The Bridge Group welcomes seven new trustees to drive next strategic chapter

 

The Bridge Group welcomes seven new trustees to drive next strategic chapter

4 June 2026

As the Bridge Group concludes its tenth anniversary year, the charity is thrilled to announce the appointment of seven exceptional new trustees. Following a competitive recruitment process in late 2025, the new trustees formally commenced their roles in May 2026.

This milestone follows a wave of significant momentum for the charity. It directly builds upon the recent launch of our Lead Partner programme with our three inaugural Lead Partners KPMG UK, Morgan Stanley, and Slaughter and May, and the convening of our new cross-sector Advisory Board.

Representing a diverse breadth of experiences and professional backgrounds, the new trustees will strengthen the charity’s governance as we enter our second decade of driving evidence-led socio-economic inclusion.

The Bridge Group is also delighted to announce that Tim Smith (Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP) has been appointed as Chair following the retirement from the charity of our previous Chair, Hephzibah Adeosun, and Ann Swampillai (Senior Civil Servant) continues in the role of Deputy Chair.

The seven newly appointed trustees are:

  • Emma Baylis, Managing Director, Interpath

  • Deborah Finkler, Former Managing Partner, Slaughter and May

  • Sam Fraine, Head of Philanthropy, Impetus

  • Reverend Josh Harris, Priest-in-Charge and Centre Director, The Guild Church of St Katherine Cree

  • Ross Murdoch, Head of Department, Enforcement and Market Oversight Division, Financial Conduct Authority

  • Lydia Nicola, Head of IT Operations, Amnesty International

  • Simon Picot, Senior Director and Head of Oncology Research & Development Portfolio Management, GSK

Welcoming our new trustees

Tim Smith, Chair of the Bridge Group, commented:

“I am proud and excited to welcome our seven new trustees to the Bridge Group. They join us at a defining moment in our charity’s history. Each new trustee brings deep sector expertise, unique perspectives and an unwavering commitment to socio-economic inclusion. Their leadership will be pivotal in helping us scale our national impact, and the enthusiasm with which each of them have immediately thrown themselves into their roles helps to keep up the momentum as we move into the next phase of our work.

On behalf of the entire Board and executive team, I also want to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to our retiring trustee, Deb Conner, and to our retiring former Chair, Hephzibah Adeosun. Deb’s extraordinary ten years of continuous service, alongside Hephzibah’s leadership, have laid the robust foundations that make our next strategic chapter possible. We wish them both the best for the future.”

Along with Tim and Ann, the new trustees join André Flemmings, Andrea Waugh and Laura Yeates. You can access the biographies of all trustees here.

 
 
 
Jenny Baskerville