TICKETS FOR TROOPS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- the Partnerships and Operations Assistant
Aleksandra Logan joined the Tickets or Troops team in 2022 as the Partnerships and Operations Assistant. Occasionally her dog, Chutney, visits TFT HQ to ensure morale is high.
Alex Hill is President of AEG Europe. In this role, Alex is responsible for overseeing all activity and business units of AEG throughout Europe, which is split into the following divisions; AEG Presents, AEG Global Partnerships, AEG Real Estate, AEG Facilities and AEG Sport. This activity includes 20 music, sport and entertainment venues; a number of festivals including the Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park concert series; sports franchises such as German ice hockey club Eisbären Berlin and Stockholm's Hammarby Sports Association; entertainment districts The O2 in London and Mercedes Platz in Berlin and more diverse businesses such as MBNA Thames Clippers, the London river boat service.
Job Titles:
- Founder of Coulson Partners
Andy Coulson is the Founder of Coulson Partners, providing high-impact advice on corporate strategy, reputation and communications to CEOs, leaders and entrepreneurs. He is the former Downing Street Director of Communications and was Editor of the News of the World from 2003 until 2007. Andy continues to serve on the advisory board of Tickets For Troops, a charity he helped establish in 2009.
Job Titles:
- Partnerships and Operations Executive
Beth Masters is our Partnerships and Operations Executive, specialising in Music and Theatre. Beth has worked for Tickets For Troops since 2019.
Callum Duncanson is our Operations & Partnerships Executive, specialising in Sport. Callum has worked for Tickets For Troops since 2018.
He graduated from Staffordshire University with a degree in Sports Management and Development.
Job Titles:
- Consultant for the Secondary Ticketing
Carl Leighton-Pope started his music career in 1972 when he opened a recording studio in South Wales and managed a band called Sassafras, signed to Chrysalis Records. Sassafras toured the UK, Europe and the US in the mid seventies. After they broke up in 1977, Carl joined NEMS agency and signed acts including Dire Straits, Simple Minds, Patti Smith, The Motors, UFO and Camel. He formed the Performing Artists Network Agency in 1979 and extended his representation to acts including Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Huey Lewis, SAGA and The Fixx and went on to manage UFO.
In 1984, Carl signed Bryan Adams for his agency and Matt Bianco for management, taking both acts with him a year later, along with SAGA, when he set up Bonaire Records, publishing and management company with offices in London, Los Angeles and Munich.
In 1991, he started the Leighton-Pope Organisation enjoying substantial success touring The Chippendales, Bonnie Tyler and Van Morrison around Europe. He is still working with most of his artistes and his most recent client Michael Bublé has been selling out arenas throughout the world.
From January 1, 2004 he has taken on the role of a consultant to WWE and Harlem Globetrotters for all of their live performances outside North America. This is a huge role encompassing all territories in the world and developing the brand with live events in arenas.
Carl is also a consultant for the Secondary Ticketing company Viagogo.
Chris Wilson joined the Tickets For Troops Advisory Board in March 2021. He has been Chair of the Trustees of BFBS since December 2018, having been a member of the Board since 2010.
He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1973 and retired from the Army as a Major General in 2010, after a 38-year career which culminated in the appointment as Master General of the Ordnance and membership of the Army Board.
He joined Thales UK as the Head of Land Strategy and Marketing in 2011 before finally retiring in March 2019.
He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2004 and a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in 2009.
Colin Montgomerie is one of his generation's most recognisable and endearing sports stars and is a true statesman of golf. Over the last two decades Colin has emerged as the undisputed leading European golfer. Colin, known affectionately to millions around the world as "Monty", is one of Britain's most admired sportsmen and has held centre stage in numerous tournament victories and in eight titanic Ryder Cup Matches as a player and in October 2010 he captained the victorious 2010 European Ryder Cup Team at Celtic Manor.
"Tickets For Troops is a fantastic idea, a small way of thanking our troops for their bravery and the sacrifices they make. I was honoured to be invited out to Camp Bastion to meet the troops and to see first-hand the dangers they face and the professional and confident way they carry out their duties. Tickets For Troops is the opportunity to give something back to the troops and their families."
Job Titles:
- Chairman and CEO of One of the UK
David Joseph is the Chairman and CEO of one of the UK's leading music companies, and is responsible for more than one in three albums sold in the UK and is currently enjoying success with a diverse range of artists including Cheryl Cole, Snow Patrol, Lady Gaga and The Black Eyed Peas as well as Duffy and Take That - the two biggest-selling artists of 2008.
David and Simon Reuben are well known British businessmen and philanthropists. They are joint chief executives of Reuben Brothers, a private company with over £6 billion under control. The company's main interests are real estate, private equity and venture capitalism and has been involved in a number of major business transactions.
A former professional football player with Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra, Whelan is an entreprenuer and the current owner of Wigan Athletic. He is the former owner of JJB Sports and owns the DW Stadium (formerly the JJB Stadium) where Wigan Athletic and the Wigan Warriors RLFC play.
"I am fully supportive of this excellent initiative by David Cameron. We are very happy to support our boys in this way, and I will do everything possible to persuade other premierships clubs to join with this"
Lieutenant Colonel Elisabeth Roberts commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1999 and has a rewarding and varied career serving on operations including Northern Ireland and Iraq as well as having extensive experience in the training environment. She currently works in the MOD delivering Defence's contribution to national commemorative events and leading the Defence improving gender balance programme.
Elisabeth's relationship with Tickets For Troops began in 2016 when she took on the new role of Donor Liaison and Ambassador Coordinator, including responsibility for designing, implementing and leading the new volunteer ambassador programme. Her background and degree is in the Arts and Elisabeth is a passionate advocate for the value of the Arts being acknowledged and made accessible to everyone.
Evie Blades is the Director of Operations, Evie joined Tickets For Troops in 2018 on a three month temporary contract that got a bit out of hand. Prior to that Evie was managing commercial property sites spanning Herefordshire and South Wales.
Frank Warren is an English boxing manager and promoter, and has managed some of Britain's best boxers of the last twenty five years, including 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. In December 2007, Warren was elected for induction in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted in June 2008. Warren was also the founder and owner of the London Arena.
Freddie Flintoff is a cricketer for England. Since his debut in 1998, Flintoff has become an integral player and has both captained and vice-captained the team. Flintoff, according to the ICC rankings, was consistently rated amongst the top international allrounders in both ODI and Test cricket. Flintoff holds the record for the most sixes scored for England, beating Ian Botham's record of 67.
"I know exactly what the troops are going through from my recent experiences of travelling to Afghanistan to meet them. I was extremely moved by the whole experience and met some incredible people while I was out there. The Tickets for Troops scheme will hopefully help them and make them realize how grateful we are for their efforts."
Lineker is a retired English International Football Striker, and is now a sports broadcaster for the BBC and Eredivisie live. He remains England's top World Cup scorer with 10 goals. He began his career at Leicester City and became known as a prolific goal scorer. He made his England debut in 1984 and over the following 8 years he scored a remarkable 48 goals- England's all time second highest goal scorer ever.
Gary Lydiate is CEO of Kilfrost Group. Prior to that he served 20 years in the Royal Navy and held a senior appointment at BAE Systems.
Hastings is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. He has played for Watsonians, Cambridge University, Scotland and the British and Irish Lions and was one of the outstanding rugby union players of his generation, winning 61 caps for Scotland, 20 of which as captain.
General Nick Houghton is a former United Kingdom Chief of Defence Staff - the professional Head of the UK's Armed Forces. He stood down in July 2016 and is now the Constable of The Tower of London and a Cross-Bench Peer in the House of Lords.
Nick Houghton joined the Army in 1973 straight from school aged 18. He was commissioned from Sandhurst into the Green Howards, a Yorkshire Infantry Regiment. In his early twenties he undertook an in-Service degree in Modern History at St Peter's College, Oxford. In a 43 year military career he served seven times in Northern Ireland earning operational awards as both a Commanding Officer and a Brigade Commander in Belfast. He was the Deputy Commander of the Multi-National Force Iraq in 2005-6 for which he was awarded the US Legion of Merit. He was the Chief of Joint Operations from April 2006 to May 2009, in charge of all overseas operations of UK Forces, including the final extraction from Iraq. He was both Vice Chief then Chief of Defence Staff over the period 2009-2016 during the time of two Strategic Defence Reviews and the end of combat operations in Afghanistan. He was the Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps and the founding Colonel of the Yorkshire Regiment.
On leaving the Army Nick Houghton established his own consultancy company which specialises in giving strategic advice to multinational corporates. He also advises a number of technical start-ups. More widely he is a Trustee of the Royal United Services Institute , Historic Royal Palaces, Royal Armouries and The HM Tower of London Chapels Royal Foundation. He is an Honorary Fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford. His weekend home is in Richmond, North Yorkshire where he lives with his wife Maggie. They have two grown up children: Thomas and Sophie.
The British Army Officer and Chief of the General Staff began his career at 19 in the Intelligence Corps in 1963. He was subsequently commander of Kfor in Kosovo as well as being an IFOR commander in Bosnia. Amongst other posts he was appointed Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 1997. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff during the Iraq war, and relinquished the post in 2006. Read Profile →
Heather Stanning is a British rower and Royal Artillery officer. She is a Captain in the 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery, and was given leave from the army to pursue an Olympic career with the British team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Paired with Helen Glover, the duo won a gold medal, the first for their country of the 2012 Games and the first ever British Olympic gold medal in women's rowing.
"I think Tickets For Troops is a great scheme and know many people who have benefited from it. Such an easy way to boost morale and a small token of appreciation to the forces family."
Helen Parker is the Executive Vice President at NBC Universal
Job Titles:
- President of Live Nation Europe - Concerts
John Reid is responsible for running the European touring and festival business for Live Nation. Reid joined Live Nation Entertainment as President of Live Nation Europe-Concerts in January of 2012.
Prior to joining Live Nation Entertainment, he served as President of Warner Music Europe and Vice Chairman of Warner Music International. He joined Warner Music Group in 2000, where he ran international marketing and the development of several US stars including Michael Buble, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Green Day and Linkin Park, as well as the global prominence of European artists such as Muse, James Blunt and Enya.
Earlier in his career, he served as President of Island Def Jam in the US, CEO of Polygram Canada, and was an artist manager. Reid holds a business degree from Trinity College Dublin.
Beharry was awarded the Victoria Cross in 2005, the highest decoration for valour in the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces. He achieved this by twice saving members of his unit from ambushes at Al Amarah, Iraq in 2004. He sustained serious head injuries in the latter engagement. Beharry is the first recipient of the Cross in more than 20 years.
Stone is an English Soul and R&B singer. She emerged to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album "The Soul Sessions." Throughout her career she has sold over 10 million albums worldwide- more than any other British soul singer in the 2000's. She has won Two BRIT Awards and one Grammy. She also made her Film Acting Debut in 2006 in the film, Eragon.
Kevin Godlington grew up in state care in Lancashire. Aged 16 he joined the army with no qualifications. Kevin left regular and reserve service in 2003 having served on operations all over the world.
Kevin is now the founder and the CEO of an African development company that specializes in working in former conflict nations. He leads investment teams in setting up large scale agricultural projects. Kevin is currently responsable for managing assets of over $100M in four different countries across Africa.
In 2010 Kevin set up the Godlington Foundation which operates orphanages in Sierra Leone and provides funding for veterans initiatives in the UK.
Job Titles:
- CEO of Chelsea Green Salon
Lisa Marie Rowland has a broad range of international asset management experience extending over 30 years; working in the USA, Japan, Spain and the UK. Former Managing Director/Hedge Fund Manager, Robertson Stephens Fund Management. Board member, Managing Director/Hedge Fund Manager at JO Hambro Capital Management. CEO of Pinnacle Towers UK Limited. Since 2013, Fund Manager and CEO of Bowdon Capital Limited, a family office. Special advisor to Lyra in Africa, a charity providing housing and education to girls in rural Tanzania. Volunteer in UK glassdoor.org.uk, a route out of homelessness.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Position of Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council
Lord Marland of Odstock retired as the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy and Chairman of the Business Ambassador Network at 1 January 2014.
He is the former Minister for the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2010 and subsequently for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Lord Marland took up the position of Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council in February 2014.
He was one of the founding directors of Jardine Lloyd Thompson plc, a multinational insurance business and also founded the Jubilee insurance company at Lloyd's of London.
He led the acquisitions of Janspeed Ltd (automotive engineering and manufacturing); Hunter Boot Ltd; Insurance Capital Partners; Jubilee Insurance Ltd; WH Ireland Ltd (stockbroker); Cricketer Ltd and Tamara Mellon, LLC (fashion)
Lord Marland is married to Penny, a probation officer, and they have two sons and two daughters.
Joined Cameron Mackintosh in 1981 as executive producer for Cats and subsequently Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Oliver! and My Fair Lady. Executive producer of the film of Les Misérables and both the bestselling Concert DVDs from the O2 and Royal Albert Hall. Since 2000, Managing Director of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, a worldwide production company which also owns Music Theatre International in New York and seven (soon to be nine) West End theatres.
For ten years he has been Chairman of the Soho Theatre & Writers Centre, London and also a trustee of the iconic Roundhouse. He was a board member of the London 2012 Olympic Festival and was one of the panel to select the UK City of Culture 2017. A member of the Mayor of London's Cultural Strategy Group and a UK Business Ambassador, he was awarded an OBE for services to theatre and charity by the Queen in the 2014 New Years Honours.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Pop Group Procol Harum to the Ticket Agency See Tickets
Nick Blackburn has had a diverse career; from Manager of pop group Procol Harum to the ticket agency See Tickets. He set up See Tickets in 2002 after spending 12 years at rival group, Ticketmaster. His company employs 400 people and sells tickets to all the major events and shows in the UK.
Pauline was born in Chester and lives on the outskirts of Hull where her husband John Prescott, the former Deputy Prime Minister, was Labour MP for 40 years. Mother of three boys, Pauline trained as a hairdresser and it was her wages that supported them during John's eight years of university. As well as being a patron for Tickets for Troops, Pauline also campaigns on behalf of osteoporosis sufferers.
Job Titles:
- Trustee of the Churchill International Society
He is Chairman of Tickets For Troops and Peggy Guggenheim (UK), trustee of the Churchill International Society, President of The Outdoor Trust, and The Atlantic Partnership and Patron of Salisbury and South Wiltshire Cricket.
Richard Johnson is arguably one of the greatest Jump Jockeys that Britain has seen, joining just a handful of greats to have ridden over 2,000 horses to victory. Runner-up to the exceptional AP McCoy in the Jump Jockey Championship for the last 15 years, Richard is one of only two jockeys riding today to have won all four of Cheltenham's major races.
"I am absolutely thrilled at the level of support that British horseracing has shown to Tickets for Troops, even more so to play a personal role in backing this initiative. Hopefully this pledge from so many kind supporters goes some way to showing our brave service men and women how much we appreciate the incredible work that they do every day on our behalf."
Robert joined the Army in 1977, and commissioned into the Scots Guards. He served in West Belfast and qualified as a jungle warfare instructor in Brunei, later working in Africa. Robert was awarded an MC in the Falklands and was hit by a 7.62 round to the head. Wheelchair bound for about two years he still carries a paralysed left arm, foot and ankle, left leg. In the film 'Tumbledown', Robert's character was portrayed by Colin Firth. Robert worked for some years in West End and New York Theatre, Film and Television. He also has experience of working in the Private Military sector.
Job Titles:
- Principal of Bowdon Capital Ltd
Robert A. Rowland is the Principal of Bowdon Capital Ltd, a U.K. Family Office and is also a main board member of Digme Fitness. He began working in the investment industry in 1988. Prior to creating Bowdon in 2014, Robert was a partner and Managing Director with Lazard Frères in NYC, Soros Funds Limited, a fund manager with Odey Asset Management. Robert was in the RAF University Air Squadron for three years prior to starting in banking.
Robert is married to Lisa Marie, the CEO of Chelsea Green Salon and they have 3 sons and one daughter.
Sir Anthony Bamford assumed the role of Chairman and MD of JCB diggers in 1975. He was named young businessman of the year in 1979 and top exporter of the year in 1995. He was Knighted in 1990 at the age of 44. Today JCB is the UK's premier manufacturer of construction equipment and exports its products to 140 territories around the world.
Air Marshal Sir Peter Norriss had 35 years in the Royal Air Force as a pilot, flying instructor and operational commander on fast-jet aircraft, before moving into staff appointments largely involved with future equipment. He retired from the RAF in 2001 when Deputy Chief of Defence Procurment (Operations) and Controller Aircraft on the Air Force Board. He then had several appointments advising aeropace and defence companies, was a non-executive director, and now acts as a university adviser. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and of Harvard Business Schools' Advanced Management Program.
One of the country's leading entrepreneurs, Stephen started finance broker Loans.co.uk in 1997 and sold it to MBNA in 2005. During those 8 years, he grew annual turnover to £100m, with £25m annual profits. At the point of sale, Loans.co.uk employed over 400 people across 3 sites. Under his leadership, Loans.co.uk were awarded numerous accolades, including coming 5th in the prestigious "Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For" Awards.
His leadership was also separately acknowledged in the Awards. Whilst at Loans.co.uk he was Chairman of Lawrence Dallaglio's benefit year, and the driving force in the Committee achieving their target of raising £1m for charity. An amazing sum, and one unprecedented in this arena by some considerable margin. On leaving Loans.co.uk, Stephen bought a substantial shareholding in Wycombe Wanderers and took on the role of Managing Director. A fierce patriot, Stephen was the driving force behind London Wasps inaugural St. Georges Day game.
A Scottish professional snooker player, at 21 Hendry was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years. Hendry also holds the distinction of most world ranking titles (36) and leads the field with well over 700 competitive century breaks.
"This is a chance for us to say, in however small a way, 'thank you' to those who are protecting our safety. We look forward to seeing some of the soldiers attending tournaments and I'm sure all of the players will want to put on a good show for them."
Gerrard is captain of Liverpool football club and plays for the England. His honours include two FA Cup wins, two League Cup wins, a UEFA Cup win and a UEFA Champions League win in 2005. As of 13 May 2009, Gerrard is also the current holder of the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award. In the the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he was England's top goalscorer with two goals.
Stuart runs Stuart Higgins Media, a Public Relations company specialising in promoting and protecting brands and people. He has a wide range of clients including well-known individuals and major companies, sports stars and sports organisations. He is a previous editor of The Sun newspaper, where he worked for twenty years. He has built up a vast network of contacts and connections which have helped promote the charity and raise its profile in the media and with the general public. He also works with the Armed Forces charity which supports servicemen and women who have lost limbs BLESMA and British Forces Broadcasting Services.