Governance
As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, we are governed by our constitution which was approved by the Charity Commission. Our trustees hold the legal responsibility for the club, and they delegate the day-to-day running to our elected committee who are listed below.
The club holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM) around September each year, where the committee and trustees report on the club’s operations, finances and plans, and a new committee and squad captains are elected.
Committee officers 2026–27
Chair:
Michael Whitcher (they/them)
chair@londonotters.org
Secretary:
Callum Davidson (he/him)
secretary@londonotters.org
Club Captain:
Anna Bordon (she/they)
captain@londonotters.org
Treasurer:
Tomi Papp (he/him)
treasurer@londonotters.org
Safety Officer:
Curtis Crowley (he/him)
safety@londonotters.org
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer:
Zahraa Azim (she/her)
inclusion@londonotters.org
Social Secretaries:
Nathan Merryfield (he/him) &
Robert Rees (he/him)
socialsec@londonotters.org
Public Relations Officers:
Javier Rodríguez López (he/him) & Chloë Mzimba (she/her)
pr@londonotters.org
Fundraising and Sponsorship Officers:
Andres Hip (he/him) & Pablo Flack (he/him)
fundraising@londonotters.org
Equipment and Maintenance Officers:
Arndy Tattersall (he/him) &
Aaron Scheiner (he/him)
equipment@londonotters.org
Squad captains 2026–27
Novice Squad Captains:
Dylan Hopkins (he/him) & Patrick Coleman (he/him)
Intermediate Squad Captains:
Jan Dierckx (he/him) &
Pedro Teijeiro (he/him)
Senior Squad Captain:
Hannah Scott (she/her)
Social Squad Captains:
Ken Li Kim Khiook (he/him) & Samuel Kavanagh (he/him)
Cox Squad Captain:
George Hadjiyiannakis (he/him)
Trustees
Grant ‘Ralphie’ Ralph (he/him)
Trustee 2024–27
Ralphie co-founded London Otters Rowing Club back in 2014 and has been an integral part of the organisation since its inception. He has been rowing since 1997 and was Master in Charge of Rowing and Head Coach for various secondary schools in South Africa between 2002 and 2007. After arriving in London, Ralphie's love of rowing led him and a friend to connect with other likeminded LGBTQ+ individuals who shared an interest in rowing. The group quickly gained a following and the rest, as they say, is history.
Outside of the club Ralphie is UK Head of Digital at Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Bank focused on B2B Digital Transformation. He also co-owns a Property Investment firm in South Africa. He sits on the Advisory Board for 'Here for Sport' and also serves as a British Rowing National Umpire.
Matt Davey (he/him)
Trustee 2024–27
Matt was a key member of the Otters for over five years, with two years as Club Captain and three as Chair, before becoming a trustee on its incorporation as a CIO. He led and oversaw a period of considerable growth of the club’s infrastructure and membership. It was whilst studying at the University of Cambridge that Matt discovered his love for rowing, and he joined the Otters after a period away from the sport, having previously been a member of clubs in London and Paris. His insight into different clubs and the rowing world more broadly, as well as his approach to risk, governance and growth learned in his work, have both been invaluable for the Otters as the club grows and develops.
Outside of the Otters Matt is European General Counsel for an energy consultancy and has worked as a lawyer in the shipping, energy and commodities industries for the last 15 years.
Lisa D. Richardson (she/her)
Trustee 2025–28
Lisa joined the Otters in 2023 and served as Senior Squad captain in 2024–25. She brings extensive rowing experience – having rowed since 2004, coached juniors for five seasons at the Horace Mann School, coached and rowed with Harlem River Community Rowing, and served as co-captain of the Yale Grad Crew – and a strong professional background in governance and non-profit management.
Beyond rowing, Lisa has served on the board of a New York theatre company, the Leadership Advisory Board for the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, and holds an MFA in Theatre Management from Yale School of Drama. Her career has included senior roles in fundraising, development and board management at leading US arts organisations, including the Public Theater in New York and Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Ryan Taylor (he/him) Trustee 2026-29
Ryan joined London Otters in 2021 through Pups 27, having grown up around rowing and surf clubs in Australia. His connection with the sport began in primary school when he first started coxing, before later learning to row with the Otters. Alongside rowing, he has been involved in volunteering, event organisation and committee roles within sporting and professional organisations.
Ryan is a law firm partner specialising in private wealth disputes, with extensive experience advising on trusts, compliance and fiduciary duties. His work includes supporting charities, trustees and other organisations on governance, financial oversight and decision-making, experience he brings to the Board in helping ensure the club is well governed and well placed for the future.
Michael Whitcher (they/them)
Trustee ex officio