Richard served as a Board Member at Variety – the Children’s Charity New Zealand from 2013 to 2024, including serving as Chief Barker for the maximum two terms. In that capacity, Richard served on the Variety Asia Pacific Regional Council and joined a Variety International Taskforce established in mid-2022 to which led to the revision of Affiliation Agreements executed by all Tents worldwide in 2025. Richard and his family relocated from Auckland to Sydney at the end of 2024. 

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Richard’s subsequent 30+ year career in banking, financial and professional services included involvement with start-ups through to the management of multi-jurisdictional, highly regulated businesses. His CEO and Board experiences in South Africa, Australia, the UK and New Zealand have given him a unique understanding of what it takes to adapt to new environments, build sustainable businesses and successfully engage across diverse cultures.

Outside of his executive roles Richard has been involved in coaching and mentoring initiatives in a voluntary capacity for over 30 years. Since moving from the UK in 2011, Richard has focused on business consulting, mentoring and executive leadership coaching, gaining international certifications as an executive and team coach through the International Coaching Community.