Organisation Structure - The Board

Helen Alexander was appointed as a non-executive Member of the PLA Board in June 2009, and Chairman in January 2010.

She is president of the CBI, Chair of Incisive Media and a non-executive director of Rolls-Royce plc and Centrica plc. Formerly chief executive of the Economist Group, she has also been a non-executive director of BT and Northern Foods.

She is also involved in charities in education, the arts and the internet.

William Everard joined the Board as a Non Executive Director in July 2008, and brings to the Authority over 40 years' experience of the shipping and marine industries.  Much of that time was spent working for the family shipping company, F T Everard & Sons Ltd, as a result of which he was elected President of the Chamber of Shipping.  He maintains his links with the maritime industry through his work with  Bureau Veritas and Lloyd's Register, and his contribution to shipping was recognised by the award of the CBE in 2006.  He is also a member of the Council of the RNLI and Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

Rodney Lenthall has had a lifetime career in the shipping industry having initially been at sea with the British & Commonwealth Group followed by command of vessels within the Ocean Inchcape fleet in the North Sea.  On coming ashore, he subsequently became Chief Executive of O.I.L. Ltd, Chairman of Cory Towage Ltd, and, ultimately, a main board director of its parent company, Ocean Group PLC.  On leaving Ocean Group in 1998, Mr Lenthall has been involved in a number of maritime related businesses and his current directorships include The Shipowners P&I Association (Luxembourg) and the oil and gas logistics company, ASCO Logistics. 

A keen sailor, Rodney Lenthall is a member of the Company of Master Mariners, founder member and fellow of the Nautical Institute, a liveryman of the Company of Shipwrights and a governor of the London Nautical School.

Peter Matthews was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in March 2006.  Having started his working life in the pharmaceutical industry he enjoyed a long and successful career in the water and sewage treatment sector, including over twenty five years at Anglian Water retiring as Deputy Managing Director for AW International.

In 2000, he was appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency and Chair of its Audit Committee, where his term of office expired in 2006 - the same year he joined the PLA and in which he was appointed Chairman for the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (and then Chair of the NI Authority for Utility Regulation in 2007). In 2009 he was appointed to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution

He is a Past President of the European Water Association, Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management and Past Chair of the Society for the Environment – all of which he still serves as a governing board member.  He served on the Board of Anglia Ruskin University for many years – and remains a Visiting Professor. He is a Ph D, Chartered Chemist, Scientist, Water and Environment Manager and Environmentalist, Liveryman and Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators and was awarded an OBE in 2007 for services to water and the environment.

John Mills was appointed as a non executive member of the Board in September 2008. A former civil servant, Mr Mills has very considerable experience of the public sector from a variety of senior positions in both central and local government. He spent several years as a member of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit, and his other roles have included Director of Consumer Affairs at the Office of Fair Trading, Chief Executive of Cornwall County Council, and Director of Rural Policy at the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

John is a non-executive board member of the Commission for Rural Communities and of the Jersey Financial Services Commission. He also undertakes a number of voluntary roles including as Chairman of the Governing Body of Highgate School, London, and as an Income Tax Commissioner of Appeal in Jersey.

Pommy Sarwal was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in June 2006.

Mr Sarwal first qualified as a chartered accountant in 1976, at the start of a successful career in corporate finance. His experience includes advising both private and public sector clients in sectors as diverse as energy, water, ports, airports, public transport, road, rail and defence. He has worked with both UK companies and businesses based in the USA and Europe.

Until 2002, he was a partner in the Specialised Finance Group of Deloitte. He is a member of the Ports Advisory Group of the Trade and Investment Division of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and also a non executive director of British Waterways, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Christie Group plc, Infrastructure India PLC, Shieldtech PLC and Hyde Housing Association.  He is chairman of Master Ropemakers Ltd.  Mr Sarwal is a Sloan Fellow of the London Business School.

Dr Scott Steedman is a civil engineer with a background in consulting, contracting and academia.  His most recent appointment has been as director of engineering operations for Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd. Throughout his career he has worked on major infrastructure projects including ports and flood protection schemes. Based in London, he has been a vice president of the Royal Academy of Engineering and also a vice president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, where he continues to support initiatives to raise the profile of the engineering profession and provide advice to government.  He is Editor-in-Chief of the Royal Academy’s flagship magazine, Ingenia.

Richard Everitt joined the PLA in December 2004 and was appointed Chief Executive from 1 January 2005. After qualifying as a solicitor in 1974, he spent four years in private practice before joining BAA, the airports company, in 1978. Following the privatisation of BAA in 1987, he joined the Board in 1991 as director responsible for strategy and regulatory matters. He resigned from the BAA Board in 2001 to become Chief Executive of National Air Traffic Services on its part privatisation, leaving in 2004. He is a Director of Estuary Services Limited and Port of London Properties Limited, Chairman of the United Kingdom Major Ports Group and a non-executive Director of Air Partner plc.

Brian Chapman, Chief Financial Officer, was appointed an executive member of the PLA in September 2001 prior to which he spent many years in the food industry. His post prior to joining the PLA was as Finance Director of United Milk plc, and previously he was Regional Finance Director for the consumer products arm of the New Zealand Dairy Board. As Chief Financial Officer he is responsible for the accounting function, pensions, insurance and property. He is a director of Estuary Services Ltd, Port of London Properties Limited, Company Secretary of Thames 21 and an alternate director of UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG) and a trustee of a number of pension funds.