Organisation Structure - The Board

Simon Sherrard was appointed Chairman of the PLA in January 2001, having first been appointed as a non-executive member in August 2000.

In 1985 he became Managing Director of Bibby Line Group Limited, being appointed Non-Executive Chairman in 2000. He also holds a number of other non-executive positions: Chairman of Johnson Service Group, Chairman of A & P Group Limited, Shiprepairers and Senior Independent Director and Trustee of Lloyd’s Register.

Mr Sherrard served as High Sheriff of Cheshire for the 2004/2005 year. He is an Elder Brother of Trinity House, a Member of the Council of the Mission to Seafarers, a Member of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and a Freeman of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen

Joanna Kennedy was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in August 2000 and was appointed Vice Chairman on 1st September 2008.. She is a Director of Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, the international consulting firm providing business solutions, engineering design, environmental, planning and project management services in the built environment. She is the leader of Arup Project Management Europe. She is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was appointed OBE in 1995 for services to consulting engineering. She is a Council Member of the Royal College of Art and a Commissioner of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.She is an active sailing enthusiast.

Peter Mole was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in January 2003 prior to which he was Director Operations with Global Marine Systems Limited.

Mr Mole started his career at sea with the Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation, serving on cargo, container and passenger ships. In 1978 he left P&O for BT (Marine) Limited where he enjoyed a varied career both at sea and ashore and finally was appointed General Manager Installation Services Division. From 1995 to 2000 he worked for Cable & Wireless (Marine) in a variety of roles finally being promoted to Director for Customer Service covering global sales and marketing in 1999. Mr Mole remained with the company following its take-over by Global Crossing in 2000 and was appointed to the Global Marine Board, which he left in 2002. Mr Mole is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. A member of the IWA, he is an active narrow boat enthusiast and also Project Director of the Beaulieu Light Railway.

Jeremy Beech was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in March 2003 following a full career in the UK Fire Service latterly serving as the Chief Fire Officer of Kent during which he served on the Anglo-French Channel Tunnel Safety Authority, established to oversee all aspects of safety in relation to the construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel.

Mr Beech now runs his own Consulting Practice and was engaged by the Department for Transport following the events of 11 September 2001, to review UK port vulnerability, contribute to the work of the IMO, and undertake other security related assignments.  He continues to provide professional advice on maritime security, and also fire and civil protection.  He is a Chartered Marine Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology, a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Fire-fighters, a Trustee of the Kent Foundation, a Governor of Mid Kent College and a Director of the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in West Sussex.

Peter Matthews was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in March 2006.  Having started his working life in the pharmaceutical industry he enjoyed a long and successful career in the water industry , including over twenty five years at Anglian Water.

In 2000, he was appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency, where his term of office expired during 2006.  He is actively engaged in the work of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM); the European Water Association; and the Society for the Environment.

He is a Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University and serves on the boards of  a number of companies.

Pommy Sarwal was appointed a non-executive member of the PLA in June 2006.

Mr Sarwal first qualified as a chartered accountant in 1976, at the start of a successful career in corporate finance. His experience includes advising both private and public sector clients in sectors as diverse as energy, water, ports, airports, public transport, road, rail and defence. He has worked with both UK companies and businesses based in the USA and Europe.

Until 2002, he was a partner in the Specialised Finance Group of Deloitte & Touche. He is a member of the Ports Advisory Group of the DTi Trade and Investment Division and also a non executive director of Chatham Historic Dockyard, Christie Group plc, British Waterways and Hyde Housing Association.  He is chairman of Master Ropemakers Ltd.  Mr Sarwal is a Sloan Fellow of the London Business School and a member of the Securities Institute.

William Everard joined the Board as a Non Executive Director in July 2008, and brings to the Authority over 40 years' experience of the shipping and marine industries.  Much of that time was spent working for the family shipping company, F T Everard & Sons Ltd, as a result of which he was elected President of the Chamber of Shipping.  He maintains his links with the maritime industry through his work with  Bureau Veritas and Lloyd's Register, and his contribution to shipping was recognised by the award of the CBE in 2006.  He is also a member of the Council of the RNLI and Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

Richard Everitt joined the PLA in December 2004 and was appointed Chief Executive from 1 January 2005. After qualifying as a solicitor in 1974, he spent four years in private practice before joining BAA, the airports company, in 1978. Following the privatisation of BAA in 1987, he joined the Board in 1991 as director responsible for strategy and regulatory matters. He resigned from the BAA Board in 2001 to become Chief Executive of National Air Traffic Services on its part privatisation, leaving in 2004. He is a Director of Estuary Services Limited and Port of London Properties Limited, Chairman of the United Kingdom Major Ports Group and a non-executive Director of Air Partner plc.

Brian Chapman, Chief Financial Officer, was appointed an executive member of the PLA in September 2001 prior to which he spent many years in the food industry. His post prior to joining the PLA was as Finance Director of United Milk plc, and previously he was Regional Finance Director for the consumer products arm of the New Zealand Dairy Board. As Chief Financial Officer he is responsible for the accounting function, pensions, insurance and property. He is a director of Estuary Services Ltd, Port of London Properties Limited, Company Secretary of Thames 21 and an alternate director of UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG) and a trustee of a number of pension funds.