Pier Board: Who's Who

The Herne Bay Pier Trust was set up in 2008.  This is your handy, at-a-glance Who's Who and Who does What guide.

Julian Jennings - Chairman

Julian is married to Angela with three children and has lived in Herne Bay since 1989. Julian has 30 years experience in financial services, including as Sales Director within a financial services division of Lloyds Bank.  He now has diverse business interests as a landlord and Compliance Consultant to a small portfolio of financial services firms.  He is also Managing Director of two private limited companies, Guardian Estate Nominees Ltd and Estate Shield Ltd.

Andy Newell - Membership Secretary

Andy has fought publicly for many years for the restoration of Herne Bay's pier. He has many memories of the old pier and passionately believes it should be restored to its former glory as a benefit not only to the people of Herne Bay but also for the rest of the country. Andy is married to Jackie and has two daughters: Nicola 19 and Frances 17; and a son Todd 21. He works in the construction industry.

Michael Khoury

Michael has lived in Herne Bay for 23 years where his business interests include amusement arcades, catering and retail. He is a founder member of Town Partners and active in Herne Bay's Chamber of Commerce, for which he is currently President. He started life in a refugee camp and as a young man he worked on oil rigs in the Arabian Gulf. He was Employee Relations Representative for an American company for 4 years before being head hunted for the Ministry of Petroleum. After 5 years he moved to the UK, where he met his wife June.

Sue Austen - Website Administrator

Sue was born and brought up in Kent, and has lived in Herne Bay for almost 10 years with her husband, two teenage children, and two dogs. She has worked for over 25 years as an independent film and television producer and has made programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel Four. Her first feature film was selected for the prestigious Director's Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and she has received two BAFTA nominations for her work.

Jason Hollingsworth - Treasurer

Jason is a Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of commercial experience.  He has worked extensively for blue chip organisations, including as Manager of Price Waterhouse and an Associate Director of Deutsche Bank.  In the past decade his focus has been on the Third Sector where he has fulfilled roles including Finance Director of a multi-million pound public arts project in London (www.alunatime.org).  He has also co-founded a number of not-for-profit enterprises including etheco.com.  Jason lives in Herne Bay with his wife and two children.

Andrea Leach

Andrea, 44, is married to Kim and has 2 sons Alex and Max.  Born in Canterbury he has lived all his life locally and moved to Herne Bay over 3 years ago.  Andrea is passionate about improving and developing the town.  He is bilingual Italian and has extensive business contacts both locally and in London. Andrea has over 20 years extensive European B2B experience with a number of leading global FMCG companies, including the sports apparel and leisure sector. As Capital Appeals Manager for a local children's charity he helped to raise £6.5m to build and open South London's first residential children's hospice.  He has worked with Britain's oldest brewer Shepherd Neamne as an Export Consultant for over five years.

Ian Priston

Ian is a communications manager responsible for relationships with the media and a wide variety of public bodies for the Courts Service in London. He is experienced in new public building project management, consultation, advising government and explaining proposals to wide audiences. Ian moved to Herne Bay with his wife Jane and their three young children last year and believes passionately that the town deserves a pier it can be proud of and which will appeal to future generations.

Peter Lee

Is a Conservative Councillor representing the Herne Bay ward West Bay on Canterbury City Council.. Peter has lived in Herne Bay for 50 years and has been involved in many local voluntary organisations during that time.  He runs his own IT Consultancy based in the town.

Margaret Flaherty

Is a Liberal Democrat Councillor representing Greenhill and Eddington Wards. Margaret lives in Herne Bay and is a teacher and mother of four grown up children.?