About Us

Chair

David became Chair of Benefact Trust in January 2026, following nine years as a Non-Executive Director of Ecclesiastical Insurance plc and Benefact Group plc, including six years as Chair.

David began his career in personal tax and UK trusts before a decade at Morgan Grenfell. He then spent 11 years in executive recruitment with Russell Reynolds Associates. In 1995, he joined Kleinwort Benson Group plc as Personnel Director, becoming Chief Executive of Kleinwort Benson Private Bank in 1997. From 2004 to 2008, he served as Chairman and continued as Senior Adviser until 2019. David currently holds several external Non-Executive Directorships.

Trustee

Trustee

David was appointed to the Board in October 2022. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Benefact Group plc. In addition, he is also a Non-Executive director of The R&A Group and a Trustee of The Fairtrade Foundation. He is a former Trustee of Christian Aid Kenya and until December 2023, was a member of the Advisory Panel to The Financial Reporting Council. A solicitor by background, David was a partner for 24 years in Herbert Smith Freehills, a global law firm based in London, practicing in corporate finance, board advisory and governance matters.

Trustee

Denise is a Chartered Accountant with significant industry experience, predominantly in financial services, having held senior finance roles at EY, Barclays, RBS, RSA and Good Energy Ltd.  She has helped to support sustainable, profitable growth, both organically and through M&A and to strengthen governance and oversight.  Most recently she was Group CFO and Executive Director for Benefact Group, before retiring from her executive career in June 2024.

She has been a non executive director / trustee since 2012 for a number of purpose led businesses including MacIntyre Charity and Skipton Building Society. She is currently a Non Executive Director at ITM Power plc, Julius Baer International Ltd and Chairs the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committees for the broking and asset management divisions within Benefact Group. In October 2024 she was appointed Chair of MacIntyre Academy Trust, a multi-academy special education trust and a Trustee / Director of Benefact Trust. 

Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2025, The Very Revd Sarah Brown has decades of experience both as a church and charity leader, culminating in her current role as Dean of Hereford. She previously served as a curate at a parish in Peterborough Diocese, whilst also heading up the national charity Farm Crisis Network (an ecumenical Christian voluntary organisation since renamed Farming Community Network). In 2011, she was appointed a full-time minister, taking on the role of Rural Dean of Daventry, and in 2015 she was made an Honorary Canon of Peterborough Cathedral assuming the role of Canon Missioner in 2018.

Trustee

Sir Stephen was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 1 January 2026. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. In addition, he is Vice-President of the Community Foundation for Surrey, Chairman of Painshill Park Trust, and Trustee of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. A Deputy High Bailiff of Westminster Abbey, he served as Receiver General from 2008 – 2018 and was previously Group Director at RBS. Earlier he was Private Secretary and Treasurer to the Prince of Wales and a member of HM Diplomatic Service with postings in New York, Tehran and Rome. Sir Stephen is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey. 

Trust Director

Head of Grants

Grants Officer (North of England and Scotland)

Senior Grants Officer (London & South East)

Senior Operations and Impact Officer

Senior Grants and Programmes Officer (Wales, West Midlands, South & South West)

Grants Officer (East and East Midlands)

Grants Operations Assistant

Grants Officer (Ireland - RoI and NI)

Appointed as Benefact Trust’s Grants Officer for Ireland in September 2025, Heather brings extensive experience across the financial and charity sectors, together with a strong commitment to faith-based service and community transformation. Her previous roles include involvement with church bodies, heritage preservation, community work and  development, with expertise in the area of charity law and governance.   She sits in a number of voluntary seats, including as a board member of the Lifes2Good Foundation. These experiences continue to strengthen her commitment to helping faith and community projects flourish across Ireland, which she considers to be a huge privilege. Heather is based in Galway, on the West coast of Ireland.

Grants Administrator

Head of Communications and Marketing

Senior Content Marketing Specialist

Digital and Design Specialist

Since joining the Trust in 2017, Hannah has played a pivotal role in transforming the Benefact Trust brand. She is now responsible for maintaining our brand identity as well as developing new creative across our many channels. A fine art graduate, Hannah lends her hand to multiple creative pursuits such as graphic design and podcast creation. On her role Hannah says, “It’s a pleasure to ensure the Trust is visible to the people that need our funding the most.”

Content Marketing Executive

Web and SEO Specialist

Emma joined the Marketing Team at Benefact Trust in early 2026 as a Web and SEO Specialist, focusing on website optimisation, digital content, improving user experience and online engagement. She has over 12 years’ experience in digital marketing, combining creative thinking with data-led strategy to deliver accessible, high-performing digital experiences. Her work supports the Trust in strengthening its online presence and connecting more effectively with its audiences. Emma says: “I’m excited to bring my experience to Benefact Trust and help shine a light on the Trust’s work, amplifying its message and the positive impact it has on the people and communities it serves.”