The Architectural Heritage Fund is delighted to announce the appointment of three new Trustees to its Board: Peter Williams, Syreeta Bayne and Andy Westwood. Peter has been appointed to replace Roy Hodson as the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and will take over this role in early 2025. Syreeta and Andy join the Board to replace a number of recently retired and retiring Trustees.
Peter Williams
Peter is a former CEO of Selfridges and chairman of multiple businesses in the retail and property sectors. He holds a number of non-executive director roles and has previously chaired a variety of audit and risk committees, including at the Design Council. Peter will bring wide-ranging commercial experience to the Board’s work, as well as perspectives on our wider work, including around the future of the high street. He is also currently a Trustee of Somerset House.
Trustee – Syreeta Bayne
Syreeta is Head of Social Value and Sustainability at Muse, a leading property developer. She has had a wide-ranging career in both the charitable and private sectors, managing government-funded projects aimed at tackling employability and, more recently, leading the social impact and sustainability strategy for Muse in the urban regeneration industry. As well as understanding the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors, she will bring a new perspective to AHF’s social impact and evaluation work.
Trustee – Andy Westwood
Andy is Professor of Public Policy, Government and Business at the University of Manchester. He is a former special adviser to the Secretary of State at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and a senior adviser to ministers at the Department for Communities and Local Government, HM Treasury and the Department for Education. He has a particular interest in the role that social infrastructure, community and heritage assets play in communities, particularly in ‘left behind’ areas.
Vice-Chair - Audrey Carlin
In addition to the above appointments, current Trustee, Audrey Carlin (CEO of Wasps, a creative studios provider in Scotland) has been appointed Vice-Chair, replacing Myra Barnes who stepped down from the Board earlier this year.
Ros Kerslake, Chair of the Architectural Heritage Fund, commented on the appointments:
“We are delighted to welcome these new Trustees to the AHF Board. Peter Williams brings wide experience from the world of retail and property, and we are very pleased that he has agreed to join the Board as Audit and Risk Chair. We are also very lucky to have two incredibly talented Trustees, Syreeta and Andy joining us at the same – their backgrounds and skills will be incredibly useful to the work of the Board. All three are warmly welcomed to the Board of AHF.
I am also very pleased that current Trustee Audrey Carlin has agreed to become our new Vice-Chair.”
The new Trustees will join their first meetings in the autumn.
About the AHF
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is a registered charity, working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. The AHF exists to help communities find enterprising ways to revitalise the old buildings they love. We help them with advice, grants and loans. Our support acts as a catalyst for putting sustainable heritage at the heart of vibrant local economies. For over 40 years, we’ve been the leading social investor in creating new futures for historic buildings.
For more information, please visit: www.ahfund.org.uk
