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RNLI appoints Navy veteran as new CEO

Finance | Adam Bennett | 9 Jun 2009

The RNLI has recruited the Royal Navy’s former chief operating officer as its new chief executive.

Paul Boissier (pictured) recently retired from the Royal Navy in which he served for 35 years, reaching the rank of Vice Admiral. In 1999 he attended the London Business School for the Sloan Fellowship Masters Programme, for which he earned his MSc.

Over the last two years, he was the Royal Navy’s chief operating officer, integrating the functions of HR, support, training, logistics and procurement to ensure that the Royal Navy could deploy around the world when required.

He will officially join the RNLI on 24 September, succeeding Andrew Fremantle who is retiring after 11 years in the role.

The news of Boissier’s appointment comes just as the RNLI is launching a new fundraising campaign in a bid to shore up its free reserves, which are now at their lowest level for 13 years.

Its running costs average around £378,000 per day and it receives no government funding.

Seven months' free reserves

The charity has built up reserves for the long-term management of essential capital projects and to meet falls in investment income, but falls in stock market values last year mean that its free reserves have dropped to the point where they can only sustain the charity for around seven months.

The RNLI has already adjusted its budgets and attempted to reduce costs. Some projects have been put on hold until the economy recovers, and the RNLI’s PR officer, Claire-Marie Harris, said the priority is to maintain the standard of the lifesaving service.

“The crews must be properly trained and equipped to save lives at sea now and in the future and this is our absolute priority,” she said. “We cannot live beyond our means.”

Serious Fun campaign

The fall in reserves has prompted the RNLI to launch the ‘Serious Fun!’ campaign, supported by nautical clothing manufacturer Helly Hansen, in an effort to sign up new regular donors. Research suggests that only 2.5 per cent of those who use the sea for leisure participation make regular donations or are members of the RNLI (53,000 out of up to two million people).

At the centre of the campaign is a free DVD designed to educate the sea-faring public about potentially hazardous situations and the role of the RNLI. This is being advertised at various boat shows and events.

The RNLI has saved more than 137,000 lives since it launched in 1824.

Paul Boissier will be attending the Charity Awards at Battersea Evolution tomorrow night.

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Directory: Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Who's Who: Paul Boissier | Adam Bennett