Who WE ARE

 Juan was born and raised in Port Erin & Port St Mary, educated at Castle Rushen High School and then went on to study at Lincoln University where he graduated with 1st Class Honours in Management. He qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG in 2005 and has been an MHK since 2006. He has served in numerous backbench roles before spending five years as Minister for Home Affairs, before being elected Speaker of the House of Keys in September 2016. Juan chairs Rushen Heritage Trust, and is a director of Southern Befrienders, Vice Chairman of Port Erin British Legion and is Hon. Colonel of the Island’s Army Cadet Force.  

Hugh was educated at St Marks School and at Cambridge. He had a long career in senior management globally, co-founded Oxford Strategic Marketing and spent 12 years as Visiting Professor of Marketing at Cranfield University. He returned to the island in 2002 and chairs the H & S Davidson Trust, designed to help the poorest of the poor in East India and Bangladesh. His Isle of Man projects include www.thetellmeproject.com and The One World Charity Challenge. In recognition for all of his work, Hugh received an MBE in 2015. 

 Sandra graduated as a mature student in English & Publishing at Oxford Brookes University and typed/edited/vastly improved all six of Hugh’s books, including the best selling “Offensive Marketing”. She has also written a book for family and friends based on the memories of her mother, Joyce Gott, who also lived in Port Erin. Sandra is a Trustee of the H & S Davidson Trust, a Committee member of both Inner Wheel and Save the Children IOM, and a volunteer in the Save the Children shop in Port Erin. She has travelled with Hugh to Viet Nam, India, and Bangladesh to visit projects with Oxfam and Save the Children. 

 Born in Wolverhampton, Doreen grew up in the Black Country and then trained as a teacher in Birmingham, where she taught in a Primary school from 1970 to 1999. In 1999, she was fortunate enough to secure a teaching position in Douglas, where she taught for almost 10 years. Doreen and her partner moved to Rushen in 2004 and four years later she retired, however still continues as a Supply Teaching, because she still enjoys working with children. Doreen is also the Schools Liason Officer for Rushen Heritage Trust.  

Corporate branding and campaign activities have been Staffan's signum for most of his professional life, either as a creator, organiser or administrator. In the last fifteen years, he has been involved in Marketing Resource Management as a founder and partner in BrandSystems. Rated by Gartner: "European clients looking for a broad MRM solution with a focus on brand management should consider BrandSystems." Before founding BrandSystems with two colleagues, Staffan has:

• Studied at the Royal Institute of Technology and earned a Masters in Industrial Economy.
• Communication Manager at Ericsson for eight years.
• Worked as a manager, project leader and copywriter for various advertising agencies for about seven years.
• Worked as a Communications Manager for a business to business company for about five years, at the same time working as a Project Manager at an advertising company.
• Started up Candor Diagnostics in 2012, which will serve as a medical diagnostic company.

George was born in Douglas and educated at King Williams College. He then qualified as a UK accountant and later as a Canadian accountant before working for Coca Cola across 8 countries in Europe, Africa, Bermuda, The Bahamas and in New York. George returned to the island in 1976, built up Noble & Co and then sold it to Crowe Morgan. He learned to scuba dive and water ski in the Isle of Man and holds a pilot’s licence. 

Alan is an award-winning BBC senior producer-presenter whose returned home to the island after a distinguished time with BBC Radio Merseyside. His career with the BBC actually spanned more than 30 years, during which time he received plaudits for his work in news, current affairs, entertainment and sport. Alan’s vast experience includes interviews with Prince Charles and the former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well as numerous personalities from the world of show business including Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard.  

Steve was born in Port St Mary and has sailed the world. For many years he was Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy with Shell & Texaco. Steve returned to the island in 1988 and spent ten years in ship management. In 2000 he started up EMCS, which supplies skilled people to repair ships and shipyards overseas. EMCS also runs Ramsey Shipping Services, which repairs ships in Ramsey plus an agency for cruise liners and commercial vessels visiting the island. Steve is Chair of the Story of the Sea Heritage Action Team and also Chair for Port Erin Traders and vice chair Port Erin Commissioners, very active in all their events such as “The Island at War” the Beach Festival and the Christmas Festival.

Manx born and bred, John has worked in and with the media for 27 years. He worked as a journalist in Lancashire and the Isle of Man before spending 11 years working in PR and advertising. John lives in Port Erin and runs his own business, offering freelance writing, editing and admin services.