His Majesty The King

All act as both Council Members to ARNO and Trustees to the RNOC

Vice Admiral Paul Bennett

Since joining the Royal Navy in 1985, Paul has divided his time between seagoing commands, including the first T45 destroyer and the Amphibious Task Group, and senior roles ashore. His last role was Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia. Paul retired from the RN in Jan 22 and is now a NATO Senior Mentor and advisor to a number of Defence companies.

Vice Admiral Andy Kyte

Vice Admiral Andy Kyte was appointed as the Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) with effect from September 2023. He is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of a cross-cutting, pan-Defence strategy for Support, a c. £14-billion/annum enterprise covering every facet of Logistics, Engineering and Equipment Support.

A career logistician, he has over 35 years’ service, including operational tours in Northern Ireland, the Arabian Gulf and Afghanistan. Previous appointments include Head of Defence Logistic Operations and Command of the High Readiness Joint Force Logistic HQ. In 2018 he was appointed as the 2* Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (ACDS) (Support Operations) where he was responsible for the provision of strategic level policy, planning and direction in support of current and contingent operations. His tenure was dominated by the Support challenges created by BREXIT, COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prior to assuming the post of CDLS he led a study for the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), focused on increasing Defence outputs.

The Venerable Martin Poll

Martin’s Royal Navy career, which began in 1990, took him everywhere from BRNC Dartmouth and HM Naval Base Portsmouth to the former Yugoslavia, the Gulf and Australia, both at sea and ashore. A member of the Admiralty Interview Board (AIB) for prospective chaplains, he served as Principal Anglican Chaplain and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy; in 2012, he retired early to take up the responsibility for The King’s private Chapel in Windsor Great Park.

Commander Ben F M Hughes

Ben joined the Royal Navy as a direct entry graduate in 2001. His sea time included serving as a Logistics Officer in destroyers, aircraft carriers and Flotilla.  A trained accountant and Cranfield MBA graduate, Ben left the Royal Navy in 2019 to become the Head of Customer Relationship Management for Leidos’ £6.7Bn Logistics, Commodities and Services Contract with the UK MoD.  An RNOC trustee since 2007, Ben is interested in maximising charitable support to beneficiaries and widening the services provided by ARNO.

Commander Ian Fyfe-Green

Ian joined the Royal Navy in 1992 as a Direct Entry Seaman Officer, serving in HMS Brazen and Glasgow before transferring to the Fleet Air Arm as an Air Traffic Control Officer. A Fighter Controller in HMS Ark Royal and SATCO in Illustrious, Ian has also controlled at several RAF and Naval Air Stations, the last of which in sub-Unit Command. Since promotion to Commander, Ian has spent much of his time overseas, in Rome and then Brunei Darussalam. His final RN role was as the Head of Airspace Policy & Strategy for the MoD, with the Civil Aviation Authority at Gatwick.

Commander Penny Graham

Penny’s 21-year career in the Royal Navy began as a direct entry Supply and Secretariat WRNS officer, when such things existed.  Subsequently as a Logistics Officer, she undertook a wide range of roles, including several tri-Service appointments, and seemed to spend a lot of time in outer offices.  Her final role was ensuring compliance from the new PFI contract at the Northwood Headquarters, where a few years earlier she had been the Logistics Officer.  Since 2018, Penny has been the Clerk (CEO) of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, one of the City of London’s ancient Livery Companies, and its associated charitable trusts.

Lieutenant Commander William Hairsine

Will Hairsine joined the Royal Marines in 2000 and transferred to the Royal Navy as a Warfare Officer in 2003. He served in ten Surface ships, deploying mainly to the Arabian Gulf in support of the Mine Hunting operations based in Bahrain. Staff Officer jobs took him to the Falkland Islands and back to Bahrain where his final job was as Chief of Staff to the Mine Warfare Commander, afloat in CARDIGAN BAY.

Since being medically discharged in February 2020 Will has worked as a Delivery Station Manager for Amazon during the pandemic but now works for KPMG as a Senior Manager specialising in large scale transformation.

Will is a passionate advocate of Service Leavers and their Mental Health. He lives in North Yorkshire with his wife, twins, cockapoo, campervan and two trombones.

Commander Graham Hockley

After a 28-year career as a Royal Navy Engineer Officer in ships, training establishments, procurement and the MoD, Graham was appointed Director of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science & Technology. Since 2009, he’s headed the Secretariat at Trinity House, with responsibilities for its charities and maritime fraternity.  Chairing the Maritime Charities Group from early 2019 until the end of 2022, Graham retired from Trinity House in November 2019.  He was appointed a LVO for his work with Trinity House in 2020.

Surgeon Captain Jo Keogh

Jo Keogh was born in Wiltshire and educated in Scotland and Devon before studying Medicine at Kings College, University of London. She joined the Royal Navy Reserves in 1993, while at University and subsequently served between 1996 and 2025 as a Royal Navy Medical Officer.

With a broad ranging career including seagoing appointments in HMS MONMOUTH, SHEFFIELD, CORNWALL and SOMERSET, and ashore in HMS Drake and RNAS Yeovilton she completed NHS surgical and specialist radiology training before being appointed to Royal Centre for Defence Medicine as a Consultant Radiologist in 2010 specialising in Trauma and Forensic Imaging.

From 2011 her work was focused on Afghanistan with multiple operational tours including an extended period deployed between July 2012 and October 2013. Initially this was as the NATO Chief Medical Planner in Kabul followed by a clinical deployment at Camp Bastion and six months mentoring the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). She was recognised for her contribution to CENTCOM medical planning with the award of a US Defense Meritorious Service Medal in 2013 and in 2014 was appointed OBE for her work in leading development of Afghan medical capabilities.

Thereafter at UK Permanent Joint HQ she led the planning for enduring support to UK troops in Afghanistan before development in 2015 of a novel first-aid training and equipment package for Ukrainian security forces. This was widely recognised as a high-profile success in meeting UK political intent, further developed her personal interest in Defence Engagement and Capacity building and initiated the development of an enduring capability for Ukraine’s military which continues to deliver critical impact in their ongoing conflict with Russia.

With a decade of experience in Command and staff roles she has wide experience in data driven innovation, public health initiatives and programme, project and change management with a keen eye on the impact of these on people.

While Commanding Officer of Joint Hospital Group (South West) responsible for DMS secondary healthcare clinicians embedded within the region’s NHS hospitals she was proud to be listed in the Financial Times ‘2020 Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights in the UK’. After 1122 days leading her Unit through the Covid Pandemic and subsequent challenging times for the NHS, she led the DMS Strategic Commissioning Team between 2023 until retirement from the Service.

Jo retains her RN identity with pride, now serving as a Veteran. As a member of the NHS England Op RESTORE Board since 2023 she continues to support improvement to veterans’ health and those in transition from the UK Armed Forces.

Having completed a total renovation of a dilapidated Victorian house in Bath, Jo enjoys experimental cookery and photography while supporting a wide network of friends, her partner Peter, and seven goddaughters.

Surgeon Commodore Stuart Millar

As the son and grandson of Royal Navy doctors, Stuart rather unimaginatively joined the Service as a medical student in 1988 and left over 30 years later. As a GP he deployed operationally both on and under the water and, on two occasions, to land-locked countries. The latter part of his time was spent in command and staff roles, including as the Appointer, and his last assignment was to MoD Main Building as the Head of Medical Operational Capability where he provided advice and direction in support of the Salisbury poisonings, disaster relief operations and the establishment of the first deployable Vietnamese Field Hospital in South Sudan. His main focus before leaving post was in support of Defence efforts in the Covid pandemic in close collaboration with the Chairman.

He has worked as the Army’s Responsible Officer since April 2021, a role in which he provides GMC regulatory governance and assurance for Army Medical Officers, and spends a considerable amount of time educating colleagues in “Jack Speak”. He has previously been a Governor of Frimley Park Hospitals Trust and a Trustee of an Air Ambulance.

Commodore Philip Thicknesse

Philip served in the RN for 35 years as a warfare officer and aviator. Joining in 1978, he saw service in the Falklands war in HMS FEARLESS. Subsequently he transferred to the FAA, flying Seakings and Lynxes before commanding RNAS Culdrose. In the surface fleet, he qualified as a PWO(U), served as 1st Lt of HMY BRITANNIA and commanded HMS LEEDS CASTLE and WESTMINSTER. He was awarded the US Bronze Star for service in Iraq in 2006. His final tour was as CBF South Atlantic Islands. In 2013 he left the RN to become Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the twelve great livery companies of the City of London, where he spent 8 very enjoyable years. Since then, he has served as a charity trustee, on a number of local government bodies and as a volunteer mentor for the Cranfield Trust.

Lieutenant Samuel Williams

Samuel Williams joined the Royal Navy as a Warfare Officer in 2017.  Having served as an OOW in Type 23 Frigates and the Fleet Flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth during her maiden operational deployment and the Navigating Officer of HMS Tamar. Currently on the staff at HMS Collingwood, Samuel is interested in promoting ARNO membership to serving personnel especially among the Junior Officer Cadre.

Surgeon Commander Funmi Chirnside

Funmi joined the Royal Navy in 2001 as a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander. Promoted Surgeon Commander just five years later, Funmi served as Principal Medical Officer (PMO) in both HMS Illustrious and at the Northwood Joint Headquarters, before moving into SO1 roles prior to her retirement. She is now a locum GP for the NHS and serves as Medical Officer at several London prisons.