Trustees with specific roles

Guy Paisner, Chair

Guy is an analyst at a London-based investment firm. He has a background in fundraising and investor relations for alternative asset managers and started his career as a financial journalist focused on European private equity and venture capital.

Hilary Samson-Barry, Vice Chair

Hilary is a leadership and professional development coach working mainly in the public and not for profit sectors. She has personal experience of bipolar through family members.In addition to being Vice-Chair she is also a member of the charity's Finance Committee.

Sarita Dent, Treasurer

Sarita is a management and financial consultant who also sits on the boards of private and public sector organisations. She brings a wealth of commercial and financial expertise to the board of Trustees. Sarita chairs the Finance Committee.

Trustees

Alice Alphandary

Alice Alphandary works in banking supervision at the Bank of England. She studied natural sciences specialising in biology at university and so is always interested in learning about different medication and therapy used to manage the condition. Alice has family experience of bipolar.

Melissa Barnett

Melissa is Head of Public Affairs at Healthcomms Consulting, a healthcare-focused communications and public affairs agency. Melissa has worked at Healthcomms Consulting for a number of years, gaining expertise in healthcare, public affairs and PR and an understanding of the NHS and current policy initiatives.

Jeremy Clark

Jeremy is a Mental Health Policy Manager at the Department of Health and Social Care. He has a diagnosis of bipolar and is a carer for a family member with the condition. He has been an active volunteer with Bipolar UK for many years, co-facilitates one of our peer support groups and helps to raise awareness, with a particular interest in self-management techniques and digital tools.

Derrick Dale

Derrick is a QC who practices commercial law from Fountain Court Chambers. He also sits as an arbitrator and is a bencher of Middle Temple. He is currently involved in developing fund raising strategies within the charity.

Robert Print

Robert is Head of Executive Office at the Law Society, working primarily on strategy, business improvement and governance. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2010, and in 2018 ran his third London Marathon in support of Bipolar UK.

Nadia Silver

Nadia is a barrister specialising in financial, and serious and organised crime.  She has a particular interest in how the criminal justice system deals with defendants who are suffering from mental ill health. She has personal experience of bipolar disorder through a close family member.

Jennifer Trent Staves

Jennifer is a Digital Content Manager at the Wellcome Trust and has more than ten years of experience in communications. She has personal experience of bipolar through her family.

Bill Walden-Jones

Following a highly successful career in the charity sector, including 11 years as Chief Executive of the mental health charity Hafal, Bill retired in 2014 to focus on developing a writing and consultancy role. He retains his close links with Hafal as a consultant.

Allan Young

Professor Allan Young is the Director of the Centre for Affective Disorders (CfAD) within the Department of Psychological Medicine in King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry (IoP). His research interests focus on the cause and treatments for severe psychiatric illnesses, particularly mood disorders.

Thanks also go to

Clare Dolman, Ashley Toft, Maggie Gibbon, William Courage, Tamasin Little and Mohini Morris who stepped down as trustees in 2018, 2019 and 2021 respectively.