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Our Board of Trustees

Sir Andrew Pulford GCB CBE DL

Chair of Trustees

Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford joined the Royal Air Force in 1977 as a Support Helicopter pilot. During his flying career he accumulated over 5,000 hours on both Wessex and Chinook helicopters, serving primarily in Germany but including exchange tours with the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. He has seen operational service in Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands, Lebanon, the Balkans and the Gulf.

Sir Andrew enjoyed a wide variety of junior ground appointments including staff posts in Headquarters Northern Ireland and the British Army’s doctrine organisation, and two years as Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff. As Station Commander of Royal Air Force Odiham, he commanded the UK Chinook Force through a period of unprecedented operational activity, including large scale deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. 

His senior appointments included: Director of Air Resources and Plans; command of the Royal Air Force’s Air Transport, Air-to-Air Refuelling and Surveillance forces; two years as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations); and three years as Deputy Commander Capability at Air Command, responsible for all RAF personnel and equipment procurement matters.

Sir Andrew took command of his Service as Chief of the Air Staff in July 2013 and served a full 3 years in post, overseeing the Royal Air Force’s contribution to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, and leading the successful Air input to the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015. 

He joined BAE Systems as Senior Military Adviser in 2017.

Peter Bateson 

Peter has a Law degree and is a Chartered Accountant. After qualifying he worked for Chevron Oil Europe, before returning to the profession. He was an Assurance Partner with EY for 20 years, working mainly with large international groups, most of whom were listed, managing teams in multiple locations. He has advised companies across a range of industry sectors including Aerospace and Defence, Logistics, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, and Technology. The services he provided included assurance, advising on risk and governance, support with acquisitions, disposals and raising capital. In addition, he also held a number of different internal management positions in his office, including office staff partner and office head of audit.

He was the assurance partner for a charity, and was involved with its transition from public ownership to gaining charitable status. He has also worked with a grant in aid body. For three years Peter was a member of the audit committee of a Housing Association with over 15,000 units. He became a Trustee of the RAF Museum in 2016.

Laurie Benson 

Laurie Benson is CEO of Upnexxt Ltd, a media consultancy specialising in business transformation and new digital business models.  Her clients include legacy media companies as well as digital start-ups.  In addition, she is a regular industry speaker.  Laurie has extensive experience in television, print, digital and event media in both the U.S. and Europe, Middle East, Africa.  

Ms. Benson served as Publisher for Time Magazine in Europe, Middle East, Africa. She then led the commercial activities of Bloomberg’s Publishing and Digital operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa. She sits on the board of The Medical Algorithms Company.

 Dr Carol Cole

Carol joined the Museum as a Trustee in 2013 and is Chair of its Staffing and Remuneration Committee.

Carol runs her own consultancy in organisation development and change management and has extensive experience of strategy, leadership and governance. A key area of expertise is in applying psychology to the design and implementation of major strategic initiatives to enhance business and team effectiveness. She has worked with numerous organisations at board level across the public and private sectors, from blue-chips to charities, and led successful international consulting projects and global leadership programmes in Europe, North America and the Middle East. 

Carol is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Non-Executive Director at Central London Community NHS Trust and a Trustee of Action on Hearing Loss.  She was previously the senior independent director at Hounslow and Richmond NHS Trust, Vice Chair of Deafness Research UK and Vice Chair of the Association of Business Psychologists.

Dr Rodney Eastwood

Dr Rodney Eastwood was Secretary of Imperial College London from October 2007 to April 2012 and before that held various posts in the College in strategic planning and management information.  Prior to joining the College, he worked at the Natural History Museum, finishing as Assistant to the Director. 

Rodney is currently a non-executive Director of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, a trustee of the London school of ESCP Europe Business School, a member of the Board of Trustees of the RAF Museum, a governor of Chelsea Academy and the Audit Chair of the Society of Biology. 

He was awarded an MBE for services to higher education in the June 2012 honours list.

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