Court

Warden – Michael Jones

Michael has a first-class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering, is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of: -the Aeronautical Society, the British Institute of Management, the Institute of Directors, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and the Institution of Production Engineers. An Honorary Fellow of the University of Gloucestershire, Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Coach and Coach Harness Makers. A Life Patron of the Cheltenham Festivals.
Michael has had extensive experience in the aerospace and automotive sectors, with both mechanical and electronics-based companies. He has held Board appointments in both the private and public sectors, as a NED he Chaired the Audit Committee on behalf of the NAO (National Audit Office) for a MoD Trading Fund. Served on the Board of the University of Bath IMRC (Innovative Manufacturing Research Council).

Michael’s focus is business process re-engineering at corporate and operational levels, in both large and small business. He was one of the leaders of the UK’s Lean Aerospace Initiative. He has lived and worked in the USA. Michael has operated at VP and Managing Director Level in GE, Smiths Group, ML Holdings, BTR and BOC. While with GE he was responsible for creating a new state of the art Aviation facility in China.

Upon retirement he started his own consultancy business and has carried out client assignments for IBM and a number of SME’s.

Michael is married to Elizabeth and has two children Emma and Phillippa with three grandchildren Millie, Benjamin and Joshua, Michael and Elizabeth enjoy travel, skiing and tennis.

Assistant Warden – Nicola de Iongh

Nicola is passionate about social transformation, and in particular the systemic relationship between education, health and housing.

As Chair of Council at the University of Gloucestershire, she is an advocate for education as a means of transforming people’s lives so that they can make the world a better place, and for the civic role the University plays in our community.

Nicola sits on the Board of the Gloucestershire Health & Care Foundation Trust, and also serves as a Trustee of the Gloucestershire Counselling Service, a charity dedicated to improving mental health in the county. In addition, she is Senior Independent Director of Connexus Housing, a social landlord based in Shropshire & Herefordshire.

In the private sector, Nicola chairs the Reference Committee for the Premier Miton UK Responsible Investment Fund, with a remit to advise on the fund’s investment policy and scrutinise investment decisions from the perspective of sustainability and ethics

Previously, Nicola worked in the financial services sector as a global change lead. She also spent several years working as a freelance management consultant majoring in complex, strategic change across different sectors, both in the UK and internationally.

Nicola has lived in Gloucestershire for 20 years with husband, two sons, two cats and a dog.

Junior Warden – Ruth Dooley

Ruth Dooley is a Partner at Hazlewoods LLP and is Chair of GFirst LEP.

She has been an accountant in Gloucestershire for over 30 years specialising in tax and expert witness work. She graduated from Oxford with a History degree and a Coxing Blue and worked for Mars before becoming an accountant. On qualification she moved to Grant Thornton LLP in Cheltenham where she progressed to partner before joining Hazlewoods LLP in 2009.

Ruth has been involved in various roles with GFirst LEP since 2009 becoming Chair in 2021. She has been a member of the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire since 2018 and was delighted to join Court in 2021.

Warden Emeritus – Sir Henry Elwes KCVO

Eton College, Royal Agricultural College, Scots Guards. M/D Colesbourne Estate Company and associated companies each engaged in Farming, forestry, property, motor trade & snowdrop garden. Rural District Council (1959-74), County Council (1970-92 Chairman/Vice-Chairman 10 years). High Sheriff (1979/80), HM Lord-Lieutenant (1992-2010), Knight Commander of the Victorian Order (2009). Hon. Dr. Phil. University of Gloucestershire, Hon. Dr. Laws University of West of England, Hon Fellow Royal Agricultural University. President Gloucestershire Country Landowners Assn. (2005-), Regional Director Lloyds Bank (1985-91), Member Judicial Appointments Board (1994-2000), President Gloucestershire Reserve Forces & Cadets Assn (1992-2010), Twenty years Chairman Prince’s Trust Gloucestershire and Prince’s Youth Business Trust, Liveryman Worshipful Company of Gardeners, Initiator of Honourable Company of Gloucestershire and been associated as Patron, President or member of more than 20 County voluntary societies.

Clerk – Dr Paul Massey

Paul started his career at GCHQ before co-founding Stratia Cyber in 2011. After running and scaling the company for 14 years, he sold Stratia in 2025 to concentrate on community and voluntary activities.

His community service includes eight years as a councillor, committee chair and cabinet member at Cheltenham Borough Council, eight years as a school governor / chair of governors, membership / chairmanship of Gloucestershire’s School Appeals panel, mentoring with the Cranfield Trust and the Gloucestershire Growth Hub, and service on the audit committee of the Local Government Association.

He holds a PhD in Computer Science and is a Fellow of both the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Chartered Institute of Information Security.

Paul served as Chair of the Honourable Company’s Community Support Interest Group before assuming the role of Clerk in 2026.

Honorary Treasurer – Steve Wood

Steve had over 30 years experience as an actuary in the financial services industry, principally in the life and health insurance and reinsurance sectors.

He held positions of Finance Director and Appointed Actuary of a U.K. life insurance company and Appointed Actuary of a life and health reinsurance company and was successively UK Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer for Europe and the Middle East and Global Chief Marketing Officer for General Electric’s life and health reinsurance business. He had non-executive Board experience in the UK, Ireland, USA, Germany, Russia and Jordan.

Since retiring he has held several voluntary roles including Membership of the Alumni Fund Panel at the University of Bath, Trustee and Hon. Treasurer of the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (now GRCC) and Chairman of the Holst Birthplace Trust. He is currently a Trustee of LINC, a trustee and treasurer of the Southam Village Hall Management Committee and Chairman of the Cheltenham North Rotary Club Wine Festival Organising Committee.

He also supports Norwich City Football Club!

Almoner and Honorary Chaplain – The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni

The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni has been the Dean of Gloucester since April 2023.

Andrew was born and grew up in Hong Kong, before moving to the UK with his family at the age of eight and attending a prep school in Kent and then Eton College as a King’s Scholar. He subsequently read Classics at Merton College, Oxford.

Andrew trained for ordination at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and was ordained Deacon in 2002 and Priest in 2003. He began his ordained ministry in the former mining town of Goldthorpe in South Yorkshire, before moving to St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he was a Minor Canon and Chaplain of St George’s School. Andrew then moved to Southwark, where he was Assistant Director of Vocations in the Diocese of Southwark and Honorary Minor Canon at Southwark Cathedral before becoming Canon Precentor in January 2021. He was also a Priest Vicar at Westminster Abbey from 2018 to 2021.

Andrew’s hobbies include listening to opera, reading contemporary fiction and visiting art galleries and museums. Andrew lives with his civil partner Lloyd Wood, an interior designer, and their boisterous Parson Russell puppy, George.

Brigadier (Retired) Charlie Calder OBE

Charles is currently the CEO of a small Tech Start Up developing software for drones.

He retired from the Army in 2023 after a full career which started at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst straight after leaving school. He joined the Royal Anglian Regiment and served in a variety of locations including the UK, Gibraltar and Germany. During his career he saw extensive operational service in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. He transferred to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 2008 and commanded the 2^nd Battalion, which included a tour of duty in Helmand Province in 2009. On promotion to Brigadier he was appointed the Defence Advisor to Nigeria and finished his career commanding the British Military Mission to the Saudi National Guard. During his time at the Staff College he completed an MA through King’s College London.

Although not from Gloucestershire his wife, Claire, was born and brought up on the outskirts of Cheltenham. They have two children the eldest of which attended Cheltenham College. Since retiring from the Army they have made Gloucestershire their home.

Tom Frost DL

Thomas Frost was brought up in Hertfordshire and after school spent a year working abroad in South Africa and Kenya. On his return to the UK he qualified as a chartered accountant in the City, following which he joined Whitbread International as their Financial Controller for five years, frequently travelling abroad throughout Europe. In 1973 he moved to Gloucestershire working in Malmesbury as Finance Director and Secretary for an electrical light company before jointly selling it on to a large Plc. He then joined ARC at their head office in Chipping Sodbury as their Commercial Director responsible for their Building Products division until their takeover by Hanson PLC in 1991. From there he decided to acquire a distressed electrical manufacturer, which he managed to turn round and grow to an organisation employing a workforce of some 120 with a strong global customer base, before selling the business on to a private management team.

Since 2003, he has been concentrating on his property business and supporting several biotech start-ups locally as well as running the family’s small farm. Tom is a keen and dedicated countryman with interests in conservation, gardening, bloodstock breeding and exercising their five dogs (he is currently President of the Lucas Terrier Club) as well as the odd game of golf. He is also an enthusiastic supporter of Gloucestershire’s County Cricket side. He is Chair of his family-based charity dedicated to eye diseases and the prevention of blindness. This organisation is closely aligned with Bristol Eye Hospital and also offers fellowships to young trainee ophthalmologists. He was High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 2014/15 and was appointed a D.L. in 2016. Tom was President of the Gloucestershire Society in 2017. Tom and his wife, Carolyn, have lived for over 40 years at their home in South Gloucestershire and have three grown-up boys and four young grandchildren.

Professor Chris Gaskell CBE

A veterinary surgeon and graduate of the University of Bristol, Professor Chris Gaskell worked as an academic clinician (companion animals), and latterly in an administrative role, at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Bristol, Liverpool and the Royal Agricultural College, then University (RAU), in Cirencester. He retired in 2016 after nine years as Vice-Chancellor of The RAU. He is currently a member of the Boards of the University of Winchester and Reaseheath College in Cheshire, and of the Welsh bTB Eradication Programme Advisory Group. He has previously served as Chairman of Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor’s Science Advisory Council and a member of the Government Chief Scientist’s Food Research Partnership. He is an Associate Member of the Royal Agricultural Societies of England. He was previously a member of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Board of UCEA (the University and College’s Employers Association) and Vice-Chair of GuildHE, the representative body for specialist universities. He is an adviser to Applied Inspiration, a company providing advice on student recruitment, widening participation, and careers. Chris lives with his wife Rosalind in the North Cotswolds, and they have family and grandchildren locally and in Yorkshire.

Chris joined the Company in 2008 and Court in 2016; he was appointed Warden in 2020.

Mark Hurrell DL

Mark joined the BBC in 1978 and apart from two years in commercial radio, worked for the Corporation in local radio and regional TV for over 35 years . He moved with his family to BBC Radio Gloucestershire in 1990 as deputy manager before working for fours years at Points West TV in Bristol . He covered all the major roles including in vision presentation, reporting and production before moving into management and leadership roles. In 1998 he returned to radio as the Editor of BBC Radio Stoke before taking over as Editor of BBC Radio Gloucestershire in 2002… a post he held until 2016. He then moved onto a special project that commemorated the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the BBC arts TV programme Civilisations.

Now retired Mark supports various local charities, is a keen amateur singer and a long standing season ticket holder at Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm Stadium. He was one of the founder members of The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire and is a Trustee of the Company’s Trust . He also Chairs the Arts and Heritage interest group. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 2017 and was honoured to be the county’s High Sheriff for a year in 2024 to 2025.

Julie Kent MBE

Julie Kent was born in Gloucester and attended the High School for Girls, Denmark Road. After Studying Jazz and Light Music at Leeds College of Music she was a Professional musician until she settled in Cheltenham and started teaching at Dean Close School. She was a day Housemistress and has been in Boarding for the last 18 years living and caring for sixty teenage girls in term time.

After losing her first child in 1995 she started a Charity called the Emily Kent Charitable Trust and for the last five years has been the Vice Chair of the Pied Piper Appeal. Her charity work raising money for Breast Cancer and many others has led her to be named in the Top 50 Greatest Women in Gloucestershire, in the Top 100 Women in West gaining the Most outstanding Woman in the Charitable Sector in the West and was awarded an MBE in the Queens Birthday Honours list in June 2021. Julie sits on the Court as the Communications Champion and Junior Warden.

Iain Lovatt

Iain is the Membership Champion

Iain F Lovatt is an experienced data, marketing and analytics leader with over 30 years in the industry, widely recognised for his work in customer insight, data quality and GDPR‑driven transformation. His career includes senior leadership at BlueVenn, where his expertise helped shape the company’s strategy, innovation and market presence before its successful sale in 2021, representing a major milestone in his professional journey. 

He has also served as a Visiting Professor at the University of the West of England, a role that reflects his longstanding contribution to advancing data and marketing education. He received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Database Marketing for more than 25 years promoting best practice across the industry. 

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Iain is a devoted family man — husband to Helen Lovatt and proud father of four children. He enjoys an active life in Cheltenham, fuelled by passions for rugby, cricket, golf, skiing, travel, good food and wine. What truly brings meaning to his life, however, is mentoring young people and supporting those who need guidance, a commitment that reflects his personal values 

Ian O’Bryan

An entrepreneur and owner of a specialist telecoms and internet company based in Cheltenham and operating throughout the UK, Ian also has commercial interests in the upstream oil and gas exploration market and previously owned a small chain of restaurants; he has worked extensively throughout the Middle East and Africa as well as the UK. His background includes experience of investment banking, where he developed strategies for the introduction of electronic trading platforms at Deutsche Bank, and policing, where he worked in numerous roles as a senior officer within Gloucestershire Constabulary. Educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Ian was commissioned into the Light Infantry and served in numerous operational theatres domestically and internationally. He is a graduate of Loughborough University and a post graduate of the University of Cambridge. An enthusiastic sportsman, he is a former international hockey player and track & field athlete; he also once held the world record for the longest indoor hockey match. An avid adventurer, he recently completed an expedition into the Arctic Circle and Svalbard (one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas). Nearer to home Ian provides tutor and mentoring support to 13-14 year old school children and is involved in volunteer coaching for a youth hockey team. He also supports a local initiative to help adults reconnect with hockey and regain fitness after significant breaks from playing regularly.

Peter Randall

Peter is a Serial Entrepreneur and is CEO and Founder of the Koze Group. He founded a national, leading and award winning, Sustainable Energy Company bringing together design, installation, finance and data including new ways to buy and save energy.

He was educated at The King’s School, Canterbury; University of Manchester; RMA Sandhurst, has an MBA from Cranfield and is a Fellow of the RSA. He served as an Officer in the The Royal Anglian Regiment. On leaving the Army he worked for Courtaulds. His entrepreneurial experience, starting in 1989, is international and covers, manufacturing recycled paper, building the largest introduction agency in the UK, Telecoms, Voicemail and Global Internet Service Provision. He now owns businesses in sustainable energy solutions including Solar, Batteries and Air Source Heat Pumps as well as financing sustainable energy. His experience is in founding, building and then selling or floating businesses.

He formerly Chaired and co-founded his local Village Community Stores, was the President of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, is an active member of YPO/WPO and is a Trustee of the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum. Peter is married to Karen, a Chartered Accountant, has 3 daughters and, for the last 20 years, has lived in Owlpen, Gloucestershire.