Church Mission Society (CMS) | Who we are | People

Chair of Trustees

Mr John Ripley

A former top-flight executive from one of the world’s truly global corporations, John Ripley was an executive at Unilever for 35 years, finishing his career there as head of corporate development for the worldwide group. Known in the business world as a consummate strategist, Mr Ripley wants to help build on the courage shown by CMS in the recent past “to take risks with God and for God at a time of considerable uncertainty and change”.

Of his own mission, Mr Ripley says he felt a clear call 37 years ago to be an ambassador for God in the business world. Having semi-retired at the end of 2008, his various responsibilities now include being chair of the Christian Association of Business Executives, and treasurer of Feba Radio, the Christian broadcasting charity. Mr Ripley is a committed member of his local Baptist church in Surrey, and has helped recast the church’s vision from having a mission team (of which he was a leader) to seeing everyone as members of the mission team. He is also director of CABI, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in science-based development and information; chair of a school trust and has a non-executive role for the Department for Education.

Dr Jonathan Brant

Jonathan is married to Tricia and has a son named Isaac. Over the past 15 years he has studied and practised mission in the UK and South America. He is currently the Oxford Pastorate Chaplain working with graduate students in the University of Oxford.

Mr Keith Chua

Keith is currently Executive Chairman of ABR Holdings Limited, a publicly listed Singapore company with food and beverage business interests in Singapore, Malaysia and China. He also heads his family investments – the Alby Group with interests in property and travel.

For many years he has served as Trustee for the Mrs Lee Choon Guan Trust Fund, a charitable family trust that has supported schools and educational institutions, medical and community services and provided scholarships locally and regionally.

With a particular passion and interest in philanthropy, Keith worked with the NUS Business School in establishing the Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy on 2009, underwriting seed funding and also serving as Chairman of the Centre’s Advisory Board. Through the Centre Keith hopes to encourage growth in ‘grassroots philanthropy’ and advocate that ‘philanthropy is like water – it can and will find its own level’.

He spends a significant amount of time as a volunteer in Church and Community Services. He is currently Vice President of the Singapore Anglican Community Services and holds various positions in his church, the St Andrew’s Cathedral, in the Diocese of Singapore and in the Province of South East Asia. Part of his contribution to the Global Anglican Church is to coordinate efforts to improve the economic livelihoods of the members in less economically developed countries in Africa and Asia. Efforts include harnessing existing church resources such as property, training in small enterprises and developing micro finance initiatives.
Social Entrepreneurs have also received support from Keith’s initiatives working with AP Ventures, Ashoka and Asia Venture Philanthropy Network.

Married to Irene – a bible study leader, they have two sons and two daughters.

The Rev Patrick Coghlan

Patrick and his wife Gill were SAMS missionaries with the Anglican Church in Brazil from 1979-92. They returned to work in the Diocese of Sheffield, moving to their current parish of Malin Bridge in 2006. Patrick is Chairman of the group which oversees the link between the dioceses of Sheffield and Argentina. He became Chairman of SAMS GB in 2004.

Mr Craig Hampton

A technical specialist for the environment agency, Craig's interest in mission was first sparked as a CMS volunteer at a school in Kenya from 1977-79. He currently lives in Berkshire and worships at Greyfriars church.

"It was a formative experience in so many ways, not least because I met my wife Ruth. We returned to Africa as a family a few years later, where I taught in schools in Southern Sudan and Western Uganda. Our final placement was at Makerere University, Kampala, where I lectured in geology.

"I have maintained my mission interest mainly through heading up Greyfriars church’s international mission committee. I have also been involved with the Large Churches’ Forum, a group set up by Global Connections to assist mission-minded churches. I like all sports, especially cricket, running, walking and canoeing, which I can do easily around our home in Pangbourne."

Mr Peter Hyatt

Peter became a Christian through his local church in the late 1970’s whilst working for a global accounting firm. In 1983 he joined the SAMS Finance Committee and General Council. Following leave of absence from the committee in the early 1990’s, he resumed his role and was invited by the then SAMS General Secretary David Evans to visit Chile in 1998. Seeing the inspiring work of the Anglican Church there led directly to his taking on the Honorary Treasurer’s role in 2000.

Peter retired from professional practice in early 2007 and hopes that this may give him more time to study some theology, enjoy his two granddaughters, visit South America again and to complete some long-distance cycling epics with his wife, Jenny.

Prof Ian Jones

An educationalist, Ian founded a leading European MBA, drawing on management experience in Unilever and education at London Business School. He has been treasurer, chair, or vice chair of various mission-shaped organisations over the last 25 years, such as Lee Abbey Movement, Intercon, and Oxford Evangelical Pastorate.

"The turning point in my Christian journey was my commitment in 1979, encouraged by Harry Sutton of SAMS, after years as a church goer. Ever since, I have sought to apply my faith to my work and my skills to Christian organisations.

"I would like to share in CMS’s new thinking about mission and its warm Christian welcome I have already enjoyed."

Ms Dione McDonald

Dione’s academic background is in the area of psychology and she has worked as an educator and researcher for community initiatives and established academic institutions. In her local church, she has been keenly involved in building its youth ministry for over 12 years, with a particular focus on young women and youth oriented leadership development. Dione has over 10 years experience in local and global short-term mission. As a result, she has served in a variety of countries in Europe, Africa, South Americas and Asia; with a particular focus on connecting Communities and youth work. As John 17:20-23 is one of her favourite passages in the Bible, she has a strong desire for God to use her to facilitate the connecting of the many communities within the body of Christ. She is also passionate about encouraging Christians to step out and boldly live the mission that God has given to them.

At present Dione is taking some time out from her PhD in Psychology to look after her two boys aged two and four. She is married to Alton who is a Chaplain and teacher at a local school.

Mrs Shona Passfield

Shona is managing director of her own marketing company which provides high level strategic consultancy to a range of leading UK businesses. She has been able to apply her strategic planning skills to engage with the work of CMS in Business as Mission. Shona has been appointed to the Board of Magi Enterprises, CMS’s Business as Mission initiative in Asia. Shona also supports the work of CMS Africa with their Business as Mission strategy and in providing training in business planning skills. She regularly travels to both Asia and Africa in support of CMS’s work.Shona and her husband Andrew live in Sawbridgeworth, Herts. Shona is also chair of the mission giving committee at Great St Mary’s Church in Sawbridgeworth.

The Ven Martyn Snow, vice chair

Martyn is Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham. Born in Indonesia he later served as a CMS mission partner in Guinea, where he was a youth chaplain and vicar. Then for nine years he was vicar of an inner-city parish in Sheffield where he worked alongside a number of Church Army evangelists involved in starting fresh expressions of church. As an Archdeacon Martyn is committed to releasing and resourcing people for mission. “CMS has had a huge influence on my life and ministry and I rejoice that God has called me to be part of a community so dedicated to working with God in mission.”

Mrs Ann Tyndall

Ann is a pharmacist who has been involved with CMS since 1984 and was previously a trustee from 1997 to 2004. "CMS has greatly impacted my life and Christian journey," she says, and is regularly seen at the CMS stand at Greenbelt.

"Locally, I co-ordinate our church’s Out-of-Parish mission involvement encouraging others to think wider, be aware environmentally and strive for justice especially through FairTrade. I am also involved in pioneering late night ecumenical outreach to pubbers and clubbers.

"Globally, we host many visitors from our partner churches and in 2006 visited our link diocese – Mukono in Uganda – where I was involved in parish and health centre work."

The Rev Ian Wallace

Ian trained as a solicitor in a practice serving church-based organisations before going on to work for Tearfund in Southern Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, then returning to work in the head office, firstly as West & Central Africa Regional Manager and latterly as International Regions Director. He became a founding trustee of Compassion UK and the chair and founding trustee of People in Aid. Ian is also a member of the Langham Trust Scholarship Committee.

"I left Tearfund to train for ordination and am currently curate in the parish of Wisley-with Pyrford. In 2010 I became a founding trustee of Woking Street Angels and also serve as a trustee for the Sudan Church Association. I bring a combination of legal training, experience of working with the church in Africa and of running UK charities, and passion for mission. I have supported CMS for more than 25 years."

Mr Michael Whitlam CBE

Michael has worked in the charity sector as a director/CEO since 1974. He has been UK director of Save the Children Fund, Director-General of the British Red Cross, CEO of Mentor International and Vision 2020 the Right to Sight, where he had to operate at the highest governmental level and with the UN or WHO. He worships at St Giles Church, Ickenham, Middlesex.

Since 2005 he has been a consultant fulfilling various non-executive board roles, such as Chair of the Primary Care Trust and the Ofcom Advisory Board for Older and Disabled People.

"My career has also included much volunteering. For example I was the Founder of ACEVO, the chief executives’ body in the charity sector and am currently chair of the Chalker Foundation for Africa as well as leading the Community Link programme between Ickenham and Rukiga (Uganda), close to Kisiizi Hospital.

"I rediscovered my Christian faith in 1991 alone in Baghdad negotiating the release of a British hostage."