Key staff
The Executive Team, led by the Chief Executive, is the RNLI’s team of senior managers. The Chief Executive is responsible to the Trustees for the day-to-day running of the RNLI and the execution of the strategy and policies decided by the Trustee Committee. Six specialist directors are responsible for fundraising, engineering and supply, human resources, corporate services, operations and finance.
Chief Executive, Paul Boissier
After graduating in Mechanical Engineering at Cambridge University, Paul Boissier joined the Royal Navy, specialising in navigation. He served in and then commanded a variety of submarines, before moving to the surface fleet as Captain of an anti-submarine frigate.
At Portsmouth Naval Base, he was responsible for repairing and accommodating most of the Navy’s ships. As Chief Executive of the Naval Support Organisation in Bristol, he worked closely with a variety of industrial partners and managed the three naval dockyards. Paul spent his last 2½ years in the Royal Navy as Chief Operating Officer, integrating HR, support, training, logistics and procurement.
Paul has sailed extensively with his wife Susie in their boat Snow Goose. He has also written a book on the maritime rules of the road, and for 3 years was Commodore of the Royal Naval Sailing Association. He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House. Away from the sea, he enjoys travel, gardening and writing – and bread making.
Fundraising and Communications Director, David Brann DipM MCIM FinstF(Cert)
David Brann was appointed Fundraising and Communications Director of the RNLI in 2003. David joined the Institution in 1994 as Corporate Fundraising Manager and was soon promoted to Marketing Manager, in charge of the recruitment and retention of members and donors and legacy marketing strategy. He was responsible for the successful introduction of Offshore membership, aimed at sea users. In 2000 he was seconded to the Institute of Fundraising for six months to start the Legacy Promotion Campaign for the promotion of legacy giving to all charities. He was appointed Fundraising and Marketing Director in 2001 and promoted to Fundraising and Communications Director in 2003. Prior to that David was Managing Director of Bentley's Restaurants in London and owned his own restaurant in Winchester. Earlier in his career he served as a junior officer on Cunard Line QE2. David holds a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma and is a Chartered Marketer. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Fundraising and has been awarded their Certificate in Fundraising Management. David is a keen sailor and can often be found racing his GP14 around the buoys of Poole Harbour.
Engineering and Supply Director, David Brook OBE MA BSc CEng MRAeS
David Brook was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1982 and earned an honours degree in Air Transport Engineering at the City University. He later achieved a Masters degree in Defence Studies from Kings College, London University.
His early appointments were on a front line Tornado air defence fighter station and his career then developed via a variety of tours including working with Tucano training aircraft, procurement of future offensive air systems, and RAF engineering and quality management policy. Much of David’s recent experience was with Chinook helicopters, firstly as the Senior Engineering Officer on the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing and latterly commanding RAF Odiham’s Engineering and Supply Wing where he was responsible for the provision of serviceable aircraft, engineering and supply manpower and logistic support to RAF Chinook and Army Lynx operations in the UK and in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has served on operations in the Middle East during the 1990-91 Gulf War and in Sierra Leone in 2000.
He is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a Graduate of the Joint Services Command and Staff College,
David joined the RNLI as Engineering and Supply Director in June 2007 and is responsible for almost 300 staff who design, build, refit and repair the Institution’s fleet of over 300 lifeboats, supply all their spares and equipment and provide a similar service to RNLI Lifeguards.
David lists his interests as clay target shooting, cricket and watching rugby. He is married to Angela, they have a young son and daughter and are in the process of moving to Dorset.
Finance and Information Systems Director, Mark Hallam BSc MNI FCA
Mark Hallam served in the Royal Navy from 1978 to 1987 as a General List Seaman Officer, followed by a further seven years service in the Royal Naval Reserve. In 1987, Mark joined the accountancy firm Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in Bristol, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in January 1991. He then transferred to Coopers & Lybrand in Luxembourg on a three year secondment, and in 1994 joined the London office of the firm. In 1998 Mark joined Willis as Group Audit Director, and was promoted to Divisional Finance Director of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland division three years later. In 2003 he joined H W International, as European Finance Director. Mark joined the RNLI in November 2005 as Finance and Information Systems Director. He is responsible for nearly 100 staff, who collectively provide the institution's financial and management accounting services and the information and communications technology and infrastructure. This supports the activities of the RNLI's volunteer crews, supporters and staff throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. Mark is a keen linguist and sailor, and is married with two daughters and one son.
Human Resources and Training Director, Ali Peck MA MSc CFCIPD
Ali Peck joined the RNLI in 1998 from the NHS where she worked in an operational role as Accident and Emergency Manager. Prior to this she worked for two years in further education, followed by 10 years in international cultural relations, at the British Council.
After holding a number of positions in Human Resources at the RNLI, Ali was appointed Human Resources Director in 2004, followed by Human Resources and Training Director in 2008. Holding post-graduate qualifications in human resource management and occupational psychology, Ali has a particular interest in workplace behaviours and the management of the psychological contract.
Ali’s interests include walking, polar exploration, gardening, writing novels (not very well) and being creative with her Aga.
Corporate Services Director, James Vaughan
James joined the RNLI after 12 years in the advertising industry. During this part of his career, James worked on developing brands as diverse as Gordon’s Gin and the Atomic Energy Authority. He left the industry in 1998 as a Group Account Director.
On joining the RNLI, he initially managed the RNLI's corporate fundraising, but from 2003 was then responsible for developing and then managing the Fundraising and Communications Services team which delivers expertise and marketing services ranging from creative design to printing and from emedia to exhibitions management.
From 2008 James has been the Corporate Services Director and has continued the ‘diverse theme’ of his career with a portfolio which includes Estate management, Governance/Legal, Business improvement and planning, International support and Environmental.
Born in London, he is married to Sara and they have two boys aged 13 and 10. A keen sailor and smallholder, he balances the competing demands of family life, work, animal husbandry and whenever possible, some sailing!
Operations Director, Michael Vlasto OBE FRIN FNI
Michael is a Master Mariner who joined the RNLI as a Lifeboat Inspector in 1975 after service in the Merchant Navy as a Deck Officer. He served initially as Divisional Inspector of Lifeboats in Scotland and then Wales between 1976 and 1990. In 1990 he became Staff Officer Operations (Training), controlling all operational training for lifeboat crews and station personnel. In 1994 he was appointed to the newly created position of Sea Safety Liaison Officer where he established and managed the Sea Safety Initiative.
Promoted to Chief of Operations in 1997 (title changed to Operations Director in January 2001) he currently has operational responsibility for both the lifeboat and RNLI Lifeguard services. This involves over 400 full time staff, 5,000 volunteer crew members/lifeguards and supports over 230 lifeboat stations and 70 lifeguard units throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.
He is currently Chairman of the National Water Safety Forum and the UKSAR Maritime and Aviation Consultative Committee. He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Livery member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, a Freeman of the City of London, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and a Fellow of the Nautical Institute.
In 2007 he became Chairman of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) which represents the lifeboat and SAR organisations around the world. The IMRF has Non-Governmental Consultative status at the IMO.
Michael Vlasto is married with a son and daughter and lives in Hampshire.
