Our Leadership Board
The Rio Ferdinand Foundation is governed by our Board of Trustees. The Board meets quarterly and is responsible for setting our strategic direction, as well as for our overall governance.
New trustees are chosen in consultation with the full Board, making sure that, collectively, the Board has the skills and experience needed to support the foundations goals and our ambitions for the future.
Meet the board and find out what inspires them to support the Rio Ferdinand Foundation
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Founder
Rio, our Founder and Patron, continues to sit as a trustee for the Foundation, and acts as an advocate in the sports and media fields in which he works. Rio also supports the Foundation in building relationships with corporate companies to build resources, opportunities and connectivity for the charity and the young people we work with.
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Chair
Binnie has a strong background in charity leadership and has been a member of the board of trustees since 2014. An experienced sports and youth work practitioner, Binnie worked at a senior level in Lambeth Council before taking on a role leading the Community Olympic Legacy programme at Hackney Council during the London 2012 Olympics.
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Treasurer
John is a Chartered Accountant, working on public and private sector projects, primarily in the construction, utilities and technology sectors. With a keen interest in sport and youth development, John was on the Manchester Commonwealth Games Legacy Board and sat on a London 2012 Olympic Legacy Board for the building of community facilities
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Trustee
Jim, a Governance and Legal professional, has over 35 years’ experience of higher education. A qualified arbitrator from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Accredited Mediators by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, he is currently University Secretary at the University of East London, having held similar positions at Brunel University and the three Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK, and also provides private governance, legal and dispute resolution services to several universities. He has also carried out relief work in Africa through charities and several universities.
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Trustee
Russell has held several senior posts involving managing and accounting for large change programmes with revenue and capital budgets of £100m+. As Southwark’s Head of Community Involvement and Social Renewal, Russell was involved in the regeneration of Peckham and was awarded an MBE in 2009 for his services to the community