Council of Management

The council is democratically elected annually by War on Want's members and decide the direction of War on Want's work. Anyone can become a member by giving a regular donation.

The present War on Want Council of Management is:

Sue Branford, Chair
Sue is a journalist and broadcaster who lived in Brazil for many years. She has worked for the BBC, the Guardian and the Financial Times. She has written books about Brazil and international debt, and has written a history of War on Want’s project partner, MST, the Landless Movement in Brazil.

James O'Nions, Vice-Chair

James is co-editor of Red Pepper magazine. He has a background in anti-corporate and anti-war activism and was a founding member of Iraq Occupation Focus. He also currently works for the World Development Movement, focusing particularly on campaigning around climate change and corporate globalisation.

Steve Preston, Vice-Chair
Steve was previously a senior national officer with PCS, the major civil and public services union. For the last few years he has been an active volunteer for War on Want, helping with its trade union work.

Dave Spooner
Dave is the Operations Manager for Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), responsible for overseeing programmes in support of unions and associations of workers in the informal economy. He is a Board member of the Global Labour Institute, a trustee of the General Federation of Trade Unions Education Trust, and a member of Unite the Union.

Nick Dearden, Treasurer
Nick is a former member of War on Want staff, and spent six years campaigning on workers' rights in the global economy and poverty in conflict zones like Palestine and Colombia. He currently works as the Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign.

David Hillman
David previously worked as campaign coordinator of Landmine Action, successfully working for the ban on landmines in the late 1990s, before he moved to Drop the Debt. David is now coordinator of the Stamp Out Poverty Network.

Martin Hughes
Martin worked for War on Want from 1988 until 1994, eventually becoming deputy chief executive. He runs a public relations business in London and is also a board member of Medical Aid for Palestinians.

Paul Moon
A former War on Want International Programmes Officer, Paul now works at Care International as a Regional Programme Coordinator for West Africa and The Great Lakes.

Polly Jones
Polly is International Officer with UNISON, the public services trade union.

Sandy Boyle
Sandy was previously Deputy General Secretary of the banking union, UNIFI. He has been President of the STUC, President of Union Network International's Europe Finance Section and a Member of its Europe and World Executives. He is a member of Action for Southern Africa’s (ACTSA) Scottish Committee and of Scottish Friends of Palestine. He is currently a Member of the EU Economic and Social Committee and a Vice Chair of its Workers Group and External relations Section.

Mark Luetchford
Mark is the co-author of War on Want’s authorised history, and has worked as a campaigner for War on Want (in the 1980s), Oxfam, and the Soil Association, and is currently Chair of the Western Sahara Campaign.

Guillermo Rogel

Guillermo has worked in International Development for more than 20 years. Currently Growth Project Manager at Amnesty International, his previous role was as International Programmes Director at War on Want where he was responsible for all the overseas activities in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Ben Birnberg, Company Secretary
Ben is an eminent civil rights lawyer and has been involved with War on Want since the early 1970s. As Company Secretary, Ben is not a member of the Council of Management but is appointed by the trustees.