Who We Are
Get to know the people guiding Fairtrade’s vision and strategy in the UK. Our leadership team, trustees, and board members bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to trade justice.
Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member of the international Fairtrade system, working with people and partners around the world to make trade work for people and planet.
Our role in the UK is to connect farmers and workers with businesses, campaigners, and everyday shoppers, so that together, we can shift the balance of trade.
Eleanor Harrison OBE - Chief Executive
Eleanor is a visionary changemaker and strategist who brings with her 20 years of experience leading purpose-driven organisations. She was previously CEO of Impetus, a venture philanthropy nonprofit improving social outcomes and scaling impact for young people facing disadvantage. She has received widespread recognition for her achievements. In 2016, she received the Order of the British Empire for Services to International Development. In her role as Chief Executive of online platform GlobalGiving UK, she utilised her entrepreneurial drive and commercial acumen to disrupt traditional aid and accelerate community-led change. Eleanor has also held several leadership roles in international NGOs, including running a Kenyan NGO for five years supporting children and their families to build better lives for themselves.
Fiona Kindness - Chief Financial Officer
Fiona joined the Fairtrade Foundation in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer responsible for Finance & Business Intelligence, People & Organisational Development, outsourced IT infrastructure, Facilities, Legal and Compliance. Prior to Fairtrade, Fiona was Director of Resources and latterly Acting CEO of the John Muir Trust, a Scottish conservation charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing wild places across the UK. Before moving into the charity sector Fiona gained over 20 years’ experience as a corporate finance adviser to entrepreneurial businesses both large and small, with market capitalisations ranging from £3 million to £500 million. She worked across a wide range of industries, assisting on all issues of corporate life, financial and otherwise.
Kerrina Thorogood - Director of Partnerships
Kerrina has over 15 years’ experience of securing and stewarding award-winning strategic partnerships in the charity sector. At WWF-UK, she led an ambitious team delivering huge successes for the private sector and the planet, including partnerships with Coca-Cola, John West, Reckitt, Aviva, Sky and Tesco, the latter which has seen the retailer working to halve the impact of the average shopping basket inspiring retailers globally, and leading to the Retailers Commitment to Nature announcement at COP26. As a creative and strategic thinker, she challenges businesses and Fairtrade to think about where they are uniquely placed to have an impact in partnership. Previously Kerrina worked at Breakthrough Breast Cancer securing strategic, sponsorship and marketing partnerships. Her work in the charity sector was preceded by a career working for the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) promoting Japan to British multinationals as a market for foreign investment. Kerrina speaks Japanese and spent an enjoyable 5 years living there.
Marie Rumsby - Director of Communications and Advocacy
Marie joined the Fairtrade Foundation in April 2024 as Director of Communications and Advocacy, responsible for Fairtrade’s public affairs, campaigning and community engagement, and brand and marketing. Marie has over 15 years of experience as a impactful policy, advocacy, campaigns and communications strategist. She has worked for The Royal Society (the UK’s science academy), Save the Children, Global Citizen and most recently Bite Back 2030 – a youth-led movement working to fix the food system in the UK. Her work has focused on international development, food security and sustainability. She has authored numerous policy reports including ‘People and the Planet’ and ‘Unequal Portions’ and is an experienced media spokesperson. She has a MSc in Global Health Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Fairtrade Foundation Board Members
Nyagoy Nyong’o - Board Chair
Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o, a Kenyan by nationality, is the immediate former Global CEO of Fairtrade International. Previously, she was the Executive Director of Fairtrade Africa. Nyagoy has a history of almost 20 years with Fairtrade, having also been an auditor, in past years. Born and brought up in Kenya by a mother who was a small farmer and witnessing the struggles she bore, Nyagoy’s passion for improved livelihoods for small farmers and workers deepened over the years. Through pursuit of trade justice in her career, Nyagoy’s aspiration is a place where small farmers and workers can take their destiny in their own hands, realise real fair trade and live with dignity. She become a trustee because she shares a unity of purpose with the Fairtrade Foundation. She also recognises that the Foundation has been instrumental and still is in bringing innovative changes to Fairtrade. A good example is the Shared Impact innovation. The Foundation has the spirit and desire for change, and she wants to be part of that.
Keri Elborn - Co-opted trustee, Treasurer and Interim Vice Chair
Keri has worked in the financial services industry for over 25 years. During this time, he has had roles in external audit, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), strategy, finance as a CFO, and is currently an advisor on both M&A and value creation. Keri has covered Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Africa through his career. He has travelled extensively and lived in both Mexico City (where he was born) and Zagreb. Keri is also a Governor of Dulwich College and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Kerry Smith - Producer Trustee, Chair of People, Safeguarding and Remuneration Committee
Kerry is the Chief People Officer at the British Heart Foundation. She is a Fellow of the CIPD and has 30 years’ worth of experience in human resources, talent development and change leadership, working for recognised organisations including the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust. Kerry is known for leading award-winning people change programmes which bring about modern and successful workplaces. She is one of the UK’s HR Most Influential since 2018, awarded by HR Excellence. She is Chair of the Charities HR Network and Chair of People, Safeguarding & Remuneration Committee for Fairtrade. Kerry is delighted have joined the Fairtrade Foundation Board of Trustees and has long been a buyer of Fairtrade products. She admires them for their quality and consistency but moreover, to drive and deliver sustainable livelihoods that people can be proud of.
Stephanie Barrientos - Member Trustee
Stephanie Barrientos is an Emeritus Professor in the Global Development Institute at the University of Manchester, where she has worked since 2007. She was previously a Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. Stephanie has researched and published extensively on workers and small-scale producers in global value chains with a particular focus on: gender, fair trade, ethical trade, corporate social responsibility, and business and human rights. Improving the lives of workers and small-scale producers has always been a key motivation for her work. Stephanie has been a strong supporter of Fairtrade from its beginning and has over 25 years of research experience on fair and ethical trade. Stephanie led research commissioned by Cadbury Mapping Sustainable Cocoa Production in Ghana (2005-7) in collaboration with the University of Ghana (Legon); and in India (2009-11) with CMA Ahmedabad. This informed Cadbury’s decision to adopt the FAIRTRADE Mark for Dairy Milk chocolate. Stephanie currently holds a Levehulme Emeritus Fellowship (2023-25) to write a book on Fairer Trade in Global Supply Chains. This explores the evolution and contemporary challenges facing social standards, and implications of EU Human Rights due diligence for workers and small-scale producers.
David Paterson - Member Trustee, Chair of Nominations Committee
David is a retired City solicitor, having been a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills from 1994, specialising in corporate finance, board and governance matters. Retiring from legal practice in 2018, David now divides his time between a number of non-executive roles. David has supported Christian Aid, one of Fairtrade’s UK founders, in a variety of roles over the last decade. He has been a trustee of Christian Aid Kenya since 2016. His experience in enterprise development work, such as is led by Christian Aid in East Africa, has been a valuable base for his input into the work of the Foundation. David also works part time at the Financial Reporting Council in its enforcement division, overseeing investigations and enforcement proceedings in the audit and actuarial fields. David is a Trustee of The Benefact Trust, owner of the Benefact Group of financial services businesses, leading grant funder in the Christian Funder’s Forum, and a non-executive director of The R&A Group of companies, which stages a range of elite events in Golf (including The Open Championship) and includes one of the two world governing bodies of that sport.
Simon Wright - Member Trustee
Simon’s involvement with Fairtrade goes back to the very first UK product to carry the Fairtrade logo – Green & Black’s Maya Gold. In 1994 Simon was part of the team that developed this bar and the initial development of the Divine range of Fairtrade chocolate bars. Simon now works with a chocolate company in Italy that processes many of the world’s Fairtrade cocoa beans. With a keen interest in sustainable food production, Simon also runs a consultancy business that helps food and drink companies to develop their products. Simon sits on the Standards Board of the Soil Association, helping to maintain and develop organic standards. He also chairs the judging of the Quality Food Awards and is a member of the UK Expert Group on Organic Production. Apart from sustainable food, Simon’s other interest is rock ’n’ roll – writing, releasing, collecting and DJing. He is frequently accompanied to Fairtrade Foundation Board meetings by Bonnie, a Maltese / Shitzu cross.
Anita Chandraker - Member Trustee
Anita is a senior leader with executive and non-executive board experience. She has worked for more than 30 years with PA Consulting, advising clients at board level on strategic technology and digital initiatives, and delivering complex transformation programmes. Whilst at PA, she also had responsibility for growing significant parts of the business and was a member of the Executive Team and Board. Anita retired in 2021 and now holds several non-executive roles and coaches and mentors senior leaders. Anita is passionate about reducing inequalities across high-income and low-income countries, having witnessed disparities first-hand through her strong family connection to India. Anita enjoys walking, cooking and yoga, and is a keen follower of football.
Sarah King - Co-opted Trustee
Sarah King comes from a career in brand building, insight and consulting, most recently at Kantar, where she was Global Head of Brand Strategy and a Senior Partner in the Sustainable Transformation practice. She has worked with a wide range of brands in different sectors including consumer goods and services, and retail. She is honoured to be appointed as a Trustee member of The Fairtrade Foundation as a strong admirer of the Foundation and its underlying principles. As a relatively new board member, she looks forward to using her skills and experience in support of its mission, as part of the Board.
Sean O'Neill - Co-opted Trustee
Sean’s career spans more than 25 years in senior executive leadership positions with global CPG companies. Prior to this, Sean worked as a senior adviser to various governments on national privatisation projects and with international businesses as a consultant on policy and communication issues. Alongside his executive roles, Sean has been Chairman of the global drinks industry’s two main bodies, served on international investment Committees and acted as Trustee of local and international charities. For much of his career, Sean has been involved in local sourcing initiatives across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean and has seen first-hand the incredible impact these initiatives bring to individuals and communities.
Titus Gerard Beverly Pinto - Producer Trustee
Mr Pinto is a highly experienced tea industry professional, having worked for The United Nilgiri Tea Estates Company in multiple senior positions for 43 years. He stepped down as a member of the Board of Management and is currently serving as a Board Advisor for the next three years. Mr Pinto was Chairman of The Nilgiri Planters Association during which the Association won two awards for the best use of Premiums, and he witnessed the positive impact on lives in the community through the school and hospital they built. He was Chairman of The Tamil Nadu Planters Association, and a committee member for The United Planters Association of South India. Mr. Pinto was also a board member on the network of Asia Pacific Producers. He was actively involved in conducting Tea Auctions in Las Vegas and Atlanta and oversaw the ‘Technology Absorption for the Plantation Industry.’ Mr Pinto brings a wealth of experience, combining vital experience as a producer, as well as experience working within the Fairtrade system.
George Kporye - Producer Trustee
George Hugh Mensah Kporye is one of the pioneers of the horticultural industry in Ghana and has won several national awards in the sector for his initiatives and efforts. He is a graduate of the University of Ghana with a background in Economics and Statistics. He was trained and certified as an organic farmer in Sweden in 2001. He was previously the Managing Director of Paradise Farms Limited, Ghana, a company he co-owned with two others but which was acquired by Golden Exotics Limited, a subsidiary of the Compagnie Fruitière Group of France in 2003. George is presently the Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Advisor for Golden Exotics Limited, Ghana, a major producer and exporter of conventional and organic Fairtrade bananas in Africa.
