Everyone who has worked with or encountered our Chief Executive Officer over the past eight years will be so sorry that he has recently decided to move on from the Malvern Hills Trust to a challenging role at the Nene Park Trust, a larger, newer but no doubt equally enthralling organisation. We sincerely wish him well with those new opportunities and new challenges.
Duncan said "Moving on will be a big change for myself and my family as we love the Malverns, the area, and the people here. Working with the staff team and volunteers at the Trust is something that I will surely miss, but life is always changing and the new post I'm moving into will both allow me to focus on new challenges, and importantly take me closer to our wider family, many of whom are located in the eastern counties."
Duncan joined us in January 2016 as CEO and has done an exemplary job throughout his time with us. His selfless commitment and dedication kept us on an even keel and a steady course through sometimes turbulent water, including the Covid period, and his unparalleled knowledge and wise counsel has given us a stable foundation on which to build after he leaves us at the end of this year.
One of Duncan's first major tasks after joining was pulling together an updated Business Plan and from that base he has been able to confidently manage the resources of the team to deliver our major objectives. During his time with us we have also put in place two successive updates of our Land Management Plan, the implementation of which has put our estate in a better place, in better health than it has been for years.
Events can always destabilise organisations and while the Trust has experienced some of those too, Duncan has kept a strong, steady and insightful hand on the tiller, keeping us focussed on our vision and working tirelessly with his team to keep us going.
There is no better example of his continuing commitment to the Trust than his peerless contribution to the process that we now have in place to select and appoint his successor; a successor who has a hard act to follow.
On behalf of the Trustees and reflecting the feelings of the staff I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to Duncan for everything he has done for Malvern Hills Trust. His leadership, commitment, skills and hard work have been a vital and reassuring star at the centre of our organisation. It has been a privilege and a joy to work with him, he will be missed.
Mick Davies
Chair of the Board of Trustees
