Simon Day - Chair of Trustees
Simon grew up in Kent and studied Maths at the University of Cambridge. After university he stayed on in Cambridge, training as an accountant with KPMG and then pursued a career in finance, most recently as Finance Director and Company Secretary at CMR Surgical.
Mark Childs
Mark was founder and Chief Executive of a professional services company providing HR advice to clients across public, private and third sectors, including many of the UK’s largest charities.
Prior to this he held senior HR roles in major UK and US parented companies and is a former Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
He studied at the University of Kent, where he was a CU leader and has an academic background in employee relations. A Director of the Christian video business Go Chatter Media, he is also Chair of Trustees of Kinetic Network, which is a family of Spirit and Word leaders and churches.
Gareth Burns
Gareth, a qualified actuary, leads bp ventures, bp’s corporate venture capital activities. Prior to joining bp, he held a variety of senior leadership roles in the Norwegian energy company, Equinor. Based in London, he has experience from all aspects of the global energy value having had responsibilities across all continents.
Gareth, an Irish citizen, first encountered UCCF when at Heriot-Watt University and is pleased to see his two sons benefiting from its work now that they are also at university. He is also a trustee of Stewardship and his local church in Hampstead. Married to Siobhán, he is a keen cyclist and enjoys trying to keep up with his sons.
James MacKenzie
Born in Inverness and raised in Scotland, James studied Law at Edinburgh University and, after a few years working for a law firm doing corporate finance work, he is now General Counsel and Company Secretary of Aegon UK. He is an elder of Edinburgh North Church. James is also chair of UCCF’s Scottish Advisory Council.
James and his wife, Beccie, live in Edinburgh with their four children.
James is the lead trustee for safeguarding.
Begho Obale - Chair of Student Council
Begho is from Middlesbrough and is currently studying Pharmacy at Newcastle University. She is Chair of the UCCF Student Council.