Who we are The team Trustees Jean-Baptiste Wautier, Chair Jean-Baptiste Wautier has more than 30 years of experience in the Finance industry, out of which nearly 25 as a leading Private Equity (PE) investor in Europe. He joined BC Partners in 2005, became Partner in 2007 and was then Chief Investment ONicer (CIO) for a decade, as well as member of the Management Committee until he stepped down early 2023. Under his leadership, BC Partners grew its assets under management from €8 to €45 billion, established a strong presence in the US, launched two new strategies – Credit and Real Estate – and raised permanent capital from Blackstone. Separately, Jean-Baptiste led or co-led 13 investments across Europe, mainly in the Healthcare and Consumer sectors, and was elected as one of the most influential personalities in Private Equity in 2018/2019. He began his career at Arthur Andersen in 1993 right after graduating from Science Po Paris (MSc), and then joined Morgan Stanley's Investment Bank in London in 1996. He entered the PE industry in 2000, first at IK Partners where he co-founded the French team, and then at BC Partners in early 2005. Jean-Baptiste has also been actively contributing to many key economic debates in the recent years, including through regular participations to the World Economic Forum in Davos since 2018, Executive Fellowship at Panmure House or publications for Fondapol, a prominent liberal French think tank. He is also now a private investor / business angel and supports manyentrepreneurs across Europe, while also devoting part of his time to his Alma Mater – Sciences Po Paris – as a visiting lecturer as well as a philanthropist. Nick Flanagan, Vice Chair Nick joined the Board of Trustees in December 2019 bringing with him 35 years of commercial experience – mainly in Finance, Strategy and Operations. Most recently Nick was Chief Financial Officer and a Director of Hayward Tyler Group PLC, an AIM-listed engineering group, where he jointly led the IPO of the company in January 2010, its subsequent equity placings, the acquisition of Peter Brotherhood and the sale of the group to Avingtrans PLC in 2017. In addition, he led the refinancing of the group’s debt in 2014 and loan note issues. He was shortlisted for FD of the Year at the 2014 UK Stock Market Awards. Nick is a graduate engineer from Imperial College and a Chartered Accountant, having qualified with PwC in 1987. Before joining Hayward Tyler in 2008 he spent the previous 14 years in the engineering and manufacturing sectors where he held a number of senior financial roles, initially with Trafalgar House PLC followed by Kvaerner ASA and Jeyes Group Limited. Prior to that he spent six years in corporate treasury with Saatchi & Saatchi Company PLC. Nick has extensive industry experience in engineering and manufacturing, strategic planning and development, financial planning and development, commercial and operational support, capital raising including equity and debt, debt restructuring, change management, reporting, M&A, working capital management, risk management, corporate governance and operating at board level. Dr Hayder Agha Since March 2019 I have been a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. I have also worked as a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court and at Salford Royal Hospital NHS Trust, managing patients with Musculoskeletal Back Pain, Spinal Cord Injury and patients involved in severe trauma. My special interest is in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation (Adult), Musculoskeletal and Trauma Rehabilitation, Spasticity and Pain Management. I am a member of the Medical Educational Committee at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and I am involved in the training of future specialists in the specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine. I am also a member of the Spinal Cord Injury SIG committee - BSRM. I became a trustee of Aspire in September 2020. Andy Chaplin I have been a trustee of Aspire since March 2016. The aims of Aspire chime very well with my interest in helping to sustain independent living for the more vulnerable, regardless of age, disability or health. I’m also a trustee of two other charities: Manor Gardens, a community health and wellbeing charity across Islington (Chairman from December 2016) and Electrical Safety First, a national campaigning charity. Just like Aspire, both of these organisations continue to experience considerable positive change and growth opportunities in their respective areas of focus. My early working life was spent with Barclays – well all 27 years! That equipped me well with a range of knowledge, skills and experiences that have enabled me to undertake leadership roles developing and delivering services for the vulnerable from with private and third sector organisations – something I have been doing with a number of organisations over the past 13-14 years. Latterly I was heading the national body for Home Improvement Agencies (about 180 mostly not-for-profit organisations, nationally) between 2010 and 2015. My wife Liz heads up special needs at a local school in the Chalfonts and our youngest son is about to head off to University after completing A levels in 2017. Swimming and walking are the main past-times plus regular cultural top ups to Italy! Stephen Gardiner Stephen has spent a career in the media, initially in radio, and latterly in print and online outlets. Most recently he has used his communications skills working for a range of charities, NGOs and not-for-profit businesses, particularly in the field of mental health and youth development. After managing youth cricket teams as his two children grew up, he has been an active member of a cricket club committee as vice-chairman, fundraising and marketing officer and leading on compliance issues. He was a trustee of a body that administered the playing fields of three cricket clubs and two tennis clubs, again leading on bringing its processes into line with Charity Commission guidelines. At the point of retirement Stephen sustained a spinal cord injury and after surgery was admitted to the Spinal Injury Centre at Stanmore. During his time there he took advantage of the facilities at the Aspire Leisure Centre and became a regular in the swimming pool, the sports hall and particularly on the resistance equipment in the gym. He credits these sessions and the helpfulness of the Aspire staff for a large part of his recovery that has now got him out of a wheelchair and back on his feet. Stephen will use his experience in leisure services and as a past user of the Aspire Leisure Centre to contribute to the charity as a whole and particularly to the future strategic planning and development of their valuable services for people with Spinal Cord Injury. Stephen has been a Trustee of Aspire since May 2022. Cliff Leach I live in Salisbury in Wiltshire and I’m a retired computer systems and software architect and engineer. My first career was with the RAF until I had an accident in 1977 which resulted in the paralysis of both my legs. I went on to build a career in the IT sector working for UK and USA companies and in 1994 I founded and built an IT company focusing on specialist high-security systems. Over the years I have designed and developed systems in a wide range of sectors including banking and finance, telecommunications, defence and security, and policing and criminal justice. I understand the reality of building a career and supporting a family as a disabled person. I have been fortunate in having skills that were independent of my physical limitations, but I am only too aware that many people do not have those options. I now have the time and space in my life to use the skills I have to wider social benefit. My charitable sector experience includes: being a Trustee for Gosport Citizen’s Advice Bureau and the trustee Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO); providing IT support to Salisbury Museum; and helping to establish Men’s Sheds Association UK, which aims to stop men becoming isolated when they fall out of work, become isolated or retire. I also chaired the Salisbury Branch of REMAP, which builds or modifies equipment to assist disabled people, and became a trained counsellor for the spinal injury charity Back Up. I helped with the financial planning and management of my local MENCAP group (Andover Hampshire) as it got started and before I sustained my spinal cord injury I worked as a rescue volunteer for the RAF mountain rescue team in Valley North Wales. I am married with four children and six grandchildren. I love cooking, music, history and the arts. I have built an off-road electric trike and can often be found out in the wilds of the Lake District, Salisbury Plain and the New Forest. Cliff has been a Trustee of Aspire since May 2022. Hamisha Mehta Hamisha has been a Trustee with Aspire since July 2019. Hamisha is a graduate from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). She was awarded the title of One Young CA 2019 by ICAS and was also winner of the Talent category prize. Hamisha began her career within the audit practice of EY later moving into Consultancy, specializing in Finance Transformation and Change projects. She is currently Senior Commercial Finance Manager at pladis Global, the multinational snacking company behind well-loved brands such as McVitie’s, GODIVA and Ulker Outside of pladis, Hamisha has held the position of Chair of the Resources Committee for a London primary school. She is also a full-time working mother, a financial advisor to the social enterprise Know You More coaching and member of the ICAS Technology Panel. Jennifer Sacks Jennifer is a senior account handler for a top London advertising agency, where she specialises in the delivery of brand updates, successful pitches, and direct marketing campaigns. She started her career as part of the inhouse creative team at luxury retailer Harrods, before making the jump to agency life. Jennifer has worked extensively in financial and professional services marketing, delivering integrated campaigns for a diverse range of clients including Harrods, The AA and KPMG. She is currently working with a new client, a major city law firm, to deliver a re-brand and help them modernise their approach to marketing. Jennifer is a full-time working mum and is absolutely thrilled to have joined the board of trustees at Aspire. Rebecca Wilmot Rebecca joined the Board of Trustees in September 2023. She brings extensive experience of fundraising, marketing, research and communications, encompassing both charity and commercial worlds. Her initial career was spent at leading London advertising agencies, culminating in board level positions as a Planning Director. Following the arrival of her three sons she established a successful research and planning consultancy to better balance the needs of family and work. More recently she spent eight years working at Macmillan Cancer Support where she was a founding member of the Fundraising Service Liaison Team, leading their work with the teams raising major gifts from individuals, trusts and corporates. Rebecca has been involved with Aspire since 2003 when, as consultant, she was commissioned to conduct a strategic review of the charity’s marketing and communications. The following year she joined the newly established Fundraising and Marketing Committee and has been a keen supporter of Aspire’s extraordinary and valuable work ever since. Rebecca has a First Class Honours degree in PPE from Oxford University and has recently completed an MA in History of Art at Birkbeck University. The team Manage Cookie Preferences