A team of HALO Trust deminers walk through a snow covered minefield next to a thick forest in Ukraine

Lord Evans of Weardale joins HALO as its new Chair of Trustees

7th November 2023 | Press release

PRESS RELEASE | London 7 November, 2023,

The HALO Trust is pleased to announce that Jonathan Evans (Lord Evans of Weardale) has joined the Board of Trustees and will succeed Tim Church as Chair on 13 December 2023.  

 Jonathan brings a wealth of experience to HALO from the public and private sectors. Following a career in the UK Security Service, including six years as Director General of M15 from 2007 – 2013, Jonathan became a non-executive director of HSBC Holdings from 2013 to 2019. Until recently he was Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL).

Jonathan sits in the House of Lords as a cross-bencher, he is chair of the Public Interest Committee at KPMG UK and a Non-Executive Director or advisor to several high-growth tech companies.  

 Alongside these public and private sector roles, Jonathan is Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Chair of Kent Search and Rescue, a member of the Council of Reference of the Westminster Abbey Institute and a Visiting Professor at Kings College London.

Jonathan Evans said:
"I join the HALO Trust at a time when landmines are playing a critical role in the war in Ukraine and when conflict continues to stalk the most fragile places on earth. HALO’s work remains as relevant as it was in 1988, when it was founded in post-Soviet Afghanistan. I look forward to joining a global family whose courage and determination is unsurpassed in humanitarian aid."
James Cowan, HALO's CEO said:
"I am delighted to welcome Jonathan Evans to The HALO Trust. His extensive knowledge, connections and experience will benefit the organisation significantly as we navigate another period of growth and explore new ways to increase the impact of our humanitarian work in countries affected by conflict. I would like to thank Tim Church for his dedicated service as Chair for the past seven years. During that time, our staff numbers have doubled, and we have opened new programmes including Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Libya. Tim’s leadership and wise counsel have been a constant and valued strength throughout."