Staff and trustees

Our staff

The Board of Trustees

Trustees have overall financial and decision-making responsibility and meet at least four times a year in addition to Board Members’ attendance to the Board subcommittees.

The Treasurer plays a key role and chairs the Board’s Finance subcommittee, which has specific remits for Financial Performance and budget control and compliance, key financial risks, accountability and information, efficiency and Value for Money; it produces regular reports to the Board and makes recommendations on financial matters, including financial controls.

Sunil Sheth (Chair)

Appointed by the board in August 2020, Sunil is a former Senior Partner at Fladgate LLP co-heading its India desk and, until recently, also heading its Private Wealth Group and Inclusivity, Diversity and Respect programme.

Sunil has chaired the disability rights charity Sense International since 2011 and been a trustee since 2004.  Sunil has also been a trustee of One World Media Trust and a trustee of Victim Support, where he acted as Vice Chair from 2007-2010, in addition to being Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee and trustee of The Hospice Biographers, a charity which offers terminally ill patients the chance to have their life stories professionally recorded on audio for their pleasure and relief and for their families to hear their voices and memories for generations to come. Sunil was a Founder of the Society of Asian Lawyers and was Chair of the organisation for many years.

Sunil is passionate about leveraging resources and influence to meet the needs of vulnerable people and has led major philanthropic efforts to do so.

He enjoys travel, theatre and sporting activities, and meeting and interacting with people from difference cultures and businesses.

Peter Freedman (Treasurer)

Recently retired as the Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum, Peter has extensive global experience of Boards across private public and social sectors.

As CEO of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), Peter was able to persuade the world’s leading consumer companies formally to commit to eradicate forced labour from their supply chains – the first global industry to do so, in 2015.   As part of his work at the CGF, Peter worked extensively on the organisation’s culture and processes so that decision-making and operational effectiveness were better able to benefit from equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workforce.

Now, having recently left the CGF, he is keen to find a way to continue to contribute to the fight against slavery. He is excited by the emphasis that Anti-Slavery International place in the new strategy on both policy change and supply chain implementation and understands the importance of consumer/public pressure and some of the techniques to build it.

Peter’s Board experience in the social sector includes chairing the Board of Spring Impact, a social enterprise consulting firm, since 2018, chairing the Audit & Risk Committee of Whittington Health NHS Trust from 2011 to 2014 and chairing the Quality Committee of the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman from 2012 to 2016.

Judy Lister

Over her working career, Judy has worked at Director level for Save the Children UK in East & Central Africa and UK/Europe. With extensive international experience and connections as an International Development Director across the UK, Europe, Africa and Asia, Judy has particular expertise in change management and transition in different global contexts.

Changing attitudes towards children’s rights has been central to Judy’s working life and her interest areas invariably led her to ‘unpopular causes’ such as children of prisoners, Gypsies and Travellers, juvenile offenders and more recently children living and working on the street both in the UK, India and East Africa. For all these groups, changing attitudes was a significant challenge as was policy and legal reform. She likes to think laterally and strategically and to bring on board unusual partners where this is more likely to effect change than through grassroots lobbying.

The roles Judy has undertaken as an interim CEO/Director/Consultant in recent years have broadened her experience of organisational culture, challenges, and obstacles to change. As a Senior Manager , she was responsible for budgets over £20m and substantial global staff teams. Judy is not afraid to  take on a challenge or to make tough decisions where failure to do so is to the detriment of the organisation’s mission and believes this is also appropriate as a Trustee, notwithstanding the important governance requirements of the role.

Tom Palakudiyil

As an international development professional, Tom has worked at grassroots, national and international levels since 1982. From 2005 up until September 2019, he led WaterAid UK’s program in the Asia Region after working with Christian Aid, first as Country Director for India, and subsequently as Regional Manager for South Asia.

Tom also taught at post-graduate level for over 10 years, including five years at the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), India. He holds a PhD in Development Studies from the School of International Development, University of East Anglia. Tom currently sits on the boards of Anti-Slavery International, Water and Sanitation for Urban Poor (WSUP) – India, and Dalit Solidarity Network – UK, where he is also the vice chair.

Tom has seen for himself the power of well-planned and well executed programmes to transform lives, and the credibility they bring to campaigns seeking to bring about lasting change. Shared values led him to join Anti-Slavery International as a trustee. Working to help empower people and realise their rights and freedoms – especially those who are marginalised – has been a key motivator for Tom throughout his professional career and a critical force behind the choices he has made throughout his life.

Ben Rawlings

Ben is a senior career diplomat specialising in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, national and international security, and human rights. He is currently Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission Cyprus.

Experienced in organisational development and leadership, policy development, international engagement and risk management, Ben is looking to work with Anti-Slavery International to empower vulnerable and marginalised groups and deliver sustainable systemic change.

Ben was Joint Head of the UK Government’s Forced Marriage Unit from 2010-2012 and was subsequently seconded to the Home Office shortly after the Modern Slavery Act came into force, working as a bridge between modern slavery and human trafficking work and the areas of national security and counter terrorism.

Using political acumen to inform policy development and delivery has always been the core of his work, and he believes in empowering people, giving them their own voice to effect change.

Sarah Dalton

Sarah is a qualified accountant with 12 years of experience working in a range of different sectors, including the public sector, retail, financial services, technology, as well at the not-for-profit sector.

She trained with one of the top accounting firms in the risk assurance department and is now the Finance Director at an agricultural technology company working to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of low-income farmers through the use of digital tools.

Sarah joined the Board of Anti-Slavery International in July 2024.

Soumya Singh

Soumya is a versatile HR generalist with over ten years of high-quality experience gained across a range of sectors and organisations in the UK. She currently splits her time as Head of People at Smart Energy GB and as Head of HR Consulting at Boringbits, doing consultancy work.

Soumya’s experience is a blend of strategic business partnering and HR operations, and the key sectors she has worked in are science, technology, and consulting firms. She has worked as a business partner for established organisations, including UK’s prestigious national academy of science, The Royal Society, and she has set up scalable HR function from scratch for several UK start-ups. Soumya has recently ventured into the consultancy space offering her expertise to an exciting mix of clients ranging from a FTSE10 business, a fem-tech start-up, and a leading human rights organisation.

Soumya strives to add value to a host of organisations in various capacities. She works as a senior lecturer (HRM and OB) at Kingston Business School and brings industry practitioner insights to postgraduate and undergraduate students. She also volunteers her time as HR Manager for a leading suicide prevention charity and is on the board of The Independent Film Trust and IFT Studios offering strategic input into key decision-making and governance processes.

Soumya is committed to raising awareness on unconscious bias and stereotypes and she actively champions principles of ‘diversity and inclusion by design’ to help remove barriers so that people can offer their best to their jobs and the organisations they work for.

David Geer 

David has over 30 years’ experience working in international human rights, diplomacy and governance across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. He has held a number of senior positions within the European Union, including serving as Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to North Macedonia and leading the EU’s sanctions policy work. 

Throughout his career, David has supported diplomatic engagement on major international issues including the Iran nuclear negotiations and the Middle East Peace Process. He has also worked extensively on democracy, rule of law and human rights issues in countries undergoing political transition and conflict. 

Before joining the EU institutions, David was Executive Director of INTERIGHTS, the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights, where he led the organisation’s strategic development and international advocacy work. Trained in international law at the London School of Economics, he began his career as a barrister in London before moving into international human rights and diplomatic work. 

David brings deep expertise in international human rights law, diplomacy, organisational leadership and strategic advocacy, alongside a longstanding commitment to advancing justice and protecting vulnerable communities. 

Chris Lane 

Chris is a senior executive with extensive experience across government, international development and the legal sector. He is currently Chief Operating Officer at the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, a UK Government body, where he leads operations, strategy and corporate services, and advises the Board as Company Secretary. 

Chris has held senior leadership roles focused on governance, organisational transformation and international engagement, including at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, where he led work on legal diplomacy and the promotion of the rule of law internationally. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy and Deputy General Counsel at Save the Children UK. 

Earlier in his career, Chris worked as an international disputes lawyer at Linklaters LLP, advising on complex cross-border litigation and insolvency matters. 

Alongside his executive career, Chris has significant trustee experience across a range of  organisations including Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Enactus UK, Royal Pinner School Foundation, and Africa Justice Foundation. He brings expertise in governance, strategy, risk management and organisational effectiveness, together with a strong commitment to human rights and international development.