DHMAT Members
Sam Pratley
Sam has been the Diocesan Secretary (Chief Executive) for the Diocese of Hereford since July 2016. He is responsible for all aspects associated with running the Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd, employing staff, managing significant assets and setting the strategic direction for the Diocese alongside the Bishop of Hereford. Prior to that Sam spent 14 years in the housing sector, leaving the WM Housing Group as the Managing Director of West Mercia Homes.
In his spare time Sam is a visiting lecturer at the University of Worcester speaking on topics related to Housing and Leadership. He is the chairman of Vennture and a trustee at Close House, both Hereford based charities.
The Venerable Fiona Gibson
Fiona joined Hereford Diocese as Archdeacon of Ludlow in 2021, having previously been a curate and vicar in St Albans Diocese. As Archdeacon she has oversight, under the direction of the Bishop of Hereford, of those parishes in Hereford Diocese which are in south Shropshire, as well as a small number in Worcestershire and Powys. In addition to those duties Fiona chairs the Diocesan Board of Education and sits on a number of other Diocesan committees.
Before ordination Fiona was a lay Children’s Minister in a local church, and before that she was a primary school teacher in Hertfordshire and north London, where she had whole-school responsibility for literacy and Special Educational Needs. She was also a mentor for newly qualified teachers, and a Teacher Governor. Fiona is currently working towards a PhD in Divinity.
Will Finn
A modern history graduate from the University of York. In 1989, he began working with The McVitie biscuit company, and in 1991 left to join Johnson & Johnson, manufacturer of baby products, cosmetics and OTC medicines, in their marketing department. He stayed with Johnson & Johnson for the next 25 years, becoming Marketing Director of their French cosmetics company in 1996, Marketing Director of the UK division in 1999 and International Marketing Director (Beauty Care), in 2003.
In 2006, he was appointed Managing Director of a newly acquired Johnson & Johnson company in France, and in 2009 he became Regional Managing Director for the African region, based in Cape Town. In 2012 he returned to Paris as President of all J&J consumer companies in France and a member of the Europe, Africa and Middle East management board, as well as the Global Beauty Care leadership team.
In 2015, frustrated by limitations of life within a large multinational company, he retired. He and his wife Victoria and their son Stanley, chose to settle in Hereford. Will is an occasional consultant, a trustee of Herefordshire Headway and has worked with the Diocese of Hereford Multi-Academy Trust since May 2019.