Meet our Board of Directors

Scott joined the board 2014 and became Chairman 2017.

After graduating from Swansea University with a degree in English Literature, it was perhaps a little surprising that Scott would move straight into a career in finance. Never to let a challenge get in the way, however, he has worked within the UK wealth industry for the past 24 years.

Scott is a Divisional Director of Investec Wealth and Investment, and splits his time between London and his home office of Bournemouth.

Outside of work, Scott is happiest walking in the countryside with a dog by his side. He has been obsessed with birds of prey since a little boy, try’s his best to be a half decent fly fisherman and occasionally gets out for a run.

Fun fact

He loves Kestrels, and although clearly inappropriate for the Chairman, often admits that his favourite bird of prey at the Trust, is Scout.

Richard has been a lawyer since September 1990. He deals with all forms of dispute prevention and resolution work, including family, employment and business matters. As well as being a Director at the Trust, Richard also sits on the boards of local small businesses and sports associations.

In the late 1990s as he was commuting from Surrey to Bath, he would see the sign on the A303 every day, and one weekend decided to go and see what this Hawk Conservancy Trust place was all about that he had kept seeing signs for. He fell in love with the Trust and visited two or three times a year for two decades before he saw the advertisement asking for directors. Richard was delighted, honoured and somewhat surprised to be appointed back in 2019.

Away from the office, Richard is married to another lawyer and has a teenage son who also has a keen interest in animal welfare. Richard is an avid cricketer and plays for the Law Society Cricket Club and, more locally, Penn Street Cricket Club. He is also a writer whose work can be found in various magazines and on websites across the world.

Fun Fact

As a child, Richard narrowly avoided being run over by Roger Moore and has discovered that he is distantly related to Bruce Springsteen.

Adam has been on the board of the Trust since 2005. His primary responsibilities focus on scrutinising the Trust’s long-term financial health and short-term performance, and assisting with shaping and negotiation of external contracts with third parties.

Adam Johnson is a partner in Arundel Advisers, a strategic advisory firm, helping boards and senior management teams in retail, manufacturing and transport with a range of business issues.  These include setting and developing strategy, operations and organisation development and procurement advice. He has had a 40 year career with companies including IBM, Accenture and PwC.

Adam involvement with the Trust stems from Ash’s inspirational passion.  He was always interested in birds and first visited in 1993, then over the years he became friends and when he asked me to join the Board he was truly delighted.

Adam lives with his wife and daughter in rural Hampshire, surrounded by healthy populations of Red Kites, Buzzards and Barn Owls.

Fun fact

Adam has a 1954 Ferguson ‘Little Grey’ tractor which he’s planning to restore.

Matthew is a doctor specialising in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and also at Porton Down.

He has been a Director of the Hawk Conservancy since 2011 and focuses on supporting the research the Trust conducts, particularly at the National Bird of Prey Hospital™, which not only aids recovery of injured raptors but also builds an important body of research into their care and rehabilitation.

He has been visiting the Trust since he and his family arrived in Hampshire in 1990. His children always loved their visits and now he is thrilled to visit with his grand-daughter. Matthew has always loved the natural world and has a passion for wild places. He is a keen birdwatcher, especially owls and raptors.

Fun Fact

Matthew’s inspiration for wildlife and the natural world came from spotting a Snowy Owl in northern Canada when he was 12. He insisted on the car being stopped, leapt into a ditch and crossed snowy fields – all to try and get a better view!

Julia became a Director in 2020 and is incredibly proud to be help play her part in ensuring the future of the Trust. Retired from a career in Business Consulting in Financial Services, she is able to lend her skills of problem solving, and project and programme management when she is not travelling, walking and enjoying watching wildlife with her husband Neil.

Julia first fell in love with the Hawk Conservancy whilst on holiday in Wiltshire in 1991. Despite living in north Nottinghamshire, she has continued to visit the Trust regularly, signing up as a member and then a Life Member, as well as becoming a volunteer.

Fun fact

For those who have seen our puppet elephant appear on the odd occasion in displays at the Trust in the Savannah Arena, you may be intrigued to know that Julia was in fact the elephant wrangler!

Living in the Andover area, Gary was delighted to become a Trust Director in 2018.  Gary’s connection with the Trust began as a corporate client, bringing staff for experience days. A passing discussion with Ashley Smith and Andy Hinton led to the development of a leadership training course called ‘Don’t Just Feed Me Chicken!’ which ran for many years.

Gary trained as an engineer and spent the majority of his career working in the field of manufacturing and automation. Early in his career, Gary moved into sales and later into general management. Gary has always had a passion for people development, business strategy and organisational development. In 2017 he set up his own company, E3 Leadership Development Limited, to focus on this aspect of his work.

Fun fact

Gary’s other passion is football and he bears the burden of being a keen Leyton Orient supporter…..never mind!

Gail was delighted to join the Board in 2022. She first visited the Trust when her parents located to Andover from South Africa in 2016. Gail and her family became members at their first visit and enjoy regular visits to the Trust, despite living in London. Gail grew up in South Africa and has been fortunate to experience vultures in the wild doing what they do best, so the Trust’s connection with South Africa is a cause close to her heart.

Gail has more than 25 years’ experience working in hospitality for a large pub chain operator. Her day job is currently Director of HR and her role includes duties as a pension trustee and director of an employee benefit trust. She is now pleased to share her knowledge and experience to support the Trust. She first explored a board role following an appeal for directors at a members’ evening in 2021.

Fun fact

An early childhood visit to a wildlife park ended prematurely when one of the resident ducks took a dislike to an item of clothing Gail was wearing, chasing and pecking her until she was rescued by her father!

John became a Director in 2023 but his links with the Hawk Conservancy Trust go back a lot further.

Having been brought up locally he can remember visiting the Weyhill Zoo when very young, and then the European Wildlife Park and, of course, the Hawk Conservancy Trust! In the late 80’s while a veterinary student he spent time in each holiday volunteering and learning at the Trust before graduating and becoming its vet in 1990.

This is a role he kept until stepping back from clinical practice in 2023, and was delighted to be offered a role as a Trustee continuing working with this amazing collection.

Away from veterinary work, John enjoys theatre, birdwatching and pottering in the garden…and is yet another cricket-obsessive on the Board! His ultimate aim is to see Somerset finally win the county championship but assisting the Trust in its work to save vultures is probably a more realistic aim!

Fun fact

The main reason John came to work at the Trust was to overcome a fear of birds; it certainly worked and he has been obsessed ever since!