British Business Group

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BBG Team

	Peter Michelmore – Chairman Peter is Senior Partner – Middle East for the international law firm Reed Smith Richards Butler. He previously worked in their office here from its opening in 1978 to 1980, became a partner in 1983 and returned to Abu Dhabi in 1998. He is married to Sue, who has two daughters, and enjoys reading, running and exploring the region.
	Nick Cochrane-Dyet – Deputy Chairman, Membership Secretary Nick is Communications and External Affairs Manager for BP. A Sandhurst graduate, he spent six years in the Brigade of Gurkhas. A long-term resident, his father was an officer in the Trucial Oman Scouts, prior to the UAE's formation. He is married with 2 daughters, enjoys travelling and languages and is particularly interested in Middle Eastern photography.
	Nick Benge - Treasurer Nick has been in Abu Dhabi for 25 years. He set up Arthur Young & Company (predecessor of Ernst & Young) in 1982. Nick joined BDO International in 1990. He is married to Sally and have two children and two grandchildren. He enjoys sailing, golf, and camping.
	Christine Bond – Events/Office Affairs Christine is Managing Partner of Bond H. R. Consultants LLC. Christine has been a very successful business woman since she arrived in Abu Dhabi in 1977. She is married with children and is an active member of the Abu Dhabi Business Community.
	Anne McAdam – Committee Member A long term resident of the UAE, having arrived in Dubai in 1977 before moving to Abu Dhabi in 1984, Anne joined the National Bank of Abu Dhabi in 1987 and is currently Manager of that Bank’s NBADirect e-banking branch. In her spare time Anne enjoys travel, reading, music and is a frustrated novice golfer. Anne has a daughter, Sophie, who runs her own business in Abu Dhabi.
	David Good – Speakers' Secretary David is GM of Al Nasr Technical Trading Agencies and Crescent Oilfield Supplies Est. He came to the Gulf in 1969, working initially in Kuwait and Bahrain. Since 1986 he has lived in Abu Dhabi, working in the management of oilfield supplies and services companies. He is married with two sons and enjoys cricket, golf, tennis and bridge.
	Julian Snell – Membership Secretary/Sponsorship Julian is a director of Dascam Consulting, which provides consultancy to the private and government sectors in the UAE. After 21 years in the British Army, he worked in London before joining Dascam in 2003. He moved to Abu Dhabi in 2005. He and his wife have four sons and his hobbies are his friends, socialising and exploring the UAE.
	David Spearing – Committee Member David came to Abu Dhabi in 1968 to manage a consultancy practice in the construction industry and established his own practice in 1973. He has been active in committee positions of various organisations and societies in Abu Dhabi. David is also a tennis enthusiast and is the longest serving Honorary Steward at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.
	Robert Schwarz – Committee Member Robert has been with Al Masaood since 1983, currently as Group Business Development Manager. He has lived in Abu Dhabi for 27 years. Married with two children, Robert enjoys water sports, snow skiing and golf. He was Group Chairman for six years until early 2007.
	Paul Sellers – Committee Member Paul Sellers is British Council Director for the UAE, based in Abu Dhabi, having arrived in September 2006. Paul has been with the British Council for some fourteen years and continues to follow the sun after previous postings in Italy, Mexico, Spain, Cyprus and Greece.
	Bashir Siman - City of London Bashir is Adviser to the Board of Al Farida Investments, and is Managing Director of InvestOne Financial Advisory, a corporate finance firm. Before moving to Abu Dhabi in 2001 he worked for Jardine Fleming, UBS and Nomura in London and Tokyo, where he lived for 10 years. He is also active in the promotion of underwriting at Lloyd's of London. He has two sons and is married to Sana. He is interested in matters Japanese, travelling, reading and spending time with friends.
	Justin Doherty – Committee Member Justin Doherty is Regional Director for Bell Pottinger Middle East, the leading strategic communications consultancy. Justin has led communications programmes for governments and corporations across the region, and has advised Chairmen, Ministers and religious leaders.
	David Sutch – Committee Member David is the Regional Director of the RSK Group plc (locally represented as RSK Environment llc.), one of the U.K.’s leading Environment, Health & Safety consultancies. He is married to Fiona and has lived in Abu Dhabi for 3 years. David has spent his last 14 years working for RSK and has been involved in major environmental works in Europe and the Middle East. David is a keen sportsman, enjoys music and misses his motorbike.
	James Wakefield – Committee Member James is the General Manager of Cobalt Abu Dhabi, an Executive Recruitment Firm focused on the Finance, Infrastructure and Real Estate sectors. Prior to establishing Cobalt here in Abu Dhabi, he worked in Investment Banking Recruitment in London and served as an Infantry Officer in the British Army, having commissioned from Sandhurst in 1999. James has a keen interest in current affairs and keeps himself busy by competing in triathlons and playing football.
	Jonathan Milner – Committee Member Jonathan is the General Manager of The Interiors Group, the leading office fit out company in GCC. He has lived in Abu Dhabi for the last 3 years and is married, with four young children. A Royal Military Academy Sandhurst graduate , he spent six years with the Royal Engineers serving in several global hotspots and before joining The Interiors Group he worked with two major international project management consultancies. He is a Committee Member of the Middle Eastern Council of Offices (the sister of the U.K’s British Council of Offices) and is a keen reader and cook.
	Margaret Holmes – Group Coordinator Margaret is the Group Coordinator and has lived and worked in Abu Dhabi on and off for the past 25 years. She is married with 2 children. She enjoys reading, cooking and socializing with friends.