The VSC is governed by 12 Trustees from all different backgrounds. Meet our Trustees below.
Chairman Major General Seumas Kerr CBE
Seumas served for 35 years in the Army and commanded 102 Logistic Brigade and the 4th Division. His civilian career includes three roles. Between 2006-2007 he was Chief Operating Officer Doha Development Company and from 2007-2018 he was a Carillion Director. From 2018 he became the Managing Director of D Group, Strategy International, and also acts as a Strategic Adviser to Lockheed Martin. His extra-mural responsibilities include Colonel Commandant The Royal Logistic Corps, Honorary Colonel Dorset Cadets, Trustee Armed Forces Catholic Trust, Honorary Ordnance Officer at The Tower of London, and Captain of the General’s Golf Team! He has been married to Sue for 40 years and they have 3 married daughters, who all live and work in London. Seumas became a trustee on 8th July 2014 and Chairman on 8th July 2020.
Vice Chairman Colonel Philippe Rossiter Hon DLitt MBA FIH FRGS
Following a 30-year military career with the Army Catering Corps, and subsequently the Royal Logistic Corps, Philippe became Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality in 2002, and then Executive Secretary to the Master Innholders, retiring from this role in 2017. He holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of Surrey and the Open University, and a MBA from Bournemouth University as well as Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Surrey and West London. A Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Innholders and Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Cooks, he remains engaged with a number of hospitality industry bodies. Philippe became a trustee on 16th April 2013 and the Vice Chairman on 20th March 2019.
Honorary Treasurer
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Ward
Richard Ward was commissioned into the RAPC through the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1988 leaving the Army in 2010. He is a keen sportsman, although arthritic knees limits participation to cycling, swimming and skiing, and the occasional “hack” around a golf course. He lives in Devizes with his wife Gillian. He is a passionate supporter of Welsh rugby and a long-suffering season ticket holder at the Rec, Bath. Richard became a trustee on 6th February 2017 and is the Honorary Treasurer.
Major Charles Marment
Charles Marment spent 32 years in the Army Reserve with The Honourable Artillery Company where he finished as second-in command. Charles became a trustee on 13th April 2013. He has been on the Victory Services Club Executive Committee since 2015 specifically advising on the Club`s stock market portfolio as the Chairman of the Investment Committee. He is the advisor to the board of Trustees of the Royal Artillery and 18(UKSF)Signal Regiment. He manages funds at the Private Client investment firm Charles Stanley where he has worked for over 30 years and is a Liveryman of the Drapers` Company.
mAJOR GENERAL jEFF mASON
Jeff Mason became the Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Butchers, a City Livery Company, in 2014. Prior to that he spent three and a half years as the Commercial Director for Europe for Supreme Group, providing support to defence and government organisations deployed on operations. Jeff was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1977. His early service included regimental appointments in commando and training units as well as service with the Royal Navy and with the Army. He then commenced a number of logistics appointments including service in the UK MoD, and Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade and command of the Commando Logistic Regiment providing logistic, medical and equipment support to the UK’s amphibious force. In 2004 Jeff was appointed to the UK’s operational headquarters (PJHQ) as the lead medical, logistics, movements and administrative planner for all UK deployed operations and after two years moved to run the UK MOD’s organisation responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the deployed joint supply chain and tasking all MOD strategic movement assets worldwide. On promotion to Major General in May 2009 he was responsible for the planning and strategic direction of logistic effect to current and future operations as well as providing logistic policy across the military logistic process.
Mr Paul Brackley
Paul Brackley was formally the General Manager at the Shangri-La Hotel, at the Shard where he successfully settled the hotel following the hotel’s challenging opening. Under his leadership the hotel was awarded the Automobile Association’s Five Red Stars, and the prestigious globally recognised Forbes Five Star Rating in 2019. Prior to joining the Shangri-La Group Paul was Managing Director of the Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair. Previous senior roles include General Manager with InterContinental Hotels Group and with Taj Hotels, Palaces & Resorts. He started his career in hospitality over 30 years ago as a Trainee Manager with the Savoy Group, working at the Savoy, Claridges, the Connaught and the Berkeley hotels. Paul became a trustee on 13th October 2015.
Ms Catherine Newhall-Caiger
Catherine is Managing Director of Bramcote International, a bespoke consultancy offering a range of business improvement services to national and international conference venues, associations and conferences. She previously was Business Development Director for the NEC Group, Birmingham where she secured major conferences and led the project teams on high profile events including the G8 Summit, Conservative Party Conferences and the NATO Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting. She is married to Paul and they are proud owners of two Slovakian Rough Haired Pointers, Poppy and Daisy. Catherine became a trustee on 2nd August 2017.
Mr Christopher Lacey
Christopher is the Managing Director of Sir Richard Sutton Limited (SRSL), a private company managing assets and trading businesses in the hospitality, farming and real estate sectors. Prior to joining SRSL, Christopher, a Chartered Surveyor, worked at the Pension Protection Fund and Mercury Asset Management, now Black Rock Investment Management. Christopher commutes into the West End from home in North Bedfordshire where he lives with wife, Juliana, and son, Jonathan. His affinity with the Services came through his father who served with the Grenadier Guards. Christopher became a trustee on 23rd April 2018.
Mr Gethin Roberts
Gethin left the RAF in 1990 and joined The Royal Mail as a postal executive in charge of transport at Luton and went on to hold a number of senior roles within Royal Mail including Distribution Manager for Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire. Gethin then moved into the Recruitment Industry as Head of the Driving Division at Blue Arrow, one of the UK’s leading recruitment agencies. Gethin held this position until he set up Drivers Direct in 2002. Since this time he has held the position of Managing Director, where he is responsible for the business’ strategy and continued growth. In the last year alone, the company has increased turnover to £26m. Gethin became a trustee on 23rd April 2018.
MrS PETRA CLAYTON
Petra Clayton is founder and CEO of hospitality marketing consultancy Custard Communications, which she launched in 2007 to deliver creative, strategic, and measurable marketing and communications solutions to the hotel, venue and hospitality supplier industry. Petra is the current chair of the Hotel Marketing Association, Trustee and Board member of the Victory Services Club and Board member of the Hoteliers’ Charter. With more than 25 years’ experience in marketing, including roles as Director of Marketing at the Institute of Hospitality and Loyalty and PR Manager at Princess Cruises (P&O Cruises), Petra invests a lot of time into being on the pulse of all things marketing. Petra has also relished the opportunity to share her teaching and marketing expertise with the industry and is a trainer for the Master Innholders Aspiring Leaders Diploma. In a bid to giving more back to the industry, Petra and the Custard team also provide free marketing consultancy to support The Clink Charity in rehabilitating prisoners with hospitality and catering skills for placement within the industry upon release from prison. Petra became a trustee on 21st March 2021.
Major General Celia Harvey
Major General Celia Harvey joined the Army Reserve in 1986 and commissioned at the RMA Sandhurst in 1987. With an extensive career in the British Army, initially serving with 2 Wessex, then with the REME from 1991 until joining the General Staff in 2005, she has held a diverse range of senior roles and responsibilities. After serving as President of the Territorial Commissions Board, amalgamating it with the Regular Commissions Board to form the Army Officer Selection Board, she has gone on to hold positions as Assistant Director in the Directorate of Personnel Services and Assistant Commander 11th Infantry Brigade. In 2015, she became Deputy Commander of Force Troops Command, and in 2018, Head of Strategy for the Reserves at Army HQ. She was promoted to Major General and served as Deputy Commander of the Field Army from March 2020 to April 2022. She was awarded the OBE in 2003 and the QVRM in 2008. She has also been an advocate for diversity and inclusion, serving as the Defence Champion for Sikhs in the Armed Forces and MoD from 2019 until 2023. In civilian life, she has enjoyed a career in events management, lecturing, and she is now a Tribunal Member for the Ministry of Justice. Married to John, with a daughter, Rosie, her pastimes include designing escape rooms and exploring ancient civilisations. Celia became a trustee on 27th March 2023.
Air Vice-Marshal Steve Chisnall
Steve Chisnall’s military career has spanned 28 years. During his RAF service he served in Germany during the Cold War, Northern Ireland in the early 90s, and was deployed to South Asia in 2002. He also worked in the Ministry of Defence and in the Cabinet Office. During his career he visited many countries throughout the world, focusing on security issues, governance and development. After leaving the RAF, Steve worked in the private sector for 3 years before joining the University of Southampton as a lecturer. His research interests are: International security issues, decision making in foreign policy and catastrophic and existential risks. One of his key ambitions as lecturer is to bring his wide experience to help students develop their talents and skills. Steve's main personal pursuits include cycling, swimming, skiing and walking mountains whenever possible. He became a trustee in July 2014.
