Former ICS chief joins The Seafarers' Charity as trustee

The Seafarers’ Charity has announced that Guy Platten has joined its board of trustees, along with Simon Gillespie OBE. The ywo highly influential figures acrossthe maritime and charity sectors will be appointed officially at The Seafarers’ Charity’s 2026 annual meeting.

Guy Platten (pictured) began his career as a seafarer with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. He was later a boat inspector with the RNLI before becoming director of operations at the Northern Lighthouse Board. He spent five years as Chief Executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping and recently served seven years as Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).

Simon Gillespie is a former Royal Navy Commander who commanded the frigate HMS Sheffield. He went on to hold senior positions across the charity sector, including four years as director of operations at the Charity Commission, eight years as Chief Executive of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, and seven years as Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation.

Both will join existing trustees who oversee the governance of The Seafarers’ Charity, an international fundraising grant funder for maritime welfare and safety charities.

The charity holds a Royal Charter and grants more than £2m each year to frontline maritime welfare charities. It advocates on a range of seafarer wellbeing issues such as exploitative working practices, financial insecurity, and mental and physical wellbeing.

Deborah Layde, Chief Executive of The Seafarers’ Charity, said: “Our new trustees bring with them an outstanding record of service and leadership. Between them they have unparalleled expertise in charity governance, fundraising, maritime operations and life as a seafarer. I know that we will benefit hugely from their invaluable insight and experience.”

Commenting on his appointment, Guy Platten said: “As a former merchant seafarer, I have experienced first-hand the work of maritime charities and the difference that they make. It is vitally important that we continue to advocate for the welfare of seafarers, and I am delighted to contribute as a trustee to the work of The Seafarers’ Charity, an organisation I have long admired, on a broad range of issues.”