LONDON YOUTH ROWING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Trustee
- Corporate Banking Analyst at Citi
Akash is a Corporate Banking Analyst at Citi in the Global Subsidiary Group in London.
He is an avid sailor, sailing regularly off the English and Irish coast.
Akash holds a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Sciences from Kings College London and rowed for his university team. Originally from Mauritius, he enjoys spending time snorkelling and being on the water.
Member of the Finance Committee
Job Titles:
- Salesforce and Website Administrator / Operations
Aleks joined LYR in 2021 as part of the Kickstart scheme. He works as an administrator for our database and website systems.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Engagement & Events
- Director of Events and Corporate Partnerships
Avril moved to London, from Canada in 2003 to complete an MSc from Imperial College. It was meant to be a one year stay, but she fell in love with the city and failed to return home. She's spent the last 18 years working in finance, focussed on complex international energy issues, most recently decarbonization / energy transition.
She started sculling in 1995, as a junior, at the Calgary Rowing Club and been on the water ever since. The Thames (and her single scull) has become one ofher favourite places to be for a quiet break from London's chaos. She lives in Putney with her husband and two young children.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations and Coach Development
As someone who has benefited from the opportunities that LYR offer when I was younger, I now get to give back while doing something that I love and that's an incredible feeling. Having progressed from the role of Community Coach, I am now based behind-the-scenes at LYR and have varied responsibilities. I am mainly responsible for how we operate day-to-day. It's my job to ensure that we are operating safely and are always looking to improve how we deliver. I am based at the Royal Docks Adventure but also oversee how we work across other sites. As well as the general operations, I work on two local delivery programmes based at the RDA as well as being Child Welfare Officer for LYR. I love the variety that my role includes: from working with coaches to working with partners and young people, from helping others achieve their goals to continuing my own personal development, from the daily sessions to huge annual events we deliver. It's great to be in a work atmosphere that is innovative and inspiring. I feel fortunate to be in a position that offers young people in London access to some amazing opportunities. It's a pleasure to be able to work outdoors and enable others to enjoy the open air, particularly when the weather is nice. Rowing is such a therapeutic activity and can teach young people a lot about themselves.
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Manchester in 2000, I relocated to London to continue my career, working in senior management roles within the Newspaper Industry. Following my maternity leave with our first child, I joined forces with my husband to work in his finance consulting business, where one ofour first clients was a newly formed London Youth Rowing! Ten years on I have returned to LYR, as the part-time Finance Manager. I am proud to work for such a fantastic charity and to work with such an energetic, creative and dedicated team.
I was motivated to join LYR as I have vivid, positive memories of playing sport at school. At the time it often seemed like hard work, but with the benefit of hindsight I can see how much I learned through sport about life, working in a team and digging deep when needed. I tried my hand at rowing at University and it was clear to me the sport could offer huge benefits to anyone taking part.
When I read about LYR's work to engage young people in rowing, help them to develop life skills and give them a chance to compete it really struck a chord. It's a real privilege to work every day to give young people across London those same opportunities. Since I've been at LYR, I've turned my hand to all sorts of different areas including fundraising, day to day operations, data and impact measurement and working closely with the CEO and Board to support LYR's governance and strategy. No two days are ever the same and so far it's been great fun!
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chief Operating Officer at the University of East London
Dr. Ian Pickup is Chief Operating Officer at the University of East London, where he is responsible for the leadership, development and effective delivery of all student-facing professional services. Prior to this, Ian was Deputy COO at SOAS University of London, Head of the Student Experience at University College Cork, Ireland, and was Director of Student Affairs and Director of Sport and Wellbeing at the University of Roehampton.
He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Roehampton, where he also worked as a Principal Lecturer, becoming a National Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2007. Ian contributed to a range of national and international initiatives, including being the UK partner in an EU project relating to early years teacher education, and the training of NGO staff in the use of sport as a tool for social development in post disaster contexts. A teacher and coach, Ian has authored key texts to support initial teacher education in physical education and remains a passionate advocate for the educational benefits of sport and physical activity. Ian was among the first wave of professional rugby players with the Harlequins Rugby Club in the mid-1990s and maintains an active interest in a range of sports today.
Job Titles:
- Programme Director
- Available Sports / Indoor Rowing, Rowing
Before working with London Youth Rowing I was a Teacher and most recently a Physical Education Specialist, working in professional development for Teachers. With a background in teaching and high level sport, I have been fortunate to experience and observe the huge benefits of being active. Rowing and swimming, among other sports, were the key to many of the opportunities I experienced as a young person (and as an adult). I still love to participate in any sport I can!
On joining London Youth Rowing I was inspired by the tremendous work being done to engage young people in life changing opportunities. This motivates me day to day. I love working in a team, alongside the coaches to support young people in their development and life skills.
I am now very excited to be managing and leading our flagship programme ˜Active Row ™ reaching over 3,000 young people throughout London a year.
Job Titles:
- LYR Club & Talent Inclusion Lead
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Finance & Nominations Committees
Iain is an independent consultant providing expertise to organisations seeking to identify, evaluate and deliver a meaningful legacy from major events.
He was a member of the bid team that secured the Olympic and Paralympic Games for London and subsequently led work relating to the legacy of the 2012 Games, including 10 years leading the Major Events team at the Mayor of London's agency responsible for international promotion and economic development, London & Partners. He is also a founding director, and now Honorary Member of, the International Association of Event Hosts and has an MBA degree from Cambridge University.
Iain's passion for sport often involves participating in physical challenges. This includes the London Marathon, RideLondon and rowing. He learnt to row at the University of Salford, has won an event at Henley Royal Regatta while at Cambridge University and has coached Loughborough Students Rowing Club.
Job Titles:
- Senior Independent Director
John started his career as a journalist, working in regional newspapers before becoming Editorial Director of Teletext on ITV and Channel 4, the national interactive TV service, for 10 years. He is now a leader in the Corporate Responsibility field, leading CR for Tideway, the company building London's "super-sewer" underneath the River Thames. He has significant experience in community partnerships and in companies delivering social value.
John's sporting passion is cricket - he is still playing, just, and he has discovered the challenges and joys of rowing through Tideway's Oarsome Challenge charity marathons along the Thames.
Karen Morris has over 25 years' experience in sponsorship, both in media (at Classic FM as Head of Sponsorship), WPP and brandmeetsbrand, which she founded in 2003, as well as later taking over Sponsorship Consulting to expand further into European sponsorship.
Karen has a wealth of experience in sponsorship strategy and acquisition across all sectors including arts, entertainment, charity, not for profit, media and sport.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Partner Management Administrator / Operations
After a much loved first stint with London Youth Rowing thatended in 2013, I am back to help this fantastic team achieve greater heights. With 3 young boys, I now appreciate even more so how important LYR is tothe local community. LYR brings energy, dedication and fun to the youthof our great city and I aim to bring this to LYR too. A born and raisedLondoner, having graduated from University of Greenwich with a BA Law degree, Ihope to bring some added value to the business in a professional capacity.
Marianna, originally from Poland, graduated in law and focussed her studies on the phenomenon of doping in law. Since moving to the UK, she has been an advisor on sports governance. She is a member of the Inclusion Advisory Group of the Middlesex FA and a former Non-Executive Director of the British Kickboxing Council.
Marianna is passionate about how sport and physical activity can break down social barriers and increase participation in sports, especially among young people regardless of their background or physical abilities. Marianna is a Funding Manager focusing on Children and Young People at the London Marathon Charitable Trust. She manages grants supporting ambitious projects across the UK that will challenge inequality of access to physical activity and reflect the spirit of the London Marathon.
Lured to London by the excitement of working in rowing as the capital prepared for the 2012 Olympics was too good an offer to turn down. The scope of what LYR does everyday has kept it just as exciting for me today. It is a hugely rewarding role that gives me the chance to work with an amazing bunch of coaches, partner schools, supporters and funders every day. I love it!
Job Titles:
- President ( Non - Voting )
Jim Downing founded LYR in 2004 and is now President of LYR.
Jim also serves as a Non-Executive Chairman for Native Land Ltd while participating as a Non-Executive Director and adviser to a number of other companies including Andrew Martin Ltd, Cydar Ltd and Essex Group Asia Pacific Ltd. Until July 2016 he was Non-Executive Director and Acting Chairman of Winsway Enterprises.
From 2001-2003, he was Deputy Head of JP Morgan Chase & Co's European Investment Banking group. Prior to the merger of JP Morgan & Co. with Chase Manhattan Bank in 2000, he worked as their Co-Head European Investment Banking.
Jim obtained an MBA from Yale in 1982 and a BSc. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1976.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Performance Coach With the GB Paralympic
Nick is a high performance coach with the GB Paralympic squad, and part of the highly successful coaching team that oversaw all four Paralympic boats winning medals at the Rio games and Tokyo 2020.
He found direction through rowing at a state school and after representing GB as a junior went on to attain a degree in Biology from Oxford Brookes University. After moving on from competing himself he built a career in coaching at the National High Performance centre.
With 18 years of involvement in rowing and witnessing first hand its power to positively shape lives he wants to help ensure the opportunities the sport offers are available to people from all walks of life.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager
- Available Sports / Rowing / Yorkshire
Job Titles:
- Life Skills Lead / Operations
I joined LYR in August 2022 after deciding to take a step back from healthcare and moving across the world to the UK from Australia.
I was fortunate to be introduced to rowing when I was in school and fell in love with the sport and science behind the sport. I went on to study Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Sydney and compete as a coxswain for Australia.
Rowing presented many different opportunities to me throughout my career, so I am passionate about opening up the sport to everyone and teaching valuable Life Skills through physical activity. I am excited to see what we can achieve as a team at LYR and within the sporting world.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chartered Civil Engineer
Sarah is a chartered civil engineer with over twenty years' experience in project management working primarily in the construction and maritime sectors.
Sarah graduated from Bradford University in 1997 having spent time as a postgraduate researcher in Japan for a civil engineering firm and went on to work in private consultancy and for the Environment Agency.
She spent ten years between Cumbria, Lancashire and the Thames Barrier working in flood risk management before moving to the Port of London Authority (PLA).
Most recently Sarah was the PLA's Asset Strategy Manager and during her time there developed a love of rowing, primarily in the PLA's traditional cutters. Sarah has recently become director of Hawkshill Consulting Limited, a multidisciplinary consultancy offering project management and organisational change management services.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Member of the Order of the British Empire
Sophie Hosking MBE, joined LYR's Board in May 2018. Sophie is a retired rower, having won a Gold medal for Great Britain in the Lightweight Double Scull at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
In the 2013 New Year's Honours, Sophie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to rowing.
Sophie originally studied for her undergraduate degree in chemistry and physics at Durham University, but has since qualified as a Solicitor. She continues to be a member of London Rowing Club, where she served as the first female Captain from 2014 to 2016.
Job Titles:
- Head Coach / Mossbourne Rowing Academy
I began my rowing career with the World Class Start program while at Henley College having previously been a rugby player and started rowing at Leander as a complete novice. During my career I represented Great Britain at Junior, Under 23 and Senior level in both sweep and sculling. In 2012, I was appointed vice captain of Leander Club and helped them to win 4 Henley Royal Regatta medals. While studying at the University of East London I joined the Boat Club and was part of a squad that won several BUCS Gold Medals between 2011-2014. I'm excited to be working at Mossbourne and introducing an awesome, life changing sport to as many students as possible.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Founder and CEO of Construction Helpline
Umer Mansoor is the entrepreneurial founder and CEO of Construction Helpline. Umer provides dynamic leadership and believes in streamlining card acquisition and training in construction, using inventive technology-based applications and well-thought-out processes. Umer has been the driving force behind Construction Helpline and is looking toward shaping the construction industry further by accelerating digitalisation in training. Umer understands the disadvantages tradespeople - site workers, project managers and architects - face. That's why Umer is using his platform to promote effective change for a stronger, efficient construction workforce.