Loretta Minghella OBE, director of Christian Aid
As chief executive officer of the charity, she is responsible for our strategic direction, plans and programmes.
She joined Christian Aid in April 2010.
Loretta is a lawyer by training who, after practising as a criminal litigator, began a career in financial regulation in 1990. The first Head of Enforcement Law, Policy and International Co-operation for the Financial Services Authority, she also chaired the International Organisation of Securities Commissions' Standing Committe on Enforcement and Information-Sharing.
In 2004, Loretta became Chief Executive of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, in which capacity she oversaw the payment of over £21bn in compensation to victims of bank and other financial failures. In recognition of her contribution in that role, she was awarded the OBE in the New Year's Honours 2010.
She leads Christian Aid's involvement in Aprodev (a group of 17 European church-related development agencies) and as a member of the British Overseas Aid Group (BOAG) and the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Loretta has a BA (Hons) in Law from the University of Cambridge.
Get to know Loretta...
Listen to Loretta's interview with BBC Radio Wales and find out more about her childhood, career and work with Christian Aid.
Martin Birch, associate director finance and information systems
Martin Birch helps the trustees to govern the charity in line with best practice. He has responsibility for ensuring the effective allocation and management of financial resources, and he manages information systems, audit, risk and compliance with legal and other best practice standards.
He acts as company secretary to Christian Aid and its various subsidiaries and connected charities.
He joined Christian Aid in 2002.
He trained as a chartered management accountant while working in financial services for several years before joining the voluntary sector in 1992, first working with ActionAid. He holds an MBA.
He is a non-executive director of The Climate Movement (Stop Climate Chaos).
Martin Kyndt, director for organisational development and performance
Martin Kyndt is responsible for coordinating Christian Aid’s organisational development and performance, ensuring human resources, processes and systems are fully aligned behind the achievement of corporate strategic goals. He oversees the implementation and performance of our corporate strategies, setting and monitoring standards for accountability, transparency and impact assessment.
He joined Christian Aid in 2002 as deputy international director and took on his current role in 2005.
He has worked in development for more than 25 years. Having worked in Papua New Guinea and later in Nigeria, managing a volunteer programme, he returned to the UK to do an MBA before moving on to Sightsavers International to manage programmes in Asia, Pacific and Caribbean.
He later took on the role of deputy international director leading the strategic development of Sightsavers’ global programme.
He is the chair of ECLOF International; a board trustee of Health Poverty Action; a member of the audit committee of Sightsavers International; and was a board trustee of BOND 1999-2005 (treasurer between 2001-05).
Jude Mackenzie, associate director advocacy and communications
Jude MacKenzie is responsible for Christian Aid’s public policy, advocacy, campaigning and communications work. Her role includes building relationships and understanding with the organisation’s key audiences while also engaging decision-makers in the UK, Ireland and Europe in the fight to eradicate poverty.
She joined Christian Aid in 2008.
She was previously at the Commission for Social Care Inspection, where she was director of communications and engagement. Previously her roles have included strategic communications adviser on public services at the Prime Minister’s Office and head of brand management at the NHS.
She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Matthew Reed, associate director marketing and supporter care
Matthew Reed is responsible for Christian Aid's income, engagement and care of our supporters, and the relationship with the 41 Christian denominations that sponsor Christian Aid.
He oversees our theology, youth volunteering, websites, new marketing developments, the work of Christian Aid Ireland and Christian Aid in Scotland and Wales, and InspirAction (Christian Aid in Spain).
He became marketing and supporter care director in 2008, after joining Christian Aid in 2002.
Matthew Reed was ordained in 1993 and served as a curate in Merseyside and a vicar in Buckinghamshire. He has a degree in theology from Oxford, degrees in engineering and management, and a master’s degree in management.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Paul Valentin, associate director international
Paul Valentin has overall responsibility for Christian Aid's programme strategy, implementation and quality in all its development and relief work worldwide, through a London-based senior management team and a global network of more than 40 devolved offices.
He has been with Christian Aid since 2004.
A tropical agriculturist by training, Paul Valentin has worked in international development for 30 years, starting as a volunteer agricultural extension worker in Kenya, then working for six years with indigenous people in the Philippines.
Previous positions include vice-president for programmes at Oxfam America and East Asia regional manager with Oxfam Great Britain. He is a Dutch national who has lived in the UK for more than 15 years.
He is active in promoting inter-agency coordination internationally through the ACT Alliance and was elected vice-chair of BOND. He is a member of his local (Anglican) parish council in Oxford.
