Government appointed Envoy Kate Willard OBE, leads a talented executive team of industry experts, guided and driven by a privately-led board whose members include key business and political leaders from across North Kent, South Essex, East London, the City of London and the River Thames.
Together, the Growth Board works as a single voice to accelerate fair growth across the Thames Estuary
Kate Willard OBE
Chair and Thames Estuary Envoy
Kate Willard OBE is our Chair, the Government-appointed Envoy for the Thames Estuary and the driving force behind the UK’s most dynamic growth area.
Her extensive experience in logistics and transport, is just one part of a colourful career, which has taken her from an apprenticeship at the Theatre Royal and roles as an actress and director, to leading initiatives at regional aviation, and chairing the board at Teesside International Airport. A Churchill Fellow and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Kate’s approach is defined by direct involvement in projects that spur regional growth and infrastructure development.
She is a force of nature, with a pragmatic and results-focused approach to development and leadership, Kate embodies the ethos of effective execution and strategic foresight.
Put simply, she gets shit done.
Executive Team.
Amelia Cole
Amelia Cole is our Events Manager, responsible for overseeing all internal and external events for the Thames Estuary Growth Board, as well as acting as Executive Assistant to the Envoy and providing support for our senior team.
She has over 14 years of administrative experience, predominantly within the legal sector and has worked for some of the largest international law firms throughout her career, including Herbert Smith Freehills and MinterEllison.
She has a background in alternative dispute resolution as well as corporate litigation and finance and has supported c-suite senior executives across those sectors.
Amelia is a keen walker and a dog enthusiast; her interests include combining the two whenever possible in the Essex countryside, ideally with the inclusion of a pub lunch.
Anjali Dahya
Anjali Dahya is our Team Coordinator, who provides administrative support and project assistance to our team.
With a background in customer service and administrative roles, Anjali brings over 8 years of experience cultivated from her time at various organisations, from Ted Baker to Xero, a global tech company.
Anjali is a keen traveller, currently embarking on her OE, traversing the diverse landscapes and cultures of Europe, an exciting change from her small hometown of Wellington in New Zealand.
Ben Everingham
Ben Everingham is our Strategy and Planning Manager, working across business operations, strategy, and planning.
His career began in banking transformation/digital before moving to a boutique consultancy where he spent five years leading projects across EMEA. Most recently, Ben worked in multiple strategic roles at micro-mobility scale-up, TIER Mobility, where he led and worked across Post-Merger Integrations, Transformation, Strategic Projects, M&A, Cost Reductions, and Operational Planning. Ben’s wide-ranging experience and skillset enables him to dynamically traverse across business priorities and undertake different roles as required.
Ben is highly active, insatiably curious, and a keen traveller.
David Godfrey
David Godfrey is our Executive Director working across several Thames Estuary priorities including infrastructure, housing and communications.
He has been a Policy Advisor on Local Government and Local Growth to two Secretaries of State, Director of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and a Shadow Cabinet Chief of Staff. He worked closely with Lord Heseltine in Government, supporting the early development of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission which led to the creation of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
David remains a Policy Advisor at Kent County Council and has wide-ranging expertise from working closely with Council Leaders and Cabinet Members, both within Kent and nationally.
In addition, David is a Visiting Fellow of the Localis think tank for whom he has written, and contributed to, national reports on local economic growth. He has worked across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Shona Johnstone
Shona Johnstone is our Portfolio Director for Housing and Infrastructure. She has extensive experience in local government having been a councillor for many years and leading on key infrastructure projects, including the new town of Northstowe and the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, which is the longest in the world. Having retired from politics Shona joined the Department for Transport leading key future road studies before heading the consultation on the third runway at Heathrow. After five years at Homes England she is bringing her knowledge of the Thames Estuary, housing and transport to the Board.
Outside of work Shona loves spending time working in her garden, turning what was a field into an orchard, fruit and vegetable garden, along with an enthusiasm for singing sacred choral music with a local choir.
Alexis Kok
Alexis Kok is our Investment Associate, supporting the development of investment propositions across workstreams, including River Freight, Digital, and Renewable Energy.
Before joining our team, Alexis was a consulting analyst at a leading specialist management consultancy, where she focused on strategy and implementation projects within the financial services industry.
With a diverse background that spans management consulting, law, renewable energy, and digital assets, Alexis brings valuable experience in strategic thinking, problem-solving, and project management to the Growth Board.
She also has an impressive academic background, holding a Masters in Management from London Business School and a dual degree in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Social Sciences (Government & Law) from the University of Hong Kong.
Alex Mann
Alex Mann is our Portfolio Director for Creative Industries and Head of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor, dedicated to developing the creative economy across the region. With a career that includes impactful roles at Arts Council England, Musicians Union, and the Music Venue Trust.
Alex has consistently advocated for artists and creative businesses. His work focuses on creating opportunities for local talent and attracting investment to support economic growth and recovery.
Alex’s personal interests reflect his professional life; he is a fan of Dream Pop, UK Garage music, and the enigmatic world of ‘Twin Peaks’, as well as being an avid collector of antique furniture.
Frances Moffett-Kouadio
Frances Moffett-Kouadio is our Strategic Investment Director, where she uses her extensive international experience to drive fair investment into the Thames Estuary area. Her career spans over 15 years in diplomatic positions across South Africa, the UAE, Hong Kong, and the USA. Frances’s background in trade and investment is complemented by her intimate knowledge of the Thames Estuary, having grown up sailing its waters. This unique blend of local and international expertise enables her to effectively spearhead investment initiatives that enhance regional development.
Frances has a passion for music, and before her career shift, she was a semi-professional singer with her own jazz band, a skill she occasionally revives to delight her colleagues.
Hannah Staunton
Hannah Staunton is our Director of Communications, steering all brand, narrative, and media activity, to spread the good word about the Thames Estuary and the fantastic work of the Growth Board. Previously, Hannah has worked extensively on major infrastructure projects and the built environment, driving the communications for projects including the redevelopment of King’s Cross Station, Thameslink, and East West Rail.
Hannah is passionate about global exploration with extensive travel experience across South-East Asia and a memorable time living in China. She’s currently enjoying discovering hidden gems across the Thames Estuary.
Andy Thompson
Andy Thompson is our Portfolio Director for Renewable Energy, bringing a wealth of experience in international trade and investment. His previous roles include positions with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and the Canadian High Commission in London, where he managed significant investment projects across industries such as Financial Services, Technology, Energy, and Defence and Security. At the Growth Board, Andy is responsible for advancing renewable energy projects, including the development of the Thames Estuary Hydrogen cluster and new district heat networks.
His personal interests in sports and travel often intersect, resulting in memorable moments which include attending the Rugby World Cup in France.
Gyula Törzsök
Gyula Törzsök is our Portfolio Director for Logistics, Digital and Green Spaces. He is instrumental in transforming innovative concepts into actionable and investable projects across the Estuary. Gyula is at the forefront of driving substantial economic growth within the Thames Estuary region. His professional skills are built on a solid foundation of strategic investment appraisal and partnership development across both public and private sectors. Before joining the board, Gyula honed his skills at Inner Circle Consulting, where he led multi-disciplinary teams in strategy development and risk management.
Gyula combines his work life with a deep personal interest in global economics and technology.
Holly Williams
Holly Williams is our Chief Operating Officer, overseeing business operations, strategy, and planning. Her career began in advising multinational corporations on international tax structuring before transitioning to PwC UK’s Technology Investment Team, where she developed investment strategies and managed funding approaches for technology portfolios. Holly’s expertise also includes leading special finance projects in scale-up environments, making her a key player in both strategic and operational capacities.
A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Holly’s commitment to professional growth is matched by her dedication to mentoring and supporting the next generation of leaders in finance and technology.
Board.
Councillor Kevin Bentley
Councillor Kevin Bentley is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, the Leader of Essex County Council and Member for Stanway and Pyefleet.
Kevin Bentley was elected to Essex County Council in 2009 and appointed as the Deputy Cabinet Member to the Leader. Having served two years in this post he was promoted to the Cabinet in 2011 and appointed Deputy Leader to the Council 2013, where he led on Economic Growth and Infrastructure. He was elected Leader of the Council in May 2021.
Kevin is also a Colchester Borough Councillor and has previously been Leader of the Conservative Group in Colchester. He has also served in the Colchester Borough Councillor Cabinet of holding the portfolio for Business, Tourism and Leisure. He has also stood for Parliament twice in Colchester. Outside of politics Kevin is the Chairman of the awarding winning PR agency Mosaic Publicity and is a journalist by profession. Before leaving to set up Mosaic Publicity in 2000 he spent 20 years working for the BBC as a radio and television reporter and producer.
He is also Chairman of LGA Brexit Task & Finish Group and Chairman of LGA People’s and Places Board.
Emily Buckley
Emily Buckley is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and lead for Green Spaces.
Emily is a strategy manager at Lightsource bp, a global solar developer in which bp owns a 50% stake.
Since joining the firm in 2017, her accomplishments include supporting bp’s initial $200 million investment, helping to start a green private equity fund in India and leading Lightsource bp’s expansion into Egypt.
Emily started her career in consulting and private equity, and holds a first-class degree in Economics from UCL.
In 2019, she was listed in both the “Forbes 30 under 30” and bp’s International Women’s Day list of “women advancing the energy transition”.
In her free time, Emily is an advocate of “zero waste” living and has invested in a zero-waste beauty & personal care retail start-up.”
Devrim Celal
Devrim Celal is Deputy Co-Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and joint lead for Hydrogen with Gavin Chapman.
Devrim is the CEO of KrakenFlex, formerly Upside Energy, which joined the Octopus Energy Group in 2020 to add another layer of capabilities to Octopus’s energy technology platform, ‘Kraken’.
KrakenFlex’s cloud-based technology platform controls distributed energy assets such as large-scale batteries, EVs, or heat pumps with machine learning and AI to match electricity supply and demand, helping the electricity grid deal with the natural volatility of renewable generation. KrakenFlex is currently contracted to manage over 1,600 MW of power with further 2 GWs of renewable generation to come online through 2022.
Before starting KrakenFlex, Devrim’s professional career saw him take up executive roles with blue chip management consultancies and finance companies such as Publicis Sapient, Kearney and Lansdowne. He also holds an MBA from Yale University and is an independent non-executive director of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, where he co-chairs the hydrogen committee, and a Member of the Yale University Alumni Association Board of Governors.
Gavin Chapman
Gavin Chapman is Deputy Co-Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and joint lead for Hydrogen with Devrim Celal.
Gavin is Managing Director, Co-Head Principal Investments, at Barclays.
He has 28 years of financial services experience across both buy-side and sell-side businesses.
He joined Barclays in 2003 in the credit trading division, working in both London and New York.
From 2008, Gavin became Chief Operating Officer of the Funds and Advisory business of the investment bank, which managed £5bn of institutional investor money invested in equity, debt and alternative asset classes and across a variety of geographies.
From 2014-17, Gavin ran Business Divestment for Barclays Non-Core, selling over twenty businesses globally.
He is currently responsible for a £3bn portfolio of mainly private equity investments for both the Bank and top tier institutional co-investors.
Before Barclays, he worked in a variety of Audit, Finance and business support roles in Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank and Deloitte.
Gavin is a Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and Association of Corporate Treasurers.
Stephen Dance
Stephen Dance is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
He has more than 30 years of experience in infrastructure projects. Recently his focus has been on the delivery of the UK’s critical economic infrastructure projects in transport, energy, water, waste and telecommunications, as well as the provision of infrastructure to deliver urban regeneration and housing.
Stephen is also a Non-Executive Director of Local Partnerships. Previously Stephen headed Partnerships UK’s major projects division and whilst at DTZ advised on a broad range of real estate areas, ranging from the privatisation of BAA to complex transactions such as the BBC’s property Public – Private Partnership (PPP) and the sale of British Coal non-mining assets.
In his current role, he leads a delivery team of commercial specialists that are deployed actively across government to provide advice, expertise and experience on the delivery of complex major projects including High Speed Two (HS2), Rural Broadband, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Mersey Bridge and Hinkley Point.
Councillor Roger Gough
Councillor Roger Gough is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and the Leader of Kent County Council.
Having served as the Member for Darent Valley – now Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley – since 2005, he previously held the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education as well as other Cabinet roles since 2006.
Roger sits on the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board and Chairs the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration board. He has a strong record of national politics through work for think tanks such as the Policy Exchange and Localis.
Before entering local government, Roger worked in investment banking for sixteen years, including living and working in Japan for three years. He has written widely on policy issues and is the author of two books.
Carla Guerrera
Carla Guerrera is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and lead for Green Places.
As a globally recognized real estate development professional, Carla combines the fields of real estate development and urban planning. Carla has delivered over $1bn of complex, mixed-use real estate development across Canada’s top markets over the past 20 years. Notable projects include leading the West Don Lands waterfront revitalization on Toronto’s waterfront, one of the world’s most advanced waterfront revitalization initiatives.
Carla has been awarded the prestigious Urban Land Institutes Top 40 Under 40 Global Land Use Professionals Award, as well as Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40 Award.
Carla is the Founder and CEO of Purpose Driven Development and Planning, a company which brings a proven approach to unlocking successful development in our complex urban environments for developers, public sector and First Nations clients to create communities where we can all thrive.
Carla was recently appointed to the Thames Estuary Growth Board, UK’s largest growth opportunity focused on the revitalization along the Thames River with a £1.5bn investment and recovery post-Brexit and post-Covid.
Locally she also serves on the British Columbia Pavilion Corporation Board. Carla is an international thought leader and speaker on innovative approaches to development and city building.
Peter Hogg
Peter Hogg is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
Peter is Arcadis’ London City Executive, accountable for key activity in the UK’s capital. He also leads for Arcadis on Place-making. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with 24 years’ industry experience he has a keen understanding of how to align built and natural assets to the vision, strategy and key priorities of our clients. He has a particular interest in creating successful cities.
Peter has been involved in some of London’ biggest infrastructure programmes of recent years including the Jubilee Line Extension, St Pancras International Station and Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
Councillor Jeremy Kite MBE
Councillor Jeremy Kite MBE is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and the Leader of Dartford Borough Council.
Jeremy has been the Leader since 2006 and a Member of Kent County Council since June 2009, where he is a Deputy Cabinet Member.
Jeremy is a Director of Dartford Football Club and is involved with several local charities and groups. He has a particular interest in civic design – he has worked with designer Wayne Hemingway on a housing development, with architect Ken Shuttleworth on Dartford Dojo, and his council was responsible for commissioning the award-winning Princes Park football stadium.
In 2015 he was appointed to the Board of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation by the Secretary of State.
Jeremy was awarded an MBE in 2012.
Vera Kukic
Vera Kukic is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
She is a Partner in IBM’s Strategy Consulting business and is the UK lead for Sustainability in the Financial Service sector. As part of leading IBM’s Financial Services UK Sustainability team Vera is focusing on advancing IBM’s purpose in sustainability and broadening the understanding of what role data and technology can play on the sustainability journey.
Vera has 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector which spans a wide range of strategy, operating model design and business restructuring as well as large scale business and technology transformation. The last 5 years of her career have been spent on building teams, competencies, and functions into new business for the consulting firms she works for. Prior to joining IBM, she was with EY and Oliver Wyman.
She holds an MBA from London Business School and a Bachelor of Science Honours (Computer Science and Information Systems) from Rhodes University in South Africa.
Robin Mortimer
Robin Mortimer is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
Robin Mortimer joined the Port of London Authority (PLA) as Chief Executive in 2014. The PLA is responsible for promoting the safe and sustainable use of the tidal River Thames.
Prior to joining the PLA, Robin had 20 years experience in the UK civil service working on transport, environment, infrastructure and overseas development.
Robin was the lead author of the UK Climate Change Act, which became law in 2007. As a Director in Defra, he led the Government’s Adapting to Climate Change programme, oversaw creation of the Canal & River Trust, and directed policy on farming and the environment.
Robin is a member of the CBI’s London Council and, since 2012, a trustee of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
Jules Pipe
Jules Pipe is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board.
Jules Pipe is Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration & Skills. In his role, he is working on key priorities for the Mayor, including revision of the London Plan; major regeneration projects across the capital; ensuring London’s infrastructure needs are delivered to benefit all Londoners; and building a skills system that properly addresses the needs of young people and the economy.
Jules has extensive knowledge of London government, becoming the first directly elected mayor of Hackney in 2002 and serving as Chair of London Councils from 2010 until he joined the Mayor’s team in 2016.
Councillor Darren Rodwell
Councillor Darren Rodwell is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and the Leader of Barking & Dagenham Council.
Darren became the Leader in 2014. Since then, he has established the borough as one of the most important growth opportunities in London.
Darren has focused on moving beyond the borough’s industrial past, bringing the community forward as the borough embraces its identity as one of the most forward-thinking parts of London. Under his leadership, the borough has undergone a programme of sustainable regeneration, welcoming world class universities, and ground-breaking start-ups.
Most recently, the capital’s biggest film studio has been launched in the borough across two sites.
Darren is currently the Deputy Chair of London Councils, having served on the Executive since 2016 – first as the Executive Member for City Development and now as the Executive Member for Housing and Planning. In his current role he has prioritised the delivery of truly affordable housing in the capital, fire safety, reducing homelessness and reducing the use of temporary accommodation.
Darren is also a member of the Homes for Londoners Board, Arts Council England, the Arts Council for London and, since September 2019, Vice Chair on the LGA Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board.
Both Darren and the Council have won numerous awards, including LGC Council of the Year for 2018 and the LGIU Leader of the Year Award in 2019. Darren was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by Coventry University in November 2021, a reflection of his efforts to expand the educational opportunities available to Barking and Dagenham residents.
Rupert Wood
Rupert Wood is a member of Thames Estuary Growth Board.
Rupert is Head of Strategic Land at ALMCOR, a MARCOL company, which is a real estate company specialising in investment, development and asset management. Rupert oversees ALMCOR’s strategic land portfolio of large-scale complex regeneration projects in key growth locations, including Thames Enterprise Park in Thurrock.
Prior to joining ALMCOR, Rupert worked for St. Modwen Properties Plc, a FTSE 250 company, as a senior executive, where he was latterly responsible for the group’s £750m income generating portfolio across all real estate sectors and St. Modwen Energy. Before St Modwen, he was at Lendlease managing major urban regeneration developments in Norwich, Warrington and the Shell Centre redevelopment on the South Bank.
Rupert, having chaired the LandAid Midlands Regional Board, is a member of the LandAid Fundraising Committee, the property industry charity working to ‘End Youth Homelessness’ in the UK.
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