Event Information

Stephen Howard LVO is Chair of Power to Change, an independent charitable trust, which he joined after retiring as Chief Executive of Business in the Community, after 11 years in post. Stephen brings a wealth of senior management experience in the corporate and charitable sectors.

He has held a number of executive and non-executive roles including Chief Executive of Cookson Group plc and Novar plc. His other current roles include: Chairman of Thames Reach; Trustee, Big Society Trust; Director, Big Issue Social Investments Ltd; Trustee, American International Church; and Director, Thanda UK.

Adrian Maxwell, investment director, joined Rathbones in 2004 after graduating from the University of Liverpool with an honours degree in Financial Economics. Adrian is a member of Rathbones' charities team managing portfolios for charities as well as private clients, SIPPs and trusts. Adrian is a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter holder as well as a chartered fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. Adrian is a member of the Group Stock Selection Committee.

Claris is a consultant working with Wrigleys’ clients nationwide.  Claris qualified as a Barrister in 1994 and has been advising charities for over 20 years. Previous experience includes working as a lawyer with the Charity Commission and as an in-house legal adviser for a registered charity, where she gained invaluable experience at the “coalface”.  Claris advises on a wide range of charity law issues including charity formations, incorporations, mergers and collaborations, trustees' powers and duties, public benefit, rationalising funds, handling and reporting serious incidents, governance reviews and dealing with the Charity Commission.

Claris has over eight years experience as a governor a charity trustee of a large charitable independent school and is currently a governor of an all-through academy school with 1300+ pupils. Claris has been on Bursary Campaign Committee for over 9 years which seeks to promote social mobility and she is also part of a task force looking into equality and diversity issues.

Claris regularly speaks at and chairs conferences about charity law and practice issues for the voluntary sector, lawyers and other professionals. She has written articles for amongst others Charity Finance, Third Sector and the Bursars' Review.