Our Board of Trustees
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier GCB CBE DFC
Chair of Trustees
Sir Stephen became Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority on 1 August 2020. He previously had a long career in the Royal Air Force, eventually becoming Chief of the Air Staff, the head of the Service. He has extensive military flying experience as a pilot and instructor on a wide range of aircraft types, although his flying career started at age 17 when the CAA issued him his Private Pilot’s Licence.
He has wide experience of leading large, complex and high-profile organisations, portfolios and programmes, and of change and risk management within regulated environments. Additionally, he is Chair of a property investment company, a Non-Executive Director of a Non-Departmental Public Body, and is involved in a range of charities, supporting Service veterans, encouraging aspiration in young people and promoting social mobility.
Stephen first visited the RAF Museum when he was 16 years old. It was an important part of what inspired him to a life in aerospace and he would like to share that inspiration with new generations, encouraging them through the Museum's work to learn, aspire and realise their potential.
John Banks
John is a qualified accountant with a 30-year career in financial services. He built and managed Finance and Risk reporting teams for a number of global investment banks, UK retail banks, pension and life companies. Often recruited to address corporate crises, his troubleshooting includes an international joint venture, a merger, a new global banking division, and a banking bail-out.
He has a strong interest in the science of climate change and how the finance sector can support the transition to a sustainable, low carbon world. Since becoming an RAF Museum trustee, he has obtained a Green and Sustainable Finance qualification from the Chartered Banker Institute. In addition, he holds qualifications in the management of risk, and the delivery of change.
John previously held trustee roles for local and national mental health charities in various formal committee positions including Chair of Finance, Chair of Governance, and Chair of Audit & Risk. He has also been the independent member of Audit & Risk committee for the housing association, Settle. John is currently a non-executive director of WATMOS Community Homes where he is Chair of Audit Committee.
Josh Chana
Josh has progressed through his career in the built environment over the past six years after completing his BSc (Hons) degree in Construction Project Management. Having worked for large multi-national public companies to world-leading HEIs, he has had a diverse and varied career thus far which has helped him to develop his knowledge and understanding of project and programme delivery. He’s been fortunate to deliver commissions for high-profile public and private sector clients across several sectors (including corporate real estate, financial services, higher education, central government, healthcare, and arts, culture & heritage), and is passionate about his projects being completed on-time, on-budget, and providing benefits to end users.
He currently works for Chana Projects – an independent construction, heritage, and property consultancy that provides professional services to the built environment, and is a Full Member of the Association for Project Management (MAPM). Alongside his professional life he is an avid supporter of men’s health charity Movember, and is a guest speaker for the EY (Ernst & Young) Foundation (supporting their workshops with the aim of building aspirations, confidence and professional insight for 11–15-year-olds). Outside of work he is currently studying at the University of Oxford, and enjoys playing hockey, reading, going for coffees, watching West Ham United games, and going on long walks with his wife Jemima.
Dr Carol Cole
Carol is Chair of the Staffing and Remuneration Committee, a member of the Nominations and Governance Committee and one of the board’s two Whistleblowing trustees.
A behavioural psychologist by background, she was a change management consultant with the NHS, a director at the Office for Public Management and a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford, before establishing her own consultancy in organisation development and systemic change. Carol has extensive experience in strategy, leadership and governance, applying psychology to enhance business, team and individual effectiveness. She has worked across the public and private sectors, from blue chips to charities, and led successful consulting projects and leadership programmes in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
Carol is chair of Together for Mental Wellbeing, vice chair at Central London Community NHS Trust, a trustee of Age UK and a council member at the University of Roehampton. She has previously held several other board roles in the NHS and charitable sector and is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She is interested in military history and has strong family connections with the RAF.
David Cooper CBE
David joined the Royal Air Force in 1988 as a fast-jet navigator. During his flying career he accrued over 1,500 hours on the Tornado GR1/GR4 and on various training aircraft. He served on the front-line, as an instructor, and in numerous headquarters in the United Kingdom, in Canada, and on frequent deployments across the world. During his 32 years in the RAF, David conducted operational service in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan, including disaster relief and evacuation operations.
David’s appointments included command of No. 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, and Royal Air Force Marham. He also gained extensive experience in operational Command and Control with the Royal Air Force and within Joint headquarters, working alongside Royal Navy and British Army colleagues. In 2014 David completed a 12-month deployment as the Director of Air Operations in Kabul overseeing NATO air activity in Afghanistan. This was followed by a post as the United Kingdom’s Joint Force Air Component Commander. David’s most recent military appointment was Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group, responsible for the Royal Air Force’s air mobility and security forces.
David started working for Nova Systems in 2020, with whom he is an Executive General Manager, and he maintains a Royal Air Force Reserve commitment.
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.
Jonathan Field
Jonathan currently runs John Lewis in Welwyn Garden City and has previously run John Lewis Norwich, Peterborough, Brent Cross and Watford. He has been a Partner in John Lewis for 18 years. He has previously worked for Sainsburys where he was responsible for the development and roll out of Sainsburys Convenience stores on Shell Petrol Stations.
Before that, he worked for M&S where he held a variety of operational roles, including running stores in the Kings Road, Croydon and Maidstone.
He currently Chairs the Welwyn Business Improvement District (BiD) and previously chaired the Watford BiD. He also chaired the Oxford Summer School Advisory Board from 2011-2019. Whilst at Sainsburys, he was a non Exec Director of the National Association of Convenience Stores in the USA representing Britain's convenience store sector. He is currently a mentor on the National Be The Business mentoring scheme, working with a number of SME’s and helping them with their business plans and leadership skills.
Outside of work, Jonathan is a keen footballer and recently represented Team GB at an over 55’s tournament. He can often be found in the Gym or in the garden growing organic produce and sharing it on his Instagram account, @farmer_field
Jonathan has been married to Lorraine for 33 years and they have 3 grown up children, Emily, Jessica and Louis. They are looking forward to celebrating the weddings of both Emily and Jessica during 2022.