Our Trustees
As a charity we are governed by a group of Trustees who lend us their support and expertise.
Image courtesy of Visit Britain
We thank our Board of Trustees (below) for their generous support.
Henry is an architect and Founding Principal of Tableaux Studio, currently based in Dallas. Prior to starting his practice in 2022, Henry worked for several award-winning firms in London. Beyond architecture practice, he has been involved with several prominent art institutions in Cape Town and was editor-in-chief of BeFront Magazine, a design publication he launched in 2015. Throughout his career, Henry has been involved with academic institutions in different regions and is currently appointed as Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Arlington.
Julian is the Chief Executive of global production company Green Room Ents Ltd which he co-owns with theatre owner and impresario Nica Burns.
Until late Spring 2022, Julian was Chief Executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre and was the Executive Producer for The Olivier Awards and UK Theatre Awards. Prior to his time at SOLT, Julian was the Chief Operating Officer of Tate Galleries.
Joanne is a Programme Leader at the Centre for Educational Leadership at University College London Institute of Education. Her role entails developing and curating content for Specialist National Professional Qualifications and providing operational support for the implementation of programmes both Nationally and Internationally. Prior to joining the Centre for Educational Leadership team at UCL, Joanne was one of the executive directors of Fulcrum Learning Ltd, a company that had as its core purpose connecting schools, communities and resources to support school leaders in ensuring opportunities for all. Joanne has over 30 years experience in education as a senior leader, facilitator, coach and teaching school director for leading networks and alliances in all phases and really enjoys building effective relationships and helping professionals to achieve excellent outcomes.
Judy Cligman is a former director at the Heritage Lottery Fund, overseeing a rich portfolio of heritage projects across the whole of the UK. An architectural historian, graduating from UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art, she worked with English Heritage and Essex County Council, and has over 30 years experience in heritage conservation and funding. She is a Trustee of Historic Buildings and Places, and Committee Member of Great Dixter, and lives locally in a house dating back to the C17. She is a huge enthusiast for the De la Warr Pavilion, and serves on the Capital Appeals Committee.
David is a recently retired Solicitor, having spent the last 10 years of his career as Managing Partner of Sussex law firm Gaby Hardwicke. Before that he headed up the firm’s Commercial Law department, specialising in intellectual property. Prior to joining Gaby Hardwicke he was a senior associate with a ‘Magic Circle’ firm in the City, where he advised on intellectual property aspects of corporate transactions, as well as handling trade mark litigation. He has acted for one of the world’s leading computer games companies, an international news and information company, an ITV franchise holder, a global ‘A’ list rock musician and a Formula One racing driver. Living in Bexhill, David is also a Trustee of the Bexhill Festival of Music.
Kathryn has been an elected member of East Sussex County Council since 1992 and Rother District Council since 2007. She has held positions of responsibility on both councils. She is an experienced charity trustee having chaired Action in Rural Sussex for 7 years and South East Rural Community Councils for 8 years. She has also chaired Pestalozzi International Children’s Village and Sedlescombe Primary School board of governors. Kathryn has been a board member of Sussex Careers.
Lucy is a practising artist focused on capturing the energy and immediacy of the world through abstraction from her studio in Kent. Her corporate executive career was leading the Design and Technical department at Lendlease with a wide remit across Europe with projects ranging in value from £20million up to £1.6billion; 10,000 homes at Elephant Park to Google’s London HQ. She is an architect by background and spent 10 years of her career leading the redevelopment of BBC Broadcasting House.
Nakamori is Vice President of Arts and Culture, Asia Society, and Director of Asia Society Museum in New York City. Until August 2023, he was the Senior Curator of International Art (photography), Tate, where he led the development of Tate’s collection of photography as well as the strategy for representing photography in the programme at Tate Modern; developing and curating exhibitions, including Zanele Muholi (2020-21), and numerous collection displays. He also advised on initiatives on Asian and Asian diaspora art in programming at Tate Modern, and provided strategic management for photography in the programming at Tate Britain.
Anna Starling is Commercial Director at the National Portrait Gallery, London, joining the team in 2018. Her remit at the Gallery covers Retail, Publishing, Licensing and Hospitality with the core purpose to maximise secondary spend from visitors and exploit the Gallery’s significant collection for commercial products and licensing. Anna previously worked at frieze, managing the publishing area of the business and has worked at Modern Art Oxford and The Photographer’s Gallery in London.
Daphne is a business and stakeholder engagement professional with a wealth of experience and insight in leading client feedback, building relationships and networking. Her consultancy, Thissen Consulting, helps clients improve their relationships with current and prospective clients, to help make organisations be more successful and to reach their full potential.
Originally from the Netherlands and trained as an architectural historian, Daphne moved to the UK to work for English Heritage. Following a role as Development Director at The Employment Policy Institute, she spent over ten years at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UK, researching, reporting and advising on public and cultural diplomacy as well as bilateral public policies for cultural collaborations.
An Independent Rother District Councillor for Sackville Ward and Lead member for Communities, Tourism and Culture, elected in 2019.
Over 40 years civil service, business to business and hospitality sector experience both in management and ownership. Since retiring to Bexhill in 2008, I have been a volunteer business mentor for the long term unemployed, a volunteer and Trustee of the Association of Carer and an approved Princes Trust mentor.
Peter is a director at McPhersons Chartered Accountants, based in Bexhill just a few minutes walk from the Pavilion and regularly treats his clients to meetings and refreshments in the café. His accountancy skills have lead to a number of treasurer roles including previously at Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and at South Saxons hockey club.
Peter’s work has migrated more recently towards working with charities and not for profit clients particularly in creative fields such as theatres and museums adding breadth to his long experience with owner managed businesses and tax planning.
Professor Lawrence Zeegen, during an academic career spanning over 35 years, has led departments, schools and faculties at some of the UK’s most prominent universities and has lectured internationally in over 25 countries. Lawrence is currently interim Director for the Creative Computing Institute at University of the Arts London.
Lawrence is Professor of Illustration; he is the author of nine published books on graphic arts, including Fifty Years of Illustration and Ladybird by Design and is contributor to numerous publications. His illustration practice includes work with major international newspapers, magazines, book publishers, design studios and advertising agencies.
Lawrence is a graduate of the Royal College of Art, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has twice been appointed to the Executive Board of ico-D, the International Council of Design. He also works independently as a consultant across education and industry with a focus on preparing organisations for the emergence and arrival of Generation Alpha.
The Capital Appeals Committee was formed in 2019 to support the Board of Trustees with strategy and fundraising activity with regards to capital investment in our Grade One Listed building.
The Committee members are: Henry Abosi, Sean Albuquerque, Lucy Homer, Judith Cligman, Derek Stevens, Daphne Thissen
Sean is an architect who runs a practice based in the south east. Previously living in Serge Chermayeff’s house Bentley Wood in East Sussex, he has been involved with the Pavilion for more than ten years, bringing his expertise of 20th century building conservation. Sean teaches in the school of architecture at Brighton, has been an RIBA Councillor, and chair of RIBA South East Region.