinician, but over time I found myself drawn into the strategic leadership side of healthcare provision. Now I work in a business leadership role at the Royal Free London NHS PPU, which allows me to combine my passion for patient care with a focus on financial sustainability which ultimately benefits the NHS. Contributing to impactful causes and giving something back has always been a priority for me. The Lily Foundation's work deeply resonated with me, particularly Liz's dedication and the tangible difference the charity makes in people's lives. These values align perfectly with my own, which is why I'm honoured to serve as a trustee. I’ve joined the Lily family to support the fight against mitochondrial disease and contribute my skills and experience to further the Foundation's strategic goals.”
Director
“I’ve been involved in the charity sector for over 30 years and served for over two decades as Chief Executive of Child Bereavement UK, expanding national support services for families facing the death of a child, and where children and young people are bereaved. I’ve also had extensive involvement in the training and support of professionals across the statutory and voluntary sectors who encounter grieving families in the course of their work. I was proud to be awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to bereaved children, parents and families. Having supported the work of the incredible Lily Foundation informally over several years, I’m honoured to become a trustee and hope to bring my experience in strategic development, charity leadership, governance and collaborative working to support Liz and the team as the charity continues to offer invaluable support to families affected by mitochondrial disease and works towards ultimately finding a cure.”
Director
“I’m Marcus, and I’m currently Chief Commercial Officer of ismybillfair.com (a fast-growing service that helps consumers save money on bills without switching). I have many years of strategic and commercial experience across consulting, banking, telco and software sectors. More importantly, I’m also Dad to Arthur who lives with mitochondrial disease and its various complications and challenges. Consequently, we’ve been part of the wider Lily family for the last 15 years! I’m committed to working with Liz and the rest of the Board and wider Lily team to deliver even more of the amazing things that I’ve seen Lily achieve over that time.”
Director
“I’m Paul and, having got to know Liz and the charity over the last few years, I’m now honoured to have been invited to join the Board and be given the opportunity to see what I can do to help. Medical research into genetic disorders is currently moving at such an amazing pace that I’m truly hopeful that The Lily Foundation will be instrumental in finding new treatments, and even a cure, for mitochondrial disease during my time as a director. Outside of Lily, my career has been spent in the real estate industry where, until last year, I was Chief Executive of Delancey, a real estate investment and development business. I am or have also been involved with several other charities including Queen Mary University where I sit on the Council, Somerset House where I served as a trustee and King’s College London where I served on the Council and chaired the Real Estate Strategy Committee.”
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