The Chairman and Board of Trustees of the China Fleet Trust are delighted to announce that Mr Gordon Hannah will succeed Mr Alex Sharpe as the new Chief Executive of the Charity when Alex steps down from the role on 30 April after serving the Trust for 8 years.
Gordon Hannah is in the last vestiges of departing the Royal Navy after a 30-year career which was recently recognised by the award of a MSM. Leaving as a Warrant Officer Weapons Engineer, he had latterly been operating in the executive arena and most recently as Base Warrant Officer of HM Naval Base Devonport where he was also the Mess President of the WOs&SRs Mess. Gordon has a strong affinity with the Club, where he has been Chairman of the Beneficiary Committee and has served as a Trustee for the Charity. Born and raised in SW Scotland as the son of a Dairy Farmer, he was destined to join the RN with a deep calling to the sea evident from a young age. He was fortunate to be selected to join at the age of 17 as an Artificer Apprentice. His first experience of China Fleet was shortly after joining the RN on a trip from his training establishment, not long after the club opened in Saltash which led to him becoming a regular user and enthusiastic, if not competent, golfer.
The Chairman of the Trust, RAdm Mike Wood, said:
“During his tenure as the CEO Alex has played a pivotal role in revitalising the Trust and ensuring that its charitable aims have been delivered thus helping to secure the future of the Club. It is with great regret that he has had to retire early for personal reasons and he will be sorely missed by all those who have worked with him and admired his boundless energy, commitment and engaging personality. I and my fellow Trustees wish he and his wife Silvia every good fortune for the future.
I am however delighted that we have managed to recruit and appoint such a high calibre relief for Alex. I have no doubt that Gee will bring to the job that same blend of military, management and communication skills which will support Trustees as we steer the enterprise out of the Covid crisis and towards our ambitious forward programme.”
Speaking on his appointment as CEO of the Trust, Gordon stated:
“It is an absolute pleasure and privilege to take on the role from Alex, who has served the Trust and Club with distinction under his tenure. I am thrilled and am looking forward to the challenges that will present as we emerge from the sceptre of COVID and the inevitable impact this has had on the charity. The previous good governance and financial due diligence set in place by the Trust had ensured the Club was in a strong position to ride out the turbulence that the Pandemic brought, evident with the opening of the Adventure Golf and Cabin during the first Lockdown and the new TopTracer facility at the Driving Range during the most recent Lockdown. Although our current focus will be on recovery and regain, it is evident in our 30th year in Saltash we will be even more relevant to our beneficiaries by providing much needed family focussed R&R. I will work tirelessly on behalf of the Trust, and in partnership with our trading company and other charities and agencies to ensure we continue to remain accessible, affordable and relevant to the Royal Navy and Royal Marine families.”
