Trustees
Lis Astall was formerly Managing Director of Accenture UK plc. She is a non executive director of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and a member of the Court of Governors of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Member of Parliament for Salford and Eccles was first elected in 1997, going on to serve as chair of the Labour Party, Minister of State for Policing and Counter Terrorism followed by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Peter Boursnell MBE is the former Aimhigher Coordinator for the London Borough of Brent and a former Headteacher. In 2008-09 Peter was seconded part-time by Brent to develop and run internship and university application support projects for the SMF.
Tom Cassels is a solicitor and a partner at Baker & McKenzie. He is a member of Baker & McKenzie’s London office management committee.
Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP is the Member of Parliament for Charnwood and the elected Chairman of the Health Select Committee. His previous appointments include Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for National Heritage.
Simon Hughes MP is Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is the MP for North Southwark & Bermondsey.
Sir Terry Leahy was Chief Executive of Tesco PLC for 13 years. He received a Knighthood for services to food retailing in the 2002 New Year Honours. He is a member of the Liverpool Enterprise Partnership.
Dr. Geoff Parks became a university lecturer in 1996, having received his PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge. Geoff is the Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Cambridge.
Trevor Phillips OBE is Chair of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission, previous Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, the co-founder of the Equate Organisation, and a Director of Pepper Productions.
Polly Toynbee is a journalist and a writer, who was formerly the BBC’s social affairs editor. Polly is currently a Guardian columnist and has worked for the Observer, the Independent and the Washington Monthly.
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Russell Lewin was a trustee of the Social Mobility Foundation from 2004. He was a solicitor, managing partner of Baker & Mackenzie’s London office from 1997 to 2003, and an exceptional man. He died tragically at the age of 51 on Tuesday 13th October 2009. Russell was dedicated to the cause of diversity and equality of opportunity for all. He worked tirelessly to ensure that he not only preached inclusiveness, but that he, and the major international law firm of which he was a highly respected partner, practised what they preached. As a trustee of the SMF, Russell was active and hands-on. He worked selflessly to help grow the charity to its present size and influence. He organised events for talented students, and to bring a wide range of law firms into the SMF’s programme. He was admired and respected by the Foundation’s staff and by his fellow trustees. Russell was not a man to compromise his principles. His quiet authority was what enabled him to achieve, and to persuade others to support his own ideals and aspirations. He will be very badly missed by his wife and family, by Baker & Mackenzie and by the Foundation he supported with a passion.
Sir Geoffrey Vos
