Philip Baker
Chair of Trustees
Philip is retired. His work history includes Head of Campaigns at Oxfam, Director at Arthritis Care and National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. Previous Board roles include Minority Rights Group International; the Royal National Hospital Foundation Trust (Bath); Youth Action Swindon; Swindon Citizens Advice Bureau; Wiltshire Local Strategic Partnership; National Health Quality Improvement Partnership. He was Co- Founder of the Ethical Trading Initiative and Chair of the Quality Institute for Self-Management Education & Training. Currently, he is a Trustee of Healthwatch Oxfordshire and Co-Chair Oxford Federation of Allotment Associations.
Our trustees
The Trustee Board has overall control of Citizens Advice Oxfordshire and must make sure it carries out the purposes for which it was set up. The Board focuses on setting strategy, making key decisions and overseeing the running of the charity. Day to-day management is delegated to the Chief Officer.
David Betts
Vice Chair
David is a retired civil engineer with extensive experience managing technical services in the public sector, followed by a career in management consultancy. He has broad expertise in contracts, commissioning, property, and finance. David also has governance experience as a trustee for several charities and as a local councillor. Since retiring, he has volunteered as a caseworker for Citizens Advice and is passionate about the support the organisation offers its clients. He joined the Trustee Board of Citizens Advice Oxford in May 2022.
Iain Lappin-Smith
Treasurer
Iain has a broad background in risk management, banking, and finance, with experience both in the UK and abroad. He joined Citizens Advice to give back to the community and support the excellent help and advice the organization provides.
Alan Arnfeld
Trustee
Alan joined the Oxfordshire South and Vale Board in November 2021 and was the Trustee Lead for Digital and Technology along with facilitating the Board with Strategy development. He has been in and around technology for over 30 years largely leading product management teams providing computer software and internet-based services. Currently Product Operations Director for Körber Supply Chain. He lives with his wife and grown-up children in South Oxfordshire, where they have been for over 20 years.
Mark Beer
Trustee
Denise Haylor
Trustee
Denise is a retired HR professional. A three times Chief Human Resources Officer who, in a career spanning over 35 years, worked for five global companies. In addition to her role as a senior leader, her experiences include recruitment, leadership development, coaching, counselling, technology, diversity and CSER. She has travelled extensively and lived and worked in North America, the Netherlands and the UK. Her passion is building successful organisations with people at the centre. She lives in South Oxfordshire and, after all her travels, has finally found her forever home.
Gary Nicholls
Trustee
Gary knows how beneficial Citizens Advice is in supporting individuals as he received advice from them at the start of his career. He is looking forward to bringing the expertise he has gained throughout his career to Citizens Advice Oxfordshire.
Over the past 30 years Gary has been involved in the automotive and financial services sector and managed large teams indirectly and directly at Board Level. He has seen the issues employees have raised both in and out of work providing insight into the challenges many people face. He studied for an MBA at Henley Business School and has been heavily involved as a lead in business transformation projects as Operations director for a large automotive company.
Gary lives in West Oxfordshire, and has been involved with the local Parish Council in support roles.
David Whalley
Trustee
David is very honoured and excited about continuing as a Trustee of CAOX post the merger. When he was a young boy growing up in Wigan, he accompanied his mum to Citizens Advice on several occasions; they were a huge help to her in difficult times and nearly 50 years on the need is clearly still there; and growing.
Despite studying Chemistry at University, he has spent his career in IT and Digital Transformation working for many varied and different companies. During that time he has been both CIO and COO and is hoping that his IT experience will be valuable to Citizens Advice.
David is now semi-retired, and having recently moved to the area, is now enjoying the freedom to work on things he is passionate about.