Our People

Chief Executive Officer and Grand Secretary

Since he has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), David has been leading the organisation's transformation for the modern age and helping the public understand what Freemasonry is, who we are and what we do.

He has spent nearly 20 years in the NHS as a Physician and Clinical Director and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. He is a Trustee of the Royal Star and Garter Homes.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I am the Chief Executive Officer responsible for running the staff and business functions here at Freemasons’ Hall, as well as contributing to the strategy and wider organisational development of UGLE as a whole.  I answer to the Rulers and the Board of General Purposes, chaired by Geoffrey Dearing and the Committee of General Purposes chaired by Prof Stephen Tucker.  Since starting my role in 2017, I have overseen numerous modernisation programmes, fronted the ‘Enough is Enough’ national media campaign and worked to increase transparency, accountability, understanding and access to Freemasonry.

What do you love most about working here? 

I most love the range of people I meet, the variety of my job with the breadth of portfolios that I am responsible for and the fabulous staff I have the honour to work with.

Hobbies outside of work?

I play the organ (badly) and spend much time repairing my decaying old house in Cambridgeshire, playing with my daughter, watching reruns of ‘Midsomer Murders’ with my wife and doing a weekly shift as a Consultant in Acute Internal Medicine at Peterborough Hospital.

Ideal dinner party guest?

My old medical firm when I was a Registrar at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.

Director of HR

Liz joined UGLE in 2014, having previously worked for Morgan Stanley for a number of years. A HR professional with vast experience in the intricacies of people management and employee relations, she has a passion for making a difference and a focus on people.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I head up the HR function with accountability and responsibility for all aspects of HR and payroll for UGLE, UGLE Trading and the Museum of Freemasonry. I get involved in everything from management of pension and benefit schemes, compensation, sickness to recruitment and employee relations plus everything else in between. It’s not a job for the faint-hearted, you need a thick skin and the conviction to follow through. I ensure people are at the forefront and are respected, valued and treated fairly. I support my team, the staff, management and the organisation as a whole by offering guidance and support.        

What do you love most about working here?

I love that no two days are ever the same as such a varied and interesting role. The people make an organisation, and we have some great people working here. I feel respected and appreciated for the support and advice I give, and that makes it all worthwhile.     

Hobbies outside of work?

Running/fitness, baking, travelling and socialising with friends and family.

Ideal dinner party guest? 

Chris Hemsworth

Director of Communications and Marketing

Michelle Worvell joined UGLE in March 2019 as Director of Communications and Marketing. Before this, she was Director of Communications at the Chartered Insurance Institute. Michelle started her career as a journalist and for many years was Editor of Insurance Age magazine where she created a new event from scratch – the Broker Expo.

She is an award winning professional having won Best Annual Report 2018 at the MemCom Awards and BIBA Journalist Award 2003 – Trade Feature – Winner. Michelle has a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I joined UGLE in March 2019 as Director of Communications and Marketing and one of my first jobs was to restructure the Communications and Marketing team so that it was fit for purpose.  The areas under my control include: PR, Corporate Communications, Member Communications, Website, Social Media and Internal Communications. In the two years that I have been at UGLE I have implemented a new PR Strategy which has moved the organisation in a proactive comms position and built relationships with national press journalists and obtained positive national coverage.  My other projects include introducing and enhancing a brand marketing centre for use by regional officers, providing the CEO and regional heads with briefing notes and crisis comms support, launching a new members webinar series and the first ever national members e-newsletter – First Rising. In addition, the team has created a new set of toolkits and animations for use by our members and the 48 regions, introduced ‘Ask the CEO’ Twitter events and created a new internal staff communications strategy to support UGLE staff (including a Welcome Pack), working closely with HR on events such as Learning at Work Week.

What do you love most about working here?

The chance to make a real difference, with my team, to the public standing and perception of Freemasonry. I also love the variety offered by the role. 

Hobbies outside work?

For 20 years, I have been a member of the Sealed Knot – a 17th-century re-enactment society – I am a musketeer, so I own a replica 17th-century musket and have a shotgun licence.

Ideal dinner party guest?

Elizabeth I – I find her absolutely fascinating. High intelligent and a strong woman in a man’s world. Everything she did, she did for her country.

Chief Information Officer

Carlos joined UGLE as CIO in January 2019. He holds a Masters in Information Systems Management and has been working in IT for the past 20 years. On completion of his Masters in 2011, Carlos set up a successful IT consultancy which he ran for eight years before joining UGLE on a permanent basis. Carlos began his technology career as an Oracle professional and has held numerous and varied roles including Global Head of IT within the media research and reputation management industry.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I hold the role of Chief Information Officer (CIO) and have been employed at UGLE for just over two and a half years. I report directly to the CEO and work closely with the senior management team to ensure ICT is aligned with the wider organisational goals. My role oversees all aspects of the organisation’s information and communications technology, initiatives, and strategies. Planning, Innovation, collaboration, budgeting, team & supplier management, data security, and risk management are just a few responsibilities under my role. The CIO role is super interesting and keeps me busy, however, it is particularly challenging due to the sheer variety of user groups/organisations we provide a service for (UGLE, FMH Tenants, Provinces, Districts, events, ETC).

What do you love most about working here?

I have a great team of ICT professionals working with me here at UGLE and collectively we not only manage day to day ICT operations, but we get to work on some very interesting projects.  Great building to work in as well.

Hobbies outside of work?

Travelling and seeing the world, cooking, chess, tennis, rugby and football.  I also like boardgames with Risk being my favourite.

Ideal dinner party guest?

Robin Williams

Director of Development and Assistant Grand Secretary

Shawn joined UGLE in July 2013 as Director of Technical and Specialist Services before being appointed Assistant Grand Secretary in April 2014. In January 2019, he became Director of Development.

Prior to joining UGLE, Shawn had a background in banking and finance, having been with Citigroup and BMO Bank of Montreal in Canada, and Barclays and Citigroup in London.

Explain your role at UGLE?

My role involves serving as Clerk to the Board of General Purposes and Committee of General Purposes, providing guidance to Metropolitan, Provincial and District Grand Secretaries and conducting a process whereby Brethren can be recognised for exceptional service to the organisation by becoming ‘Grand Officers’ or receiving a ‘Past Grand Rank’. I am also responsible for Development within the organisation including helping to facilitate effective succession planning across the organisation and internally in the Grand Secretary’s Office where we are introducing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) throughout the several Departments.

What do you love most about working here?

I believe that Freemasonry is beneficial to society, and there is a feel-good factor working for an organisation which contributes to making the world a better place. Similar to most members of the organisation, the staff are friendly, helpful and kind; and it is nice to have colleagues who are good people.

Hobbies outside of work?

Travelling and skiing.

Ideal dinner party guest?

My ideal dinner party guest would be Mozart.

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

I have travelled to 69 countries and lived in three of them (the United Kingdom, Canada and Hong Kong – SAR, China).

Director of Facilities

Richard started in the catering and hospitality industry with his first job being a kitchen porter when he was 17, and 20 years later left as a Director of Events to move into Facilities Management.

Richard has worked for the private, the public and the third sectors in various roles and for organisations including Gardner Merchant Leisure, Chester Boyd, Letheby & Christopher and Leith’s, Kingston University Service Company.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I am responsible for making sure our members, staff and visitors can use Freemasons’ Hall each day we are open. My teams are Security, Reception, Post Room and Room Bookings. Together with Tony Retberg, Facilities Manager, we also manage contracts such as the cleaning, waste, overnight security and pest control. The Facilities team cover 6 days a week and from 07:00 until 21:00 a day – longer if we are open on a Sunday or later during the week because of a commercial hire. Tony, Katherine and I look after the non-Masonic hires of FMH – from filming to dinners, conferences to fashion shows, Christmas parties to drinks receptions, concerts to charity events and Katherine and I look after the Lodge & Chapter Dining and UGLE events at FMH

Ideal dinner party guest?

My husband.

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

I spent part of my childhood living in Africa and on Ascension Island.

Director of Member Services

Since studying law at university, Prity has had a varied career as a lecturer in law, progressing into IT training management and consultancy and now, as a working mother of two, has brought her skills and experience together and taken up the role of Director of Member Services at UGLE – a post she has held since 2019.

Explain your role at UGLE?

My departments are Registration, District Support and External Relations. In addition to ensuring that we maintain good relations with other Foreign Grand Lodges of which there are over 300 worldwide and increasing year by year, we are responsible for processing all member and membership data and income for our 32 Districts and 47 Provinces amounting to over 4000 lodges. With members at the heart of what we do, this is a key function allowing for reporting and analysis, monitoring member movements and membership trends and behaviour. 

What do you love most about working here?

The people.

Hobbies outside of work?

Playing Cards and Board Games; Cooking and Gardening; spending time with family and friends.

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

I did the Victoria Falls Gorge Swing in Zambia.

Director of Masonic Services

John joined UGLE in 2015 as an administrator in the secretariat department. In March 2018, he stepped in as Interim Head of Secretariat and was promoted to Director of Masonic Services in January 2019. Prior to joining UGLE, he served with the Metropolitan Police Service for more than 30 years.

Explain your role at UGLE?

To mention a few tasks, my team and I make sure that the Masonic Yearbook is up to date along with the Book of Constitutions. We examine documents such as the By-Laws of Lodges and Chapters across the Constitution before being signed on behalf of the Grand Master. We produce Warrants and Charters for new Lodges and Chapters and Patents of appointment for Provincial and District Rulers. These are just a few of the responsibilities which fall under the Masonic Services remit.

What do you love most about working here?

There is a camaraderie within the team here at Freemasons’ Hall, which engenders an ethic of working together to achieve a professional outcome for the benefit of the organisation; along with pride in serving the membership, of which many of my colleagues are a constituent part

Hobbies outside of work?

Bee Keeping (just starting out on the journey), Freemasonry (since 1980), Flat Green Bowls (to International Standard), Rugby Union (Member at Harlequins RFC), Classical Music (favourite – Italian Opera), Reading Proper Books (mainly fiction and certainly not e-books), Watching Most Sports, Gardening (amongst other things growing cucumbers which I hate!)

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

Whilst employed at Buckingham Palace, I was told in no uncertain terms by a very senior member of the Royal Household to go forth and multiply!

General Counsel

Donald joined UGLE in 2017. He worked in the City as a solicitor and in-house at an international children’s charity before joining UGLE.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I advise on compliance and run the legal department.  This supports the organisation on legal matters including litigation, data protection, contracts, property, intellectual property and charity law.  It also encompasses the Masonic disciplinary system and records management.

What do you love most about working here?

The humility and courtesy of Freemasons, and our small role in helping facilitate the huge amount of charity work they do.    

Hobbies outside work?

Bouldering, running, gardening, reading, piano, DIY, clowning around with my children.

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

There are no fun facts about me.

Director of Maintenance

Mark is responsible for maintenance, portering and major building projects at Freemasons’ Hall, a Grade II* listed building and the home of English Freemasonry since its construction in 1932.

He has worked for Grand Lodge since October 1993, starting as a porter then moving into the maintenance department as a Decorator and working his way up to his current position in 2015. As well as being IOSH and NEBOSH qualified, he is also a member of the Institute of Workplace Facilities Management.

Explain your role at UGLE?

I have been at UGLE for over 28 years, and as Director of Maintenance, I am Responsible for the day to day maintenance, building projects and Health and Safety.

What do you love most about working here?

I love the variety of work, the people you meet and most importantly, the uniqueness of the building itself, you would be hard-pressed to find somewhere half as interesting to work at.

Hobbies outside of work?

Watching Millwall (which is probably more of a labour of love than a hobby!).

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

I was a bone marrow donor for someone who was suffering from Leukaemia.

Deputy Grand Secretary

Graham joined UGLE in November 1987 as Assistant to the Grand Secretary, and has been Deputy Grand Secretary since 2013. He was called to the Bar in July 1974 and after a period in pupillage and practice worked in the Legal Department of Dunlop Holdings from 1978.

Explain your role at UGLE?

Joined in November 1987, and have been Assistant and then Deputy Grand Secretary under six Grand Secretaries.

What do you love most about working here?

The endless variety.

Ideal dinner party guest?

My three dinner-party guests would be P.G. Wodehouse, Alistair Cooke [“Letter from America”] and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.

Tell us a fun/random fact about yourself?

I represented my College on University Challenge in 1969 and 1970.