Head of Finance and Information Technology

Martin Tyler joined the Fairtrade Foundation as Head of Finance and Information Technology on Monday 22 March, moving from The Prince’s Foundation where he was Director of Finance and Administration for two years. The post is a new position within the Fairtrade Foundation.

“As the organisation has been growing very rapidly in the past few years, we need to strengthen our financial capacity,” says Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Foundation. “Like Fairtrade itself, Martin’s experience combines both commerce and international development – making him the perfect man for the job.”

Martin, who is one of a five member management team at the Fairtrade Foundation and a staff of 18, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1985 and spent his early career in finance in the corporate sector, working first with Tesco plc and then Total Oil Marine plc. He subsequently worked for six years until 1995 with Reed Elsevier plc, where he was Manager of Corporate Accounts.

He attained a Diploma in International Studies at the University of London in 1995 which led to a charge of career. He joined the relief and development agency Christian Aid, one of the founding members of the Fairtrade Foundation, as Director of Finance and Information. For his six years there, he was responsible for the organisation’s finances, information, building services and accommodation – managing a department of 50 staff.

In 2002 he took the post of Director of Finance and Administration at The Prince’s Foundation where he managed the finance and central service functions of five charities involved in urban design, architecture, heritage building conservation, and drawing skills.

“I am looking forward to moving to the Fairtrade Foundation to play an active role in the future success of the charity,” says Martin. “The Foundation’s growth over the last few years shows the support from the UK public to make a major difference to the lives of so many farmers and workers in the developing world.“

While at Christian Aid, Martin visited Kuapa Kokoo, a cocoa cooperative in Ghana which supplies the UK Fairtrade market.

Martin is married with a six-year-old son. In a voluntary capacity, he is chair of the charity Pesticides Action Network (UK).

For further information please contact:
Eileen Maybin on 020 7440 7686, mobile 07770 957451 (eileen.maybin@fairtrade.org.uk)
or Abi Murray on 020 7440 7679 (abi.murray@fairtrade.org.uk)