Our Trustees
Our Trustees play a crucial role in the governance and strategic direction of a charity. They are responsible for ensuring the charity operates within its legal framework and adheres to its mission and values.
DI’s Trustees are volunteers who are passionate about the work we do here. Their experience helps them make decisions about the policy and direction of the organisation although in practice many day-to-day tasks are delegated to staff through the Chief Executive.
Sir Andrew Morris, Chairman
DI’s Chairman, Sir Andrew Morris OBE, Hon FRCP, formerly the Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, and current Deputy Chair of NHS England, holds over 45 years of management experience. Andrew served on the Health Education England Board as a Non-Executive Director from 2019 to 2023. He joined DI’s Board in 2017 and became Chair in June 2022.
Bob Ricketts, Vice-Chair
Former NHS England Director and DI Vice Chair, Bob Ricketts, joined the organisation in 2014. He was appointed Chair in 2016, a role he held until 2022, when he transitioned to serve as a trustee. Previously a Department of Health Director, Bob developed policies on commissioning, patient choice, community services, and the NHS Standard Contract. He holds an MA in Geography from Cambridge and an MBA from Henley Management College.
Board of Trustees
Geoff Bignell
Joining DI as a trustee in 2015, Geoff Bignell has had a varied career as a social worker, solicitor, senior manager, and entrepreneur. Educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, he served as Principal Solicitor for Warwickshire County Council and later became CEO The Law Society. In 1999, he founded Just Employment Solicitors, practicing employment law for 16 years. He has held non-executive roles in transport and media, chaired Southwestern Railway’s Customer Council, and leads the Finance Committee at DI.
John Scott
John Scott was the Head of Sustainability Risk at Zurich Insurance Group. Joining Zurich in 2001, he held roles as Head of Risk Insight and Chief Risk Officer for Zurich Global Corporate before stepping into the role of leading Zurich’s sustainability initiatives. An Oxford graduate with a PhD in Geology from Aberystwyth, John began his career in oil and gas with BP and later worked in strategy and planning at BOC. He holds an MBA from Cranfield and is a member of the Institute of Directors in the UK. An editor of the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report. John has supported DI since 2005 and became a Trustee in 2016.
Marianne Calder
Marianne is the Vice President of Inside Sales at Iron Mountain and has been a Trustee for Disability Initiative since 2016. Before joining Iron Mountain, she held various global leadership roles at Genesys, BT Global, Puppet, and Cisco. At BT Global, Marianne built and led a new Global Virtual Sales organisation, and at Puppet, she served as the Managing Director for EMEA, where she oversaw customer operations, including sales, marketing, and partner functions across the region. Marianne has studied and worked across the globe, including at Stanford University in California, Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, and Grenoble University in France, along with executive MBA courses at IMD, INSEAD, and Monterey Business School.
Elizabeth Kennedy
Joining DI a trustee in 2016, Elizabeth Kennedy has extensive business experience and has worked for several well-known retailers, including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Debenhams. She ran her own retail business for nearly 20 years. Elizabeth’s past charitable and voluntary work includes Cobham community group Envisage, the Cobham Conservation & Heritage Trust and Chairman of African Revival. She was High Sheriff of Surrey for 2015/16. She is a Patron of Transform Housing and Support, and was a Trustee and previous Chairman, a Trustee of the High Sheriff Youth Awards, a Director QEF Retail Trading, Chairman of the Cobham Heritage Day Committee, a Panel Member for the Elmbridge Community Fund and a Panel Member for the PCC Community Safety Fund.
Dominic Whittle
Dominic Whittle, a procurement and occupational health professional, served for 33 years at the Bank of England, most recently as Head of Property Procurement and Security until 2022. Starting as an Occupational Hygienist, he led key initiatives, including introducing polymer currency, improving accessibility at Threadneedle Street, and modernizing security functions. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. Dominic joined DI as a Trustee in 2022.
Andrew Cochrane
Andrew Cochrane, a General Practitioner since 2004, has been a partner in his practice and values working with a supportive team to deliver quality healthcare. Alongside his medical role, he is a dedicated educator, training future GPs and offering sessions for various primary care professionals like Clinical Pharmacists and Physician Associates. He previously directed Frimley’s GP training programme for eight years and served as Patch Associate Dean for GP training in West Surrey, overseeing quality and management aspects. A qualified mentor, he supports newly qualified GPs and Physician Associates. Andrew has also volunteered with the charity HCPT since 2009, assisting as a fundraiser and medical professional. Andrew joined DI in 2024.
Dan Robinson
With over 15 years’ experience in healthcare consultancy, Dan serves as Head of Business and Client Relations at LaingBuisson, a leading provider of market intelligence and data for the UK health and social care sectors. He manages key accounts, develops sales strategies, and builds long-term relationships across private hospitals, care homes, insurers, and other industry partners. Dan is also a playwriter, singer, and actor. Dan joined the Board of Trustees in September 2025.
The Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is established by law as the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales and its aim is to provide the best possible regulation of charities in order to increase a charity’s efficiency and effectiveness and public confidence and trust in them.
