I became a Trustee a year ago, in October 2023, and took over as Chair in April when my predecessor was due to step down after a 12-year tenure.  The way I found out about Aspire was serendipity at its best as it was through their LinkedIn post advertising for a vacant trustee and Chair position... just a few months after my brother-in-law had a terrible accident.  I responded and subsequently met with a few Trustees and the departing Chair, as well as Brian Carlin, Aspire’s CEO. Once I was comfortable the fit was there and I could bring something to the charity, it felt like the right thing to do.

My brother-in-law Laurent got hit by a car that was speeding and swirling on a highway in France. He was riding his motorcycle prudently and wearing all his safety equipment but unfortunately the car was going too fast, and he got a pretty severe and high spinal cord injury (C4 incomplete) which left him quadriplegic.  He was 57 and his life was just shattered.

He used to be a very active and lively character, traveling a lot, doing lots of sports including squash and boxing and going to social events etc. He stayed in intensive care for two months, between life and death, and then a year in a rehab clinic. 

He is still mostly paralysed, with no hand movement and very limited arm movement despite a lot of rehab and is unable to live independently. He lives in a house that is adapted to his needs, with carers and nurses 24 hours a day, and barely leaves his home. He is only just beginning to move himself at times in his electric wheelchair.  Whether it is feeding himself, taking a shower, going to bed, having a drink etc, he needs help. Technology has helped a bit since he can use some of his iPhone or iPad functions - through voice activation or a new widget activated via his tongue - but this is quite limited. 

The impact on his family and friends was devastating. He did lose some friends who couldn’t stand the change and his morale, which has understandably been pretty low. It has completely changed my wife’s and the whole family’s lives, and we have been trying to do everything we can to support him. Because he lives in Paris and most of us live in London it’s been difficult, but my wife and I commute nearly every week to see him and support him.

It is hard to put into words what it means to have a spinal cord injury, and it is often not really understood by the majority of people, and not really talked about. So I feel using my voice, network, time and money to help this community is the least I should do. I have also launched a venture philanthropic fund - SCI Ventures - which invests in start-ups that can hopefully help finding innovation and cures. 

Being a Trustee

Although this is my first time as Chair for a charity, I feel that my three decades chairing boards and investment committees has equipped me to do this right. I am also quite experienced at working hand in hand with CEOs with whom I share values and vision and the fit with Brian Carlin, Aspire’s CEO, was there.  So I knew there was really something I could bring when it comes to being an effective Chair, but also working in partnership with the leadership team. 

Similarly to the role of a company director, the role of Trustee is key to making sure that the interests of the charity and the community it serves is always put first.  It is also important to have diversity so that trustees can complement management decisions. In short, Trustees are an essential part of a good governance for any charity.  I enjoy feeling that we add value to the great work the teams are doing. 

I wish the role of a Trustee in charities was fully understood, as well as how easy it is for people to give back in a meaningful way beyond financial gifts. The level of experience in the business sector is an invaluable resource that all of us should try and share with charities. 

I feel like I am putting my long experience in leadership and board management in the finance industry to good use, and therefore giving back. I also have a deep understanding of the challenges that someone with a spinal cord injury faces because of my brother-in-law.  I can therefore combine two sets of skills and experiences that can benefit a wider group.

Jean-Baptiste Wautier takes over as Aspire’s new Chair of Trustees

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