INDUSTRY EXPERTS JOIN TRANSAID’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES

22 September 2014

Transaid has appointed four new trustees with a wealth of experience in the health, transport and logistics sectors to help govern the charity as it continues to grow in size and scope.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Commissioner of Transport for London, Jeff Mecaskey, Partner and former Managing Director of Health Partners International, Jo Godsmark, Co-owner and Director of Labyrinth Logistics Consulting and James Keeler, Director of Garnett Keeler Public Relations, have all joined the board taking the total number of trustees to 16.

Caroline Barber, Transaid’s Acting Chief Executive, says: “We are delighted to have some of the most experienced and passionate, transport and logistics professionals joining us as trustees.

“It’s a really exciting time for Transaid as we continue to expand the number of projects we are running and with the support of all of our trustees, Transaid will continue to make a real difference to the lives of many people.”

Speaking on behalf of the trustees, Sir Peter, adds: “It’s a privilege to be involved with an organisation which implements truly life-changing solutions in developing countries.”

Sir Peter started his transport career in 1975 as a London Transport graduate trainee. In 2001 he served as Transport for London’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, before taking on his current role in 2006. Sir Peter was instrumental in preparing for the successful operation of London’s transport during the 2012 Olympics and was elected President of the International Public Transport Association in 2013. He was knighted in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list, having been awarded a CBE in 2006.
 
Jeff Mecaskey has been an active supporter of Transaid for many years, through his relationship with Health Partners International – a leading provider of international health sector expertise in systems development, maternal and child health and access to care. Jeff has worked with international, academic and non-governmental organisations around the world, including three years with the Peace Corps in Nepal. He also served as Head of Health and HIV with Save the Children UK.

Jo Godsmark started her career as a manufacturing engineer before heading up Mars’ logistics procurement team in the UK, where she was responsible for network strategy as well as tendering and contract negotiation. After a period managing distribution procurement across Europe, Jo left Mars in 2006 to develop the Supply Chain Design Company which merged with Labyrinth Logistics Consulting where Jo now heads the supply chain division and supporting the development on Labyrinth’s transport compliance system SilkThreadTM. Jo has provided her expertise on a pro-bono basis to Oxfam and is chair of the CILT’s Outsourcing and Procurement Forum.

James Keeler is the third generation of his family to lead full service B2B PR agency Garnett Keeler which has been providing pro bono PR support to Transaid since 2001. A former transport journalist, James joined his family’s business in 1999 and now heads the agency’s automotive and logistics practice. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and Garnett Keeler holds the Public Relations Consultants Association’s Communications Management Standard, an internationally-recognised hallmark of excellence awarded to fewer than 10 per cent of agencies in the UK.

The board of trustees is led by Graeme McFaull, Chairman of Transaid. The board also includes Sir John Harvey CBE, Robert Goundry, Bill Howie, John Mills, Alan Waller OBE, Stewart Oades, Maeve Magner, Jeff Turner, Harriet Dodd, Clare Bottle and Graham Inglis. For profiles of all trustees, visit: http://www.transaid.org/about-transaid/our-people.

ends

Note to Editor:

Transaid (www.transaid.org) is an international development agency that aims to improve people’s quality of life in the developing world by making transport more available and affordable. It was founded by Save the Children and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) and works by sharing skills and knowledge with local people to enable them to put in place and manage efficient transport systems.

Transaid’s core work includes creating transport management systems for the public sector and assisting with the provision of professional driving qualification development and the training of driver trainers. It also assists with teaching preventive vehicle maintenance management and introducing local, low cost transport solutions including its innovative bicycle ambulance. Transaid also helps promote road safety awareness and shares its specialist knowledge with the humanitarian aid sector.

Transaid enjoys strong backing from the transport and logistics industry and the active involvement of its patron, HRH The Princess Royal.

For further press information:

Aggie Krasnolucka-Hickman at Transaid +44 (0)20 7387 8136
Faye McBride at Garnett Keeler +44 (0)20 8647 4467

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