Stephen Cohen – Acting Chairman of Trustees

Stephen has worked in the asset management business for over 25 years in multiple roles, in America, Asia and in Europe. He has worked in both research and fund management, specialising in Japanese equities as well as the business development and business management sides of the industry. He has started two businesses in Japan in 1985 and in 1990. In 1995 he led the creation of Mercury Asset Management's global mutual fund business ahead of the merger with Merrill Lynch. He has also been CEO of Dresdner RCm in the UK, headed up Zurich Scudder Investments European business development and most recently was Head of Putnam Investments for the EMEA Region.

Peter Higgins

Born in 1949 Peter has worked in the Advertising and Marketing Services industry for all his working life. In 1970 he joined Mapledon Press as Production Director, leaving there 5 years later to set up a corporate design business in Central London. In 1983 Peter joined the Good Relations Group and in 1985 was made Managing Director of Good Relations Design, the Group's corporate design agency. In 1994 he was made a director of Bell Pottinger Communication and is currently Managing Director of Rare Corporate Design and Publishing part of Chime Communications Plc. Peter is a fellow of the Institute of Directors, and is married with two children and is living in Northamptonshire.

Debra Marmor

Debra is an independent consultant and executive mentor. Her primary focus is general management coaching and marketing training, expertise she developed during her 17 year career with Procter & Gamble, where she managed businesses on a local (US, Germany), regional (Western Europe) and global basis. Debra’s charity activities have included the Cincinnati Zoological Society and Cincinnati Historical Society. More recently, she has been elected Treasurer of the Mount Holyoke Club of Britain, an organisation for fellow undergraduate alumna in the UK and Ireland. Her keen interest in English heritage is reflected in membership of English Heritage, The National Trust, and The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB); and a Friend of The Landmark Trust. Debra is also a Fellow of the RSA, and a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Marketors. Born and raised in Germany, she makes her home with her husband in East London.

Sue Ryan

Sue Ryan is a respected journalist who has worked across the media over the last 30 years, most recently as Managing Editor of the Daily Telegraph. She has also worked at The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, Observer, Today and Plus Magazine. At the Telegraph she spearheaded the Christmas Appeal which raised around £1million a year, working with over 50 different charities. She is currently working as a freelance writer and media consultant. She also sits on the board of Merlin and The Journalists Charity as well as the Society of Editors' political and legal committee and Women in Journalism.

Emily Stonor

Emily Stonor is a co-founder of Beacon. She was the Chief Executive of Beacon for four years until June 2006, when she became a trustee. Established in 2002 to recognise individuals who make exceptional contributions to charity, it was described by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as the 'Nobel Prize of the Charity Sector'.

Emily has previously worked as a consultant to a number of charitable initiatives, including Pilotlight and the Institute of Philanthropy, where she researched and investigated barriers to and opportunities for giving in the UK, and was a council member. She has also worked as Head of Marketing and Communications for the Science Museum and for eight years at Saatchi & Saatchi as an Account Director. Emily is married and currently lives in South West Scotland.

Lisa Tedeschini

Lisa Tedeschini is a qualified solicitor and solicitor-advocate who until recently worked as a commercial litigator with a global law firm where she dealt primarily with domestic and international corporate and investment banking clients. Lisa also founded the firm's Human Rights Group, which provided human rights law advice and training to clients and colleagues, particularly in relation to the Human Rights Act 1998. Lisa has been a volunteer with a number of charitable organisations, including Interights (the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights), The Canadian Mental Health Association, Ronald McDonald House, and London inner city school literacy schemes. She lives in London and is married with two children.