BMC Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is the ultimate decision-making body of the BMC, and is responsible for overall operation of the organisation, as well as setting and implementing organisational strategy in consultation with Members' Council.
The Board maintains an overview of the work and functions of the BMC to ensure that agreed procedures, regulations and policies are followed, and that the BMC is run in accordance with its Articles of Association. It also works with the Finance & Audit Committee to assess and review the BMC’s financial commitments to ensure that it can meet its financial obligations, and ensure the preparation of the Annual Accounts and the Annual Report for submission to Members' Council and the AGM.
Board members
DOWNLOAD: Responsibility Matrix – BMC President, Chair & CEO
The matrix shows which BMC Director has primary responsibility across a range of key organisational activities.
DOWNLOAD: Board Code of Conduct
John Willmott | Interim Chair & Independent Director |
Paul Ratcliffe | CEO |
Neal Hockley | Nominated Director |
Steve Clark | Council Nominated Director |
Andy Say | Council Nominated Director |
Trevor Smith | Council Nominated Director |
Brent Diffin | Independent Director |
Hanne Doherty | Independent Director (2024-2027) |
Dominic Oughton | President |
Board Member Biographies
John was appointed an Independent Director of the BMC in November 2022. Over his 36-year professional career he had held various senior operational roles across a diverse range of large companies, culminating as the Chief Operating Officer for Close Brothers Merchant Bank.
John’s academic background was in geography and specifically glaciology, consequently he is an experienced arctic walker and climber, having travelled extensively in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia. More recently, his travels have taken him to Africa and the Americas, where he is undertaking the John Muir Trail in several stages.
Previously, John has volunteered as an assessor with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme and as a group leader with Endeavour, helping empower young people by experiencing the challenge of outdoor adventure. He is keen to support the future development of the BMC. In particular, engaging with younger members and ensuring the BMC values of Community and Respect are continuously enhanced.
John is married to Dee with two grown-up daughters and splits his time between his family home in East Anglia, work in London & Manchester and, whenever the opportunity arises, hillwalking trips in the UK and travel to far flung parts of the world.
I was introduced to climbing forty years ago by my (now) wife. It changed my life, and I’m passionate about helping others find their own way into this magical world of the outdoors. Eight routes on El Cap stick in the mind, but Gogarth, Cloggy and Hobson Moor Quarry are also in my personal ‘Top Five’. I’ve ticked several North Faces, completed the Bob Graham Round, and climbed on four continents, but returning home always reminds me of the precious and unique resource we share in this country and the vital role of the BMC in protecting and securing access to it. You can follow my adventures at https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/
I have been a BMC volunteer for fifteen years, including nine as a Trustee of the Access and Conservation Trust (delivering Mend Our Mountains) and four on Clubs Committee and NW Area (leading on Find Your Adventure). Having been part of these hugely successful programs, I’ve seen what can be achieved when volunteers and BMC staff and leadership work closely together. I have a deep understanding of the BMC from the grassroots perspective, but I would be a newbie on Members Council.
My role as a Trustee of Climbers Against Cancer has been another opportunity to engage with the global climbing community and gives me more inspiration for how we can work together to achieve amazing things. I’ve also rediscovered local climbing comps (mostly flogging T-shirts!) – such a vibrant part of our sport. It reminds me of long hours driving to Ratho as Dad’s Cabs for my son in his competition career.
I’m a member and past President of The Rucksack Club, and appreciate the crucial role played by Clubs in the climbing and hillwalking communities. Eighty years ago, the country’s mountaineering clubs founded the BMC, and both now need to evolve to meet the changing needs and demographic of the communities they serve. Working in partnership is surely the best way to achieve this.
Alongside my climbing interests, I’ve been MD/CEO of businesses up to £50m turnover, often in turnaround situations. More recently I’ve worked with IfM Engage, part of Cambridge University, to help governments and companies develop strategy, and support organisations to innovate collaboratively. For me, leadership is about bringing together all stakeholders to develop shared visions and empowering those closest to the ‘action’ to deliver.
Neal is an enthusiastic jack of most BMC trades from indoor bouldering to ski mountaineering, but happiest when he can combine technical interest with a journey into quieter places. He’s been a BMC member for over 25 years and is also a member of the Climber’s Club and Swiss Alpine Club.
Neal is a qualified Winter Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing Instructor and Fellrunning Coach and is lead juniors coach for Eryri Harriers fellrunning club. Neal is Chair of the BMC Wales Committee, co-secretary of the North Wales Area and newly co-opted board member (since Oct 2022). In these roles he’s been involved in a number of local access and conservation issues in Wales.
Born in Pontypool, he’s lived in Llanberis since 2006 with his wife and two kids and speaks Welsh. In the day job, he is Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics and Policy at Bangor University.
Mae Neal yn mwynhau y rhan fwyaf o ddisgyblaethau BMC o fowldro dan do i fynydda sgïo, ac mae'n hapusach pan fydd yn gallu ffeindio rhywfaint o ddiddordeb technegol yn lleoedd tawel. Mae wedi bod yn aelod o’r BMC ers dros 25 mlynedd ac mae hefyd yn aelod o’r Climber’s Club a’r Swiss Alpine Club.
Mae Neal yn gymwysedig fel Arweinydd Mynydd Gaeaf, Hyfforddwr Dringo ac yn Hyfforddwr Rhedeg Mynydd ac yn brif hyfforddwr ieuenctid efo Rhedwyr Eryri. Yn y BMC, Neal yw Cadeirydd Pwyllgor Cymru, Cyd-ysgrifennydd ardal Gogledd Cymru ac aelod newydd o’r bwrdd (ers Hydref 2022). Yn y rolau hyn mae wedi bod yn gweithio ar nifer o faterion mynediad a chadwraeth leol yng Nghymru.
Wedi’i eni ym Mhont-y-pŵl, mae’n byw yn Llanberis ers 2006 efo'i wraig a'u dau o blant, ac yn siarad Cymraeg. Mae’n Uwch Ddarlithydd mewn Economeg a Pholisi Amgylcheddol ym Mhrifysgol Bangor.
A childhood in South Devon meant early years walking and camping on Dartmoor, scrambling amongst its tors and exploring the coastline of Devon and Cornwall, both on and off the water. Later after graduating from university I moved further afield, discovering South Wales, Snowdonia, the Lakes and Peak District, completed my ML(S) and developed my skills as a DofE Gold Expedition trainer and assessor and voluntary youth leader.
Summer excursions in Scotland soon became full winter mountaineering expeditions, then summer and winter trips peak-bagging and trekking throughout the Europe. I hold the International Mountain Leader Award and worked as a professional mountain trekking guide leading charity groups, schools and commercial parties on four continents, fitting this in around my main work as an IT Consultant.
I became involved with computers very early on in my career and after many different roles in IT I moved to one of the big five international consultancies as a consultant and lecturer in their education division before turning freelance. A chartered member of the British Computer Society, there followed over 25 years as an Independent IT consultant, and before retiring I worked in many different industry sectors, including local and central government, utilities, telecoms, manufacturing, banking and finance. Usually operating as a project manager with an emphasis on business process re-engineering and change management I looked after a wide variety of projects, large and small, from simple package up-grades to national infrastructure developments and bespoke system design.
An affiliated club member for forty years I first became involved as a volunteer through my local BMC Area. I spent many happy years as deputy Chair of the Clubs Committee, contributing to the Hillwalking Working Group, Huts, MoM, National Council and other committees and now represent the South West Area on Members' Council.
I guess it all started in 1966. Burbage North and the appropriately named ‘Route 1’. A day out arranged by parents sparked something. Then followed a familiar descent into obsession. Peak District grit came first, the bolder (then) limestone, kipping in barns and caves as a schoolkid and student. Wales…Lakes…Yorkshire…Scotland. Then on to the Alps and the inevitable discovery of Euro-crags. High points? A great solo slab day on Froggatt. Climbing through a storm at Eldorado. Getting pumped in Pembroke. Climbing routes on the Culm that then fell down. Nowadays seeking out esoterica across Europe and working on the ‘Compendium Geriatrica’; a guide to friendly crags with soft grades and an easy walk-in.
Along the way I developed a love for, and studied, Literature and taught English for several years. Eventually the dark side called and I moved into Outdoor Education; heading up a college department for six years. Recognising at that point that I might just need to be formally recognised as ‘competent’ I embarked on Mountain Training qualifications in the 90’s and over a couple of years gaining a smorgasbord of acronyms (SMLWMLIMLMCIWMCI….). A career leap took me to heading up Mountain Training England for over ten years until retirement.
BMC? I’ve always thought membership was ‘the right thing to do’ to support its access and technical work. Over the last 20 or so years I’ve sat on National Council, and now Members’ Council, and realised just how much more the BMC actually does! I’m currently a North West area representative on Members’ Council and have been nominated to be a Council Nominated Director. That means my role is to bat for the membership at Board level whilst trying to help the team keep the BMC functioning successfully for all of us.
I have always been a climber and hill walker, albeit as a child, in middle England, the hills were small and the climbs were on trees and structures. During my doctoral studies in the late 1980s rock climbing and mountaineering became a passion. Taking roles in my University mountaineering club led to my first involvement with the BMC: a relationship which has grown over the years, as a strong supporter and volunteer. This progressed through a period of extensive access and guidebook work (including a co-editor of the BMC Froggatt to Black Rocks guidebook) and as a BMC Peak Area regular. I have always been impressed by the dedicated staff and volunteers and the amazing work they do on behalf of the wider community. In 2021 I stood for and became the first Nationally Elected Councillor for Rock Climbing on the, then newly formed, BMC Members’ Council. In my second term I was elected as a Council Nominated Director.
Professionally I was an Engineering academic for over 35 years. Alongside my standard departmental duties my main senior responsibilities were on University level administrative work, this included: multiple terms on Academic Board; a member of various central quality committees; and a focus on the development and quality management of a number of overseas collaborations. In parallel, through representing various Staff Associations and Unions (including elected terms on National Executive Committees), I was a regular staff-side lead on University HR negotiations. I am now retired from paid work and living in North Wales.
My climbing journey began at university thanks to an opportunity to join a climbing trip to El Chorro when I was 19 was where I made my first steps into the world of the BMC. I signed up for membership on the advice of my peers on the trip and headed to Spain with no idea what was coming, and we swiftly came to realise that it was so cheap because absolutely no one climbs in Spain in August. Our first of many lessons learned.
Climbing for me is an adventure without expectation. I can push myself when I feel like it, but much of the experience is shaped by those I'm with at the crag or on the trail, teaching each other new things and taking those skills into other environments. I'm a keen skier, lucky to have grown up skiing in Chamonix, and no idea of the alpinism history and talent around me. I now live in Austria, and the chance to marry up some climbing skills with skiing, entering the world of touring and mountaineering, has seen me learn and develop my alpine skills in ways I could only have dreamt of when I was first being taught how to belay as a teenager by a friend who would go on to become my husband. We still disagree on the best technique for a figure of eight knot.
I'm also lucky enough that my "hobbies" have become my professional life, having worked in the sports media and broadcasting field for over 10 years. I've been lucky enough to work for BBC Sport, on projects like Ski Sunday, Wimbledon and the Winter Olympics, before a brief stint as a sports journalist in New Zealand. On my return to the UK, I joined the world of host broadcast production in tennis for the WTA but when an opportunity came up to take my career abroad for a second time with Red Bull in Austria, I jumped at the opportunity, and after three years working in their bike, adventure and snow production teams, I joined Faction Skis as the Athletes and Media manager.
The BMC is so much more than many realise, and I also think there are so many opportunities for this organisation to grow and foster a love for climbing, alpinism, hiking and hill walking in more people like me, who just had a go one day and then went from there.
BMC Board of Directors: meeting summaries and minutes
Below, you’ll find links to summaries and minutes of recent BMC Board of Director meetings.The summaries were introduced following the BMC AGM on 16 June 2018, and aim to let BMC members know the key themes discussed at each Board meeting and any important decisions that can be made public. The summaries will be produced and published as soon as practical after each Board meeting. More detailed minutes will be published in due course.