Our Trustees
Dr Chai Patel CBE FRCP
Chai is the Founder and former Chairman of both HC-One and Court Cavendish, as well as being a founder partner of Elysian Capital. He was formerly Chief Executive and architect of the modern Priory Group, the UK’s largest independent specialist mental health and education services group. One of the most successful entrepreneurs in the UK healthcare sector over the past 30 years, Chai holds a degree in medicine from Southampton University, an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University and an Honorary Degree from the University of Sheffield. He was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1999 for his services to the development of social care policies and has served on numerous government, industry and professional bodies. He has also served as the Chair /Trustee of several well-known charities (see below).
Membership of Charitable Trusts and Awards:
- Trustee, Windsor Leadership Trust (2000-2011)
- Adviser and Former Trustee, Institute of Public Policy Research (2000-2009)
- Chairman, the 90th Anniversary Combat Stress ‘The Enemy Within’ Appeal (2009)
- Chairman and Trustee, Health Unlimited (1991-1996)
- Trustee, Help the Aged (2000-2002)
- Patron of the Team 2012 Appeal: PRIAE {Policy Research Institute on Ageing & Ethnicity);
- The Infant Trust and the Rwandan Memorial Project
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
- ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year‘ Asian Business Awards 2012
- Federation of Patidar Associations’ Award 2012 (Gujariti, Hindu, Patel Community organisation)
- Chairman of BBC Media Action (formerly BBC World Service Trust) (2010-present)
- Knight Frank Lifetime Achievement Award 2019
- Patron of BBC Media Action
Mrs Katharine Patel
Miss Meera Patel
Chai’s eldest daughter, Meera, graduated from Southampton University in 2010 and after working at the British Olympic Association during the London 2012 Olympic Games continued to work in sports PR & marketing for several years focusing on events such as Wimbledon & the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour. In 2017 she graduated from the National Film & Television School with a Masters degree in Producing & Directing Entertainment Television and since then has been working in the television industry including two years on Channel 4’s award-winning Gogglebox. She is currently working with Channel 4 to create online video content ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Mr Peter Munday
A solicitor and a notary public, Peter was a Senior Partner of Mundays Solicitors from 1975 until he retired in 2006, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, He is a Founder Trustee of The Princess Alice Hospice and was its Chairman for 14 years. He is also a trustee of Esher War Memorial Fund; a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers. Peter also saw active service in Cyprus between 1957-59 with the Royal Corps of Signals.
Mr Peter Emery
Peter is a graduate in economics, business administration and town planning and has considerable experience in the not-for-profit sector where he worked for the fifteen years as a successful fundraiser with two of the sector’s leading consultancies. Prior to entering the charity world Peter was a senior manager at BP.
Mr Kevin Craig
Kevin has over 25 years of experience in communications. He is the CEO and Founder of PLMR, one of the UK’s leading communications agencies and also started the GCA, a global network of like-minded agencies. Kevin has served 15 years to date as an elected Councillor in the London Borough of Lambeth and also stood for Parliament in the 2005 General Election in South Suffolk. Kevin has also advised many charities, including Cancer Research UK, the NSPCC, Scope, Combat Stress and SeeAbility. Kevin is a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Non-Executive Director of Elecosoft Plc and Community Shop and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Ms Catherine Valenti
Catherine qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986 and worked for KPMG for 16 years latterly as a Director responsible for a portfolio of clients in the Entertainment and Charitable sectors. After leaving KPMG, she was the Group Financial Controller at Westminster Healthcare and the Priory Group. In 2011, she joined Court Cavendish Limited to be a part of the team which worked to establish the formation of HC-One from the rump of the bankrupt Southern Cross care home group. Catherine has acted as a Governor in a school for children with Severe Learning Disabilities and is honorary treasurer for a number of local sports clubs.
