Who we are
We are all driven by the same passion. You can learn a bit more about the people involved in our organisation. Maybe you would like to join in?
Trustees
Bruce Darrington
ChairBruce is based in Thailand but has lived in 4 different countries in Asia and worked extensively in more than 10.
A bit more about Bruce
He started out in Hong Kong, where he worked as an analyst and after moving to Singapore was responsible for a team providing economic political and corporate research across the ASEAN region. Later he moved to Thailand where he was the Country Manager for Standard Chartered Bank before branching out and forming his one consulting company Double Impact. After he merged this with a global accounting practice, he took over country responsibility for Japan, building a successful practice there over 9 years. Bruce enjoys long distance relaxed cycling and among other cross-a-country adventures completed Land’s End to John O’ Groats in 2022. Bruce feels passionately that the experience and knowledge gained by many British people overseas needs to be much more widely shared within the UK.
Lloyd Hobbard-Mitchell
Vice ChairLloyd has more than 30-years experience in the VCSE sector and lived in Asia for 12 years.
A bit more about Lloyd
Until May 2024, Lloyd was living in Thailand, having lived in Asia for 14 years. He spent time as a volunteer Anglican Priest. Originally from London, Lloyd worked for the first 9 years of his life at St Mungo’s an organisation addressing homelessness in London. Subsequently he joined and worked for the in Canterbury and East Kent leading a charity looking after the needs of homeless and other needy people in the areas of housing health education and employment. After a period of travel around the world he then settled into Thailand where he was ordained in the priesthood as well as running a travel business with his wife. Lloyd says he strongly campaigns for full pension rights of all British pensioners because every day in his ministry he saw the grossly unfair situation of desperate UK pensioners who have retired, trying to survive on a gradually diminishing income.
Caroline Padbury
TrusteeCaroline is currently based in the UK and is originally from Cornwall.
A bit more about Caroline
She is a marketing specialist, having started her career working in consumer finance in London including for HSBC, Prudential and Santander. Later she moved into commercial finance and was a marketing director at GE Capital International before relocating to the Caribbean with her young family. Work requirements mid-pandemic brought her back to the UK where she is currently based. She is an advocate for clean oceans and the value of nature, she founded and now runs an artisan business producing natural Atlantic inspired skincare. Caroline now believes it is imperative we actively inform overseas British citizens about their new their voting rights and why it is so important that they register and exercise their vote
John Shardlow
TrusteeJohn Shardlow is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A bit more about John
He is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and a veteran of the software and telecommunications industry, enjoying a diverse career in software design and systems implementation. After gaining a first degree in electronic engineering a masters in spacecraft technology, he then worked for Logica in the UK for a number of years before accepting a position to set up a branch of a UK company in Malaysia in 2004 and has stayed there ever since. In his spare time, he enjoys running and has a run a marathon and a number of half marathons.
Michael Tuffrey
TrusteeMike Tuffrey is based in the UK and is a chartered accountant and non-executive director.
A bit more about Michael
Mike Tuffrey is based in the UK and is a chartered accountant and non-executive director. Originally qualifying at KPMG, he has worked as a charity finance director and business consultant, co-founding the international sustainability advisory firm, Corporate Citizenship, now part of SLR Consulting. In public life he has served as an elected member of the London Assembly, where he was appointed to the London Sustainable Development Commission by Mayor Livingston and reappointed by Mayor Boris Johnson. Today he chairs the governance board at the London Film Academy and is a trustee and former treasurer of the Institute of Business Ethics. He lives in London with his family.
Nick Lord
TrusteeNick Lord is based in Singapore and is an equity analyst. He has lived in Asia with his family since 2006, firstly in Hong Kong, and for the last 13 years in Singapore.
A bit more about Nick
Nick studied politics at university and then had experience of working in the US House of Representatives and the UK Parliament. The constituency work he was involved in during those times gave him an interest in how we can use politics to influence governments to improve to lives of ordinary people, something he believes BOVF can do for Brits overseas. Outside of work, Nick spends his free time sailing and hiking.
Craig Dickson
TrusteeCraig was born in Glasgow where he went to school, university and worked and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant.
A bit more about Craig
At the age of 28 he moved to Malaysia with an accounting firm and ended up heading the firm’s international outsourcing function in Malaysia in 2019.
He was promoted to a regional outsourcing role in Thailand before returning to the UK to take up a global position in Quality and Risk Management. Immediately after university Craig spent several months doing voluntary work, including in a Malawian prison teaching English Mathematics and Business Studies as well as in a local school. He is also keen on sport, running half marathons and following Partick Thistle.
He joined the BOVF as he was unable to vote by post from Malawi, Malaysia or Thailand and believes everyone who is entitled to vote and wants to do so should not be cut off from the democratic process or be treated unfairly due to circumstances out of their control.
Country Co-ordinators
Edward Vickers
JapanEdward Vickers is co-chair of the Japan branch. He is based in Japan and currently UNESCO Chair in Education for Peace, Social Justice and Global Citizenship at Kyushu University, Japan
A bit more about Edward
He is President of the Comparative Education Society of Asia.
He began his career as a schoolteacher in Hong Kong in the 1990s. Having written English language textbooks for Hong Kong secondary schools, in the early 2000s he moved to Beijing to do the same. From 2003 to 2012 he worked at the University of London’s Institute of Education (now part of UCL), where he led the Comparative Education MA and created a new course on Education and Development he is currently a visiting Professor at UCL.
His main area of research is the history and politics of education in contemporary Asia, especially in Chinese societies (the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan). He also researches the politics of conflict-related heritage in Asia. Among other important work, he co-authored the 2017 UNESCO report Rethinking Schooling for the 21st Century: the State of Education for Peace, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in Asia.
Colin Mason
JapanColin Mason is co-chair of the Japan branch. He has lived for over 30 years in Japan and currently lives in Yokohama with his young family.
A bit more about Colin
He is a UK Chartered Engineer and a member the UK’s Institution of Engineering Technology ( IET ). He holds a degree in Engineering Science from the University of Edinburgh and a diploma in Japanese from the University of London (SOAS). He started his career with a UK computer manufacturer before moving to work for a Japanese multinational, initially at its UK location and then on transfer in Japan. After returning to the UK, he moved into the world of technology startups, joining a UK software company and moving back to Japan to start up its business across the region. Although initially it was not intended as a permanent move, it became as such, with his roles in growing business on behalf of technology start-ups entering the region’s markets continuing ever since . Currently he manages the development of the Japan and APAC business of an Australian/Swiss AI software company. During his time in Japan, he has served the UK Department for International Trade as a specialist adviser on technology business in Japan. Colin is active with the Japan Local Network of the IET and with the Tokyo Branch of the Royal British Legion where he is Honorary Treasurer. Through his daughters’ school he has recently restarted participation, after a long absence, in dragon boat racing, although he freely admits he no longer has the youthful fitness to participate at the competitive level that he once did.
Jo Darrington
NetherlandsJo Darrington is one of the two representatives for the Netherlands where she currently lives.
A bit more about Jo
She is a qualified British teacher who has worked in the U.K. and abroad (mainly in China) in experiential education, including managing language and outdoor adventure programmes, and organising in-school leadership programmes for British schools abroad. She is fluent in Chinese and Spanish and passionate about teaching social responsibility in schools. She currently works for a children’s rights charity in Amsterdam.
Eric Jordan
ThailandEric Jordan is co-chair of the Thailand branch. He has lived outside the United Kingdom for 30 years.
A bit more about Eric
Eric began his working career in the computer services industry in London but in 1993, while in his early thirties, he moved to Hong Kong and began a career in the financial services industry with Finexco.
In 1996 Eric moved to Thailand to become Finexco’s Thailand branch manager and following that, in 1998, its Southeast Asian Regional Director. In 2000 Eric set up Professional Portfolio International (PPI) via a management buyout of Finexco’s Southeast Asian operations. The business was then merged with Financial Partners International but after 5 years, and in 2007, PPI re-established its independence with Eric at the helm.
Today, Eric remains Managing Director of PPI based in the Bangkok Head Office. PPI also has offices in Jakarta, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ceri Weaver
ThailandCeri Weaver-Berthet is co-chair of the Thailand branch is an experienced Chartered Accountant who as been working overseas since 2003.
A bit more about Ceri
Ceri has spent much of his time in the Life, Health and P&C in the insurance industry. He has worked for numerous globally recognised insurers holding executive audit, risk and CFO positions. Having trained in the UK, he went on to work in Bermuda, Central & Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In more recent times he has temporarily taken a break from formal employment to focus on voluntary service, including acting as the Honorary Treasurer of the British Club Bangkok in Thailand. In his spare time Ceri enjoys walking, swimming, skiing (when able to do so!) and is a keen aviation enthusiast.
John Shardlow
MalaysiaJohn Shardlow is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A bit more about John
He is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and a veteran of the software and telecommunications industry, enjoying a diverse career in software design and systems implementation.
After gaining a first degree in electronic engineering a masters in spacecraft technology, he then worked for Logica in the UK for a number of years before accepting a position to set up a branch of a UK company in Malaysia in 2004 and has stayed there ever since.
In his spare time, he enjoys running and has a run a marathon and a number of half marathons.
Colin Singer
IndonesiaMainly based in Indonesia, Colin pursues interests and good causes in the Asia Pacific region.
A bit more about Colin
Colin was born in Glasgow where he went to school.
He later attended Leith / Glasgow Nautical Colleges and trained as a marine electronics officer but in terms of employment got waylaid into defense electronics, firstly working for Marconi Space and Defense Systems and later for EMI System & Weapons.
Later he was persuaded by a supplier to join the oil and gas industry, initially to work in the North and Irish seas. After some 13 years of experience as an employee, he then founded Shallseis Ltd, a shallow water seismic exploration company and built a custom exploration vessel. It carried out a variety of important programs in the UK, but when the global oil crash in 1986, he closed it down.
After this he undertook a raft of consultancies across the globe, and later co-founded EDR which rapidly, through acquisition and merger, became a pre-eminent Oil & Gas geophysical, geological and geotechnical consultancy in Australia and the Asian region.
In 2000 he sought a change in tempo and started to focus on law, becoming the author of a substantial number of legal agreements in the Oil and Gas industry and was later appointed a Justice of the Peace.
Ben Vickers
South KoreaBen currently works in Korea for the Green Climate Fund, and has a long-term base in Bangkok.
A bit more about Ben
Colin was born in Glasgow where he went to school.
He later attended Leith / Glasgow Nautical Colleges and trained as a marine electronics officer but in terms of employment got waylaid into defense electronics, firstly working for Marconi Space and Defense Systems and later for EMI System & Weapons.
Later he was persuaded by a supplier to join the oil and gas industry, initially to work in the North and Irish seas. After some 13 years of experience as an employee, he then founded Shallseis Ltd, a shallow water seismic exploration company and built a custom exploration vessel. It carried out a variety of important programs in the UK, but when the global oil crash in 1986, he closed it down.
After this he undertook a raft of consultancies across the globe, and later co-founded EDR which rapidly, through acquisition and merger, became a pre-eminent Oil & Gas geophysical, geological and geotechnical consultancy in Australia and the Asian region.
In 2000 he sought a change in tempo and started to focus on law, becoming the author of a substantial number of legal agreements in the Oil and Gas industry and was later appointed a Justice of the Peace.
Nick Lord
SingaporeNick Lord is based in Singapore and is an equity analyst. He has lived in Asia with his family since 2006, firstly in Hong Kong, and for the last 13 years in Singapore.
A bit more about Nick
Nick studied politics at university and then had experience of working in the US House of Representatives and the UK Parliament.
The constituency work he was involved in during those times gave him an interest in how we can use politics to influence governments to improve to lives of ordinary people, something he believes BOVF can do for Brits overseas.
Outside of work, Nick spends his free time sailing and hiking.
Iain Brewster
East AfricaIain Brewster is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Basis-Africa Ltd, a water projects company that began operations in 2014 in East Africa.
A bit more about Iain
He is also the Founder of Rift Valley Osmotics, a water-services company based in Nairobi. Prior to this he was a Partner of the South East Asian hybrid private equity and advisory firm CSL-Asia, and before that, a Director of Performance Improvement with PwC in London, Buenos Aires, Istanbul and Bangkok. He has led projects to provide solar-powered desalination in a variety of locations for NGOs, Government agencies, and private and public companies. Iain holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London, a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Aberdeen and is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
David Crowley
Southern AfricaDavid is based in Namibia where he has lived for over 16 years.ng, and for the last 13 years in Singapore.
A bit more about David
His wife is Namibian and runs her own real estate company, and they have a 7-year-old son.
Prior to specialising in Public Private Partnership “PPP” projects, David was the UK CFO for Sonoco International UK Limited, part of the Sonoco Products Company’s worldwide portfolio of packaging companies.
After this he created his own consultancy company and has some 26 years’ experience of working for both the public sector and private sector in reaching financial close in major infrastructure projects.
After forming his own company, he spent time seconded to HM Treasury’s PPP Taskforce. More recently his company has been helping Namibian and government line ministries, together with overseas companies access European Union favourable funding.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) – (for the encouragement of manufacturing and commerce.) and believes in the ideals that business activity should benefit all of society. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Policy Group Leads
Simon Landy
University FeesSimon leads the University Fees policy group. He has lived and worked in Asia for over 40 years.
A bit more about Simon
After graduation from Cambridge University, he worked as a lecturer, first at the National University of Singapore, then at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. He later worked in journalism, publishing, equity analysis and market research. He qualified as a chartered surveyor and for three decades worked as a property consultant throughout Southeast Asia, but mostly in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar. He has served in various roles for the RICS, IVSC, Thai SEC and as chairman of the British-Thai Chamber of Commerce and was awarded an MBE for services to UK-Thai trade and investment. His last full-time post was executive chairman of Colliers International Thailand. He is currently non-executive director of a Thai real estate investment trust and a UK charity funding child development in Thailand. Since retiring, Simon has become an author and has recently published a history on the early years of Anglo-Thai relations.
Nick Lord
Access to UK Bank AccountNick leads the Access to UK Bank Account policy grop. He is based in Singapore and is an equity analyst. He has lived in Asia with his family since 2006, firstly in Hong Kong, and for the last 13 years in Singapore.
A bit more about Nick
Nick studied politics at university and then had experience of working in the US House of Representatives and the UK Parliament.
The constituency work he was involved in during those times gave him an interest in how we can use politics to influence governments to improve to lives of ordinary people, something he believes BOVF can do for Brits overseas.
Outside of work, Nick spends his free time sailing and hiking.
David Crowley
Spouse VisaDavid leads the Spouse Visa policy group. He is based in Namibia where he has lived for over 16 years.ng, and for the last 13 years in Singapore.
A bit more about David
His wife is Namibian and runs her own real estate company, and they have a 7-year-old son.
Prior to specialising in Public Private Partnership “PPP” projects, David was the UK CFO for Sonoco International UK Limited, part of the Sonoco Products Company’s worldwide portfolio of packaging companies.
After this he created his own consultancy company and has some 26 years’ experience of working for both the public sector and private sector in reaching financial close in major infrastructure projects.
After forming his own company, he spent time seconded to HM Treasury’s PPP Taskforce. More recently his company has been helping Namibian and government line ministries, together with overseas companies access European Union favourable funding.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) – (for the encouragement of manufacturing and commerce.) and believes in the ideals that business activity should benefit all of society. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Lloyd Hobbard-Mitchell
Frozen PensionsLloyd leads the Frozen Pension policy group. He has more than 30-years experience in the VCSE sector and lived in Asia for 12 years.
Other Key Supporters
Michael Farley
Key SupporterMichael is a headmaster of over twenty years experience, including founding head of Harrow Appi, Japan.
A bit more about Michael
Michael is a headmaster of over twenty years experience, including founding head of Harrow Appi, Japan, and long serving head of Harrow Bangkok and The British School in Tokyo.
Michael has particular expertise in organisational change, strategic leadership, school design and curriculum solutions. In the role of chief operating officer for the Harrow International family of schools, he had responsibility for six Harrow branded schools, three Harrow bilingual schools and two Harrow Little Lions Early Years Centres. In all, Michael has successfully opened seven new British international schools in Asia, two as founding Headmaster and five in his corporate role. Mick is also an avid traveler to remote corners of the world while at the same time competing in endurance sports competitions such as completing the Tour of the Dragon ultra MTB marathon in Bhutan.
Jonathan Fryer
Key SupporterJonathan Fryer is a mathematician and chartered accountant who lives and works in Thailand.
A bit more about Jonathan
Having started his career in London, he moved to work with a Big 4 accounting firm in Bangkok before moving across to join Mazars, where, as a partner, he has built up the largest international outsourcing practice in the country. He also represents the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in Thailand. He is passionate about supporting charities, especially the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy where he is Vice-President and Treasurer. In his spare time, he is an avid cyclist, participating in events around the world. Jonathan believes that the expansion of voting rights for Brits living abroad provides an opportunity for those with valuable international experience to make a greater contribution to economic and other polices in the UK.
Gareth Davies
Key SupporterGareth is based in Japan. Born in South Wales he grew up overseas in Northern Iraq, Pakistan and Australia.
A bit more about Gareth
After graduating in Economics and Law. He became a Hydrocarbon Well Logger and worked on (mainly) off-shore oil rigs in Saudi Arabia, Korea, Japan, Pakistan and Australia. Returned to the UK in 1990 and became an EFL teacher ultimately working for Westminster City Council specialising in English for Academic and Professional Purposes and especially refugee doctors seeking to requalify in the UK. After promotion to managerial positions eventually took voluntary redundancy and moved to Japan in 2006. After spending a couple of years working as an Assistant Language Teacher in elementary and junior high schools he launched his own company LangServe, which offers language learning, translation, proofreading and rewriting services. Also had a side hustle in antique and collectable furniture, silver and English tableware. Currently interested in antiques and collectable furniture china art of all kinds, as well as renovation, electronics Right to Repair, current affairs and repair cafes and is a big BBC Radio 4 fan.
Michael Miller
Key SupporterMichael Miller is based in Tokyo, Japan. He is an academic neurophysiologist who now runs a small, biomedical communications and training company in Tokyo.
A bit more about Michael
He first came to Japan in 1991 as senior tutor, later dean, of the St. Catherine’s College (Oxford) Kobe Institute before taking up a visiting Fellowship at the International Center for Medical Research, Kobe and moved on to become a founder member to the RIKEN, Brain Science Institute (BSI), Saitama. Prior to Japan he worked for the British Council in Saudi Arabia. Michael began his career, at the age of 16, as an actor with the National Youth Theatre and worked in repertory theatre for a while before going on to university. He is also a semi-professional artist (under the name, “Wilf Tilley”, a combination of his parents’ names) who has held nine solo exhibitions, beginning in London in the late 1970s. He believes that Britain must better exploit its first-class, scientific research base on an international basis, and that overseas voters represent a rich source of experience and economic drive.
Clive Honess
Key SupporterDuring his career, Clive Honess lived and worked all over the UK, and he currently resides in Thailand.
A bit more about Clive
Clive started his career in print before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, principally in the field of sales & marketing.
In more recent times he set up his own company to provide consultancy services to SMEs in digital marketing services, future technology, and staff training.
In his spare time he enjoys traveling to new and exciting places, whilst keeping abreast of the technological developments in areas such as communication, and AI (Artificial Intelligence).
Mark Lloyd
Key SupporterMark Lloyd is a school teacher by profession, and is now based in Thailand.
A bit more about Clive
He is also the founder of the Odyssey International School which provides a different type of education based as much as possible on Forest School principles. He started the school in Pattaya Thailand during the Covid pandemic as a refuge and now has over 40 students and growing.
Mark is also an accomplished actor and is also a part owner of the Ignite Theatre company in the UK as well as owner of the Siam Drama studio in Thailand. Mark is also a keen walker badminton player and active with local charities in the community.
Rob Williams
Key SupporterRob Williams is a 25-year resident of Tokyo, and heavily engaged with the British community through various professional and social networks.
A bit more about Rob
Rob is a partner at AP Advisers Ltd, an independent financial adviser to the expat community in Japan. He also founded the Knights in White Lycra in 2012, raising funds for 3.11 survivors, and latterly for children forced to live in care. KIWL has raised over Y146 million since inception. Rob received ‘Person of the Year’ award from the British Chamber of Commerce in 2015, and another award from the Japan British Society for services to the community.
Anthony Peters
Key SupporterAnthony Peters is based in Thailand after an eventful career in the United Kingdom.
A bit more about Anthony
For much of his working life he was involved in a family-owned motor accessory business, working from the shop floor upwards to eventually managing the business.
After this business merged with another similar business, he moved into working with car finance companies and in particular developed an expertise in debt recovery.
Now happily retired in Thailand he is involved with the church and local charities.
Scott Mitchell
Key SupporterScott Mitchell is based in Singapore where he has lived since 1999.
A bit more about Scott
Professionally he is a mortgage finance specialist provider, in the main helping Singaporeans and other Singaporean residents obtain finance for property purchase overseas and in the UK in particular. He is married with 4 children, some of whom are hoping to go to UK universities. He is also an avid cyclist and the Road Director for the ANZA cycling club. He is a passionate believer that Brits must keep their UK pension contributions up to date when overseas.
Colin Bloodworth
Key SupporterColin Bloodworth has been based in Indonesia for a number of years and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment..
A bit more about Colin
Over a long career he has held senior management positions in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Government Relations, Financial Planning and Wealth Management spanning four continents!
He is a keen Hash House Harrier, having completed to date over 1,700 runs, most of which have been in Jakarta and Bali. Colin has been fighting for a long time for the restoration of full pensions to some half a million British retirees whose pensions have been frozen since they left the UK due to an archaic ruling in 1947.
Colin believes that the contribution of those whose ambitions led them to seek opportunities abroad are poorly understood and appreciated in the UK and as a result, there are many issues affecting them that need to be addressed.