Staff And Board

Denise was a corporate finance lawyer in the City before embarking on her in house career. She was Company Secretary and General Counsel at Asda, later part of the international retailer, Wal Mart. She joined international law firm Eversheds as a partner in 2004 where she advises clients on a wide range of strategic and operational in house management issues. Denise has a portfolio of non executive directorships including housebuilder Bellway plc, Pool Reinsurance Limited and Y2019 Limited which is managing the world cycling championships, she is also Pro Chancellor at the University of York. She has previously held non executive roles in the retail, financial services, health, education and museums sectors. In 2012 she was named City Woman of Achievement in recognition of her significant contribution to the promotion of gender equality in the workplace and in 2013 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws for promoting women’s development in business. She joined the Board at St Giles Trust in 2014.

Gary joined the Board in 2008. He is currently Editor of The Express having been editor of The Sunday Mirror. He was previously at the Daily Mirror and the News of the World. In 1995, he was named "Reporter of the Year" at the British Press Awards.

Julie joined the board in 2013. After early work in social housing, she trained as a chartered accountant at BDO serving both high growth businesses as well as charities. Later she moved into forensic accounting and became a partner, working on complex assignments including war reparations for the UN, corporate claims and large government deals.

Monica Ali is an award-winning, bestselling writer whose novels include Brick Lane, In the Kitchen and Untold Story. She was chosen as one of Granta’s 2003 Best of Young British Novelists. Her work has been translated into 26 languages, and her writing has appeared in numerous publications including The Guardian, the Times, The New Yorker, and the New York Times, for which she is a literary reviewer. She is a Fellow of the RSA and of the Orwell Prize. She has taught creative writing at Columbia University, New York, where she was a visiting Professor, and she is currently Distinguished Writer in Residence at the University of Surrey. 

Charles Pitts-Tucker was appointed Head of Investment Banking EMEA at Nomura in September 2012. He is also Co-Head of International Investment Banking Business and plays a continuing role in the acquisition finance business. He is a Senior Managing Director of Nomura. Prior to joining Nomura, he was Co-Head of the European Corporate and Leveraged Acquisition Team at Lehman Brothers and played a key role in a number of high profile transactions in the investment grade and sub-investment grade market. Before this, he was a member of the Leveraged Finance Team at Morgan Grenfell and began his career as a lawyer at Allen & Overy.

Peter is a long serving member of the Board. He joined St Giles Trust shortly after moving to London when working in supporting and resettling single homeless people. He previously worked in mental health and for the Probation Service. He is the CEO of Outward providing supported housing and social care for people with learning disabilities, vulnerable young people and elders and people on the Autistic Spectrum. Outward is part of the Newlon Group and he is a member of the Newlon Housing Trust executive team, leading on supported housing and care for the Group.

Upon graduation, Phil joined the Prison Service as a Prison Officer in 1969 and was promoted Assistant Governor in 1970. In 1986 he became Governor of Hull Prison; moving on in 1990 to a variety of headquarters’ roles. In 2003 he was made Director General of the Prison Service, becoming Director General of the National Offender Management Service responsible for all prisons and probation services in England and Wales in 2008. He delivered improvements that reduced reoffending, escapes, drug abuse and suicide and increased efficiency in both prison and probation before retiring in 2010. He was a Non Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Prison Service from 2010-16. He currently has a portfolio of roles; as well as being a Trustee of St Giles Trust, he is a Board Member of the Management Board of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology, a member of a Scottish Prison Service Oversight Group for their Prison Officer Professionalisation Programme, he contributes to international conferences and academic study on penal practice, he advises both public and private sector prison operators in the UK and internationally and is an Expert Witness on prison operations.

Qualified with a Law Degree & Masters and an array of vocational and academic qualifications. Alfy is now an experienced Prince 2 Practioner working as ‘PMO for New Business & Strategy at Ingeus UK’. Alfy has a myriad of invaluable project management experience gained in third and private sectors coupled with a highly focused and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Welfare to Work and Criminal Justice sectors. He was Lead Advisor on the DWP’s flagship Work Programme and has helped develop and deliver rehabilitation and resettlement projects in most prisons across London, including the High Security Category A Unit in Belmarsh. Most recently Alfy project managed the Ministry of Justices’ Transforming Rehabilitation contract win across the Midlands for the Reducing Re-offending Partnership (Ingeus, CRI & St Giles Trust. In addition he has been fortunate enough to have visited prisons afar as Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, America and many places throughout Europe and Africa. These experiences have been invaluable in shaping his character and given him a broader grounding and wider perspective of life for those in custody in different jurisdictions around the world.

Terry brings a wealth of over 25 years technology experience to the St Giles Trust board, the majority of which has been with financial services. He is currently Managing Director of EMEA Wholesale CIO and Co-Global Head of Enterprise Infrastructure Services at Nomura. He is responsible for EMEA Technology Services and Platforms and jointly responsible for global infrastructure services. Prior to joining Nomura in 1997, he worked at NatWest/Centre-File and Lloyds Bank PLC in IT Management and Systems Analyst roles.

Duncan started his career in the forces serving in both the Army and Royal Marines after which he went into the retail sector, initially with Marks and Spencer. Over the last 25 years Duncan has held leadership roles with companies Graze, Brakes Group and is currently COO at Paperchase. He joined the board in 2017.

Pippa joined our board this year, coming over from the Royal London Society when we merged in December 2016.  Pippa was called to the Bar as a barrister of Grays Inn in 2007, and worked for four years in the legal profession before moving into public relations. Pippa brings a wealth of experience and knowledge with her and is currently Head of Public Relations at Carter Jonas LLP.

Ameeta has worked in regional and then local government for over 10 years. She has worked for a variety of London boroughs in a range of areas, including working with the voluntary and community sector and commissioning employment and welfare advice. She currently works for Kensington and Chelsea Council. A passionate south Londoner, Ameeta is committed to giving back and in her spare time is a volunteer mentor at the Baytree Centre, in Brixton. Ameeta joined the board in 2018.