Trustees and management

Robert’s career has spanned 30 years, with senior roles in a broad range of industries with major multinationals and Small/Medium Enterprises (SMEs) alike. His focus is on performance improvement and business turnarounds, focussing on operational and supply-chain efficiency and with a sales and marketing innovation perspective.

Robert has previously been Vice President of 02 Germany, Chief Marketing Officer and Deputy CEO at Compaq Computer Ltd, and Director at KPMG.

Passionate about photography, food, Bowie and music generally, Robert is based locally near Exeter. He is a graduate of LSE and Vienna University.

Lord Triesman’s outstanding career in politics, finance, education, publishing and fine art and his unwavering commitment to public service equip him singularly well to lead the Dartington Trust as we approach our centenary celebrations in 2025. 

He is a co-founder of the Clean Growth Network, and has chaired and served on boards of a number of charities and companies, including as trustee of the children’s charity Bounce Forward, Governor of the Capital Colleges Group and Chair of the Football Association. He is currently Senior Visiting Research Fellow at Cambridge University. He has considerable financial expertise, being Group Director of Salamanca Group and having served on the Boards of Havin Bank, Templewood Merchant Bank and the UBS Advisory Board. In political life, he was responsible for the Prime Minister’s political organisation under Tony Blair, and subsequently served as Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills, and has held ministerial roles in Energy, Business, Higher Education and Europe. He was also General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers.

Lord Triesman said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to chair the Dartington Trust. Dartington is truly unique. It brings together excellent art and design and, increasingly, innovative holistic work in social and environmental sciences and ecology. Its contribution to a just and sustainable future is legendary.”

Dr Sally Basker is Chief Executive Officer at Exeter Science Park where she leads development of a fast-growing, non-profit science park helping innovative science-based companies deliver extraordinary growth. She has nearly 20 years’ board/senior-level public and private sector experience gained nationally and internationally in the space, navigation, nuclear and science park sectors. Most of Sally’s roles have involved the development and delivery of strategy as well as change management, often in support of a turn around. They have also included advocacy to minster-level globally. Sally is a member of the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group, the Heart of the South West LEP Innovation Committee and the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone Board. Sally is a Director of the UK Science Park Association and a Director of Exeter Mathematics School. She has previously held non-exec roles with the Royal Institute of Navigation and International Loran Association.

Sally lives on Dartmoor and is a keen amateur musician playing timpani and percussion in symphony orchestras and other ensembles. She is enthused by Dartington and its wider mission linked to the arts, the promotion of a fairer society and the future of our planet.

Peter is a senior leader experienced in the private, public and charitable sectors. Peter was a managing director at The Boston Consulting Group and is now a senior advisor to the firm. He is a non-executive director of Imperial College Healthcare Trust, and a trustee of the Fidelity UK Foundation. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Education Endowment Foundation and a visiting professor at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College.

Peter advises senior leaders of major organisations in a variety of sectors on strategic direction and operational performance. He has specialised in the leadership of large-scale operational and organisational change. His geographic experience covers the UK, Europe, the US, Asia and Australasia.

He was educated at Cambridge University and the Harvard Business School.

Peter has a long standing family connection with South Devon.

Amanda is the chair and co-founder of Corporate Citizenship – a leading international sustainability management consultancy. Amanda’s career began in the voluntary sector, focusing on policy and advocacy, before she moved into the business sector in the NatWest Group as director of community affairs, and later director of CSR – the first such role in a FTSE 100 company.

Amanda has held many third sector roles such as chair of the National Literacy Trust and trustee of the Money Advice Service. She has held regulatory roles such as independent director of the Banking Code Standards Board and chair of IWF – a unique early self-regulator of ISPs – and also maintained her links to public policy as an advisor to the Social Exclusion Unit (1997-2001) and the New Deal Advisory Group.

Amanda has been involved in funding issues as a founder Board member of the National Lottery Community Fund and chair of the Baring Foundation, which then lead to her chairing the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) until 2018. Amanda currently chairs the #iwill Fund – a collaboration between The Lottery, Government and private funders to promote and support youth social action. She remains Vice President of the National Literacy Trust.

Appointed as a Trustee in December 2014, Sylvie Pierce had a successful career in local government, leading two large local authorities. She has a great interest in education and the arts. Post-government, Sylvie moved into the private sector, leading a property development company working with communities in economically deprived areas in a collaborative way to achieve high quality regeneration schemes.Sylvie will strengthen the board’s expertise in developing creative partnerships with like-minded organisations and with its communities to make the best use of its land and property for the future. Sylvie is currently chair of the Mossbourne Federation of Schools, four schools in Hackney; and chair of governors at Mossbourne Community Academy, a school started by Sir Clive Bourne, to demonstrate his passionate belief in the ability of Hackney children. She has also been on a number of boards previously, including the Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme and Shoreditch Trust.

Rachel has over 30 years of experience in marketing and communications.  She has spent the last 15 years leading the brand and marketing at Riverford Organic Farmers, a highly successful and values-driven organisation a few fields away from the Dartington estate.

Brand and customer insight have always been the area of marketing closest to Rachel’s heart and she knows the importance of understanding an organisation’s brand, sharing a sense of it with all stakeholders, internal and external, and remaining true to it through thick and thin.

Before joining Riverford, Rachel spent 20 years at a London-based agency specialising in customer insight, brand and marketing.

Responding to her appointment, Rachel said: “Dartington has been a part of my life since I was a child. It has shaped the character of the community I live in.  It has provided a rich and beautiful backdrop – both natural and cultural – which I, along with many other locals, have enjoyed and probably taken too much for granted.  I look forward to playing a part in helping Dartington thrive for coming generations”

Victor became chair of the NHS Confederation in April 2020. Before this, he was chief executive of Turning Point, a social enterprise.

He is a non-executive director of the Co-Operative Group, Collaborate CIC, Nuffield Health, Visionable and Leadership in Mind. He is also the chair of Social Enterprise UK. Victor served for six years as a non-executive director on the board of NHS England. He has chaired a number of commission reports into: policing; employment; mental health; housing and fairness for The London Fairness Commission; the Metropolitan Police; and for central and local government. He was awarded a CBE for services to the unemployed and homeless people and became a crossbench peer in 2001.

Victor is a visiting Professor and Chancellor at the University of Lincoln; an honorary member of the Institute of Psychiatry; President of The International Association of Philosophy and Psychiatry and a Governor at The London School of Economics.

Victor has an MA in Advanced Organisational Consulting from Tavistock Institute and City University.

Julia Unwin was chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust from 2007 until December 2016.

She was a member of the Housing Corporation Board for 10 years and a charity commissioner from 1998-2003. Julia was also deputy chair of the Food Standards Agency and worked as an independent consultant, for 15 years, operating within government and the voluntary and corporate sectors. She has researched and written extensively on issues relating to philanthropy, the voluntary sector, and its relationship with government and has written several books, the most recent of which is entitled “Why Fight Poverty?” which was published in November 2013.

She previously held a position as chair of the Refugee Council from 1995 until 1998, and is currently a member of the University of York’s Council, where she is a pro-chancellor and a governor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. In 2010 Julia was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award in the Charity Awards and was awarded a Fellowship of the City and Guilds of London Institute in June 2012.

Julia chairs the Institute for Social Renewal advisory board at the University of Newcastle as well as being a member of the Advisory Board for Policy Scotland, at the University of Glasgow. Julia is also on the advisory board of the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge.

In January 2016 Julia was appointed as an independent non-executive director of Mears Group Plc. She has Honorary Doctorates from the University of South Wales and from York St John University, and in 2016 was made a provincial canonry by the Archbishop of York.

Follow Julia on Twitter @juliaunwin

Victor became chair of the NHS Confederation in April 2020. Before this, he was chief executive of Turning Point, a social enterprise.

He is a non-executive director of the Co-Operative Group, Collaborate CIC, Nuffield Health, Visionable and Leadership in Mind. He is also the chair of Social Enterprise UK. Victor served for six years as a non-executive director on the board of NHS England. He has chaired a number of commission reports into: policing; employment; mental health; housing and fairness for The London Fairness Commission; the Metropolitan Police; and for central and local government. He was awarded a CBE for services to the unemployed and homeless people and became a crossbench peer in 2001.

Victor is a visiting Professor and Chancellor at the University of Lincoln; an honorary member of the Institute of Psychiatry; President of The International Association of Philosophy and Psychiatry and a Governor at The London School of Economics.

Victor has an MA in Advanced Organisational Consulting from Tavistock Institute and City University.

Julia Unwin was chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust from 2007 until December 2016.

She was a member of the Housing Corporation Board for 10 years and a charity commissioner from 1998-2003. Julia was also deputy chair of the Food Standards Agency and worked as an independent consultant, for 15 years, operating within government and the voluntary and corporate sectors. She has researched and written extensively on issues relating to philanthropy, the voluntary sector, and its relationship with government and has written several books, the most recent of which is entitled “Why Fight Poverty?” which was published in November 2013.

She previously held a position as chair of the Refugee Council from 1995 until 1998, and is currently a member of the University of York’s Council, where she is a pro-chancellor and a governor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. In 2010 Julia was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award in the Charity Awards and was awarded a Fellowship of the City and Guilds of London Institute in June 2012.

Julia chairs the Institute for Social Renewal advisory board at the University of Newcastle as well as being a member of the Advisory Board for Policy Scotland, at the University of Glasgow. Julia is also on the advisory board of the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge.

In January 2016 Julia was appointed as an independent non-executive director of Mears Group Plc. She has Honorary Doctorates from the University of South Wales and from York St John University, and in 2016 was made a provincial canonry by the Archbishop of York.

Follow Julia on Twitter @juliaunwin