Arnold Pindar, Chairman

Arnold Pindar has been Chairman of the UK National Consumer Federation since 2009. The NCF is an independent, not-for-profit charity, with over 60 years experience of tackling issues that affect large numbers of consumers and campaigning for positive change. He was President of ANEC, the European Consumer Voice in Standardisation from 2011to 2019. ANEC aims to achieve the highest practicable levels of protection and welfare for all consumers, regardless of age or ability. At the international level, Arnold was chairman or co-chair of several Consumer Working Groups for ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation), notably the committee dealing with priorities for consumers and for a working group on the standardisation of services.

Arnold trained as an analytical chemist and worked for many years at the UK’s Department of Trade & Industry rising to Principal Scientific Officer. Much of this time was spent dealing with consumer safety. He has represented the UK at European Council and Commission Working Parties developing safety related harmonisation Directives, and has been a member of many British and European (CEN) and international (ISO) Standards Technical Committees. He joined the British Standards Institution in 1996 as Head of Consumer & Societal Policy (retired 2006).

Arnold Pindar comments on this appointment as a Trustee…
“As an independent trust of the Golden Leaves Trust, it is my role to ensure that money paid to Golden Leaves for pre-paid funeral plans remains safe. As someone very active in the consumer movement across Europe and experienced in standardisation, I can personally endorse and contribute to Golden Leaves’ high levels of quality, standards and consumer protection within their operational activities and their work to promote these qualities through the Funeral Planning industry”

Tom Kiedrowski

Tom Kiedrowski works within the Supervision and Compliance Monitoring Division of the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) He has worked in a range of strategic and operational roles within the areas of consumer protection, competition policy and regulation for more than twenty-five years. Tom has extensive senior management experience with exposure to Board-level directors, politicians and senior civil servants having working at BT, ECTA, Ofcom, Ofwat, the Department of Business Innovation & Skills, Bristol Water and the Law Society of England & Wales. Tom established the UK Competition Network (UKCN) during his time in the CMA transition team at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

He was a member of the Better Regulation Executive team that developed the Principles for Economic Regulation that were published in April 2011. Until January 2014 Tom was Director of Market Reform at Ofwat, where he developed proposals for the implementation of wholesale and retail market reform team.

Between 2005 and 2011, he held a number of roles at Ofcom, including Project Director of Better Regulation and Impact Assessments. Tom developed Ofcom’s principles for co and self-regulation. He is a member of Chatham House

David Dinwoodie CA

David Dinwoodie has been the Managing Director of a Single Family Office since 2015.  He is responsible for direct investments and is a board member or observer of companies across sectors as diverse as biotech, financial technology, clean energy and commercial real estate in the UK, Europe and US.

David invests in private equity and venture capital funds as well as with more traditional wealth managers.  In addition to his experience of investing in public markets, he was brought in to serve as CEO of an AIM listed business to complete a strategic review and capital raise.

An experienced executive with over 20 years spent working across Big 4 Accounting and FTSE 100 companies and advisory roles.  David is a Chartered Accountant by profession having trained with KPMG before moving to Deloitte’s flagship Private Equity team in 2006 to work with clients such as Blackstone, Silver Lake and 3i Group.  He also spent three years responsible for Group Strategy at a leading FTSE 100 company.

David Dinwoodie comments on this appointment as a Trustee…

“I accepted the responsibility of becoming a trustee of Golden Leaves because of the company’s drive and focus to continually raise standards of consumer protection.  As an independent trustee I will help to ensure that the money within the trust is invested in the best interest of the plan holders.” 

Steve Rowland

Steve Rowland provides the valuable link between the funeral industry, the Golden Leaves company, and the Golden Leaves Trust. He brings a vast wealth of experience and capability. He is the Chairman of Golden Leaves Ltd, Managing Director of the Rowland Brothers group of funeral directors and Rowland Brothers International – a globally recognised repatriation provider.

His previous roles include Chairman of the National Association of Pre-Paid Funeral Plans (NAPFP) between 2000 and 2005; an industry representative of the Joint Steering Group for the development of the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA); and director of the FPA from 2002 to 2005.

Steve has witnessed both the best and worst of what the industry has to offer, and offers a highly knowledgeable link between Golden Leaves, funeral directors, and ultimately, the customer.

“Whether investing in a pre-paid funeral plan or dealing with the tragedy of losing a loved one, any customer is potentially vulnerable and therefore needs to be provided with the greatest levels of protection and reassurance. At Golden Leaves, our focus is on putting our customers first, at every level – including our own board of trustees who have a significant background in Consumer Protection.”

Amanda Williams

Amanda has over three decades of experience gained in financial services and corporate communications. Starting her career at UBS, she worked in several areas of the bank including eurobond syndication, international equity and the gilt edged desk. She then joined Shell Pensions where she was a member of the team that managed the $7bn in house pension fund before joining Dresdner RCM Global Investors as an investment manager with a portfolio of unit trusts and discretionary pension funds.

Amanda left the buy side and moved into a corporate advisory role at an investor relations company advising FTSE100, Mid Cap and Small Cap clients how to effectively manage their communications with their stakeholders.  She then set up her own communications consultancy which she ran successfully for a decade before selling to a PR company.

In recent years, Amanda has worked in the public sector, initially at the Cabinet Office in a cross public sector/local authority stakeholder relations and communications role. And most recently, at the Bank Of England, in the financial stability and strategy directorate, before undertaking a secondment at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and then working in the international banking supervisory and regulatory division.

Keith Graham, Trustee Consultant

Keith is a highly experienced trustee with many years operating within the financial services sector. Now retired and having been a fully qualified member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners, Keith is able, from an independent perspective, to supplement and broaden the knowledge base of the Board of Trustees.

With his detailed knowledge of the issues affecting trusts, he also provides operational oversight of the appointed independent investment managers and advisers, helping to ensure the Trustees understand the decisions they are being asked to make.

With a strong corporate governance background and knowledge of financial regulation, Keith plays an integral role in ensuring that all the requisite controls are in place.