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 many
entrepreneurs 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.

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!

Mary Fennelly

Mary has been a consultant orthopaedic anaesthetist at the RNOH for 33 years and so has considerable experience in all aspects of orthopaedic practice and in particular spinal surgery. She started and developed the intensive care and outreach services, and has looked after many patients with spinal cord injuries and their families. She has also been involved in the mentoring and teaching of the many trainees that come through the RNOH and is published widely across all aspects of anaesthetic practice especially in the field of spinal cord monitoring.

Mary has also held leadership roles in the Trust including being chairman of Medical Staff Committee and has an inherent understanding of the workings of the NHS.

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.

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. 

Pradeep Thumbikat

Mr Pradeep Thumbikat is a Consultant in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and the Clinical Director at the Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Centre, which is based at the Northern General Hospital, a part of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He is also a visiting consultant at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Pradeep has worked closely within NHS England and the previously the CRG (clinical reference group) in developing policy and operational frame work for spinal cord injury (SCI) services. He is the clinical lead for the North East and Yorkshire NHSE spinal cord injury network. Throughout his SCI career, he has enjoyed a close association with various SCI charities as part of his professional role.

Pradeep is an active member of the British Association of Spinal Cord Injury Specialists (treasurer/ education chair) and President of British Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine.  Pradeep's experience and expertise is recognised through requests for medicolegal reports for the courts on various aspects of SCI cases.  He has also presented at international conferences on SCI related issues and has also presented at the All Party Parliamentary Group on training issues.  He is also a Scientific Committee member of the Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research charity.

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.

Matthew Bassett

In 2011 I sustained a spinal cord injury diving into the sea. I broke my C5 vertebrae leaving me tetraplegic. I’ve always had a positive outlook on life and that didn’t stop, even after my injury. As soon as I was discharged from Rookwood Spinal Injury Centre, where I spent 10 months learning how to live independently again, I started to look for volunteering opportunities to get me back into work.

After a few years of slowly gaining confidence and a good degree of independence, I applied for the role of Independent Living Advisor with Aspire and for almost 9 years I would regularly visit the Spinal Injury Centre talking to patients to give them the tools they needed to live as independently as possible, as well as providing emotional support.

Having had a spinal injury and being on both sides of Aspire, I know how important the charity is and how much of an impact it has on the lives of the patients and their families. I’ve got a passion to see people who have been through a traumatic time grab life by the horns and make the most of everyday.  I left Aspire in 2023 to pursue a career in journalism with the BBC and am now a qualified journalist.  Being a trustee will allow me to bring my lived experience to help Aspire continue doing their invaluable life changing work.

Matthew has been a Trustee of Aspire since April 2026.