Leadership Team & Board

Denise was a corporate finance lawyer in the City before embarking on her in house career. She was Company Secretary and General Counsel at Asda, later part of the international retailer, Wal Mart. She joined international law firm Eversheds as a partner in 2004 where she advises clients on a wide range of strategic and operational in house management issues. Denise has a portfolio of non executive directorships including housebuilder Bellway plc, Pool Reinsurance Limited and Y2019 Limited which is managing the world cycling championships, she is also Pro Chancellor at the University of York.

She has previously held non executive roles in the retail, financial services, health, education and museums sectors. In 2012 she was named City Woman of Achievement in recognition of her significant contribution to the promotion of gender equality in the workplace and in 2013 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws for promoting women’s development in business. She joined the Board at St Giles Trust in 2014.

Upon graduation, Phil joined the Prison Service as a Prison Officer in 1969 and was promoted Assistant Governor in 1970. In 1986 he became Governor of Hull Prison; moving on in 1990 to a variety of headquarters’ roles. In 2003 he was made Director General of the Prison Service, becoming Director General of the National Offender Management Service responsible for all prisons and probation services in England and Wales in 2008.

He delivered improvements that reduced reoffending, escapes, drug abuse and suicide and increased efficiency in both prison and probation before retiring in 2010. He was a Non Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Prison Service from 2010-16 and a member of the Scottish Prison Service Oversight Group for their Prison Officer Professionalisation Programme 2018/19.  He is currently a Board Member of the Management Board of the Cambridge Institute for Criminology. He contributes to international conferences and academic study on penal practice, he advises both public and private sector prison operators in the UK an internationally and he is an Expert Witness of prison operations.

Alfy was appointed Head of Strategic Portfolio Management at NCS Trust (National Citizen Service) in 2020.  He is a qualified Programme Manager with experience in Portfolio Management and Governance and a proven track record of delivering high quality PMO expertise across multi-disciplinary sectors. Experienced in successfully designing & implementing a portfolio office and risk function in corporate settings, promoting consistency, insight, prioritisation and quality of programme delivery, resulting in informed strategic decision making and benefits realisation.

Qualified with a Law Degree & Masters, Alfy has devoted his working life at organisations in the private, third and government ALB sectors working in youth, welfare to work and criminal justice, where social purpose and helping improve the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised groups lie at the heart of the core values and ethos of the business.