Old Haberdashers Association (OHA) Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is responsible for the running of the OHA, the Old Haberdashers’ Clubhouse and sports ground in Borehamwood and is the parent body for all the associated clubs. The committee is made up of a number of officers and representatives who are listed below with their contact details. There are a number of sub-committees who are responsible for key aspects of the OHA operation – these include finance & investment, Clubhouse and Ground Management, Communications etc. Old Haberdashers’ Sports Ground Limited was set up by the OHA for legal, financial and tax purposes, the OHA appoints the members of the board of this company.

The committee meets on average 4 times per year and holds an Annual General Meeting open to all members of the Association in September.

President – Colin Blessley

Colin attended Haberdashers' Aske's Senior School, leaving in 1965. Until recently Colin   led the The FTI Corporate Finance/Restructuring team in Madrid as Senior Managing Director. Colin has more than 35 years of restructuring experience in Europe and Latin America and has led a considerable number of successful advisory restructuring and turnaround assignments over recent years for corporates and lenders alike, involving corporate debt in excess of US $45 billion. He has advised many multinational and domestic clients in the UK, Continental Europe (including Spain) and North and Latin America on business restructuring, turnarounds, acquisitions, alliances, disposals, funding, valuations and strategic planning, as well as forensic investigations and litigation support. 

Colin Blessley was based in Madrid and now is based in London and has more than 35 years of restructuring experience in Europe and Latin America. Prior to joining FTI, Colin was an adviser to the UK Financial Services Authority and previously led PricewaterhouseCoopers' mainland European restructuring business. For 10 years he led PwC's Spanish corporate finance and restructuring activities and for 5 years was co-leader of their restructuring practice in Latin America.

Colin is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a Spanish Certified Accountant. He speaks fluent Spanish, French and Portuguese and has a good command of Italian.

Secretary – Martin Baker

Martin left the School in 1978, he was Meadows House captain, a Senior Prefect and played rugby, hockey and cricket for the School 1^st teams. He has been Captain & President of the OH Rugby Club and is now their Hon Sec. He has the same role for Combined London Old Boys RFC. He was elected as Secretary of the OHA in 2007. Martin studied Geography at Kings College, London, graduating in 1982. He joined BT as a graduate entrant and worked in a number of roles, latterly focusing on BT’s contracts with the mobile phone operators before leaving in 2010.

martin.s.baker768@btinternet.com

Honorary Treasurer & Registrar– Dr John Wigley

John taught at the School for 35 years, was Housemaster of Russells for 15 and Head of Economics and Politics for 21. He retired in 2008 and was elected Treasurer of the OHA in 2011. John has written a large number of articles for the OHA Annual Magazine, notably a series on the headmasters. He also wrote "Serve and Obey", an illustrated history of the School. In his spare time John returns to School to help with the CCF and D. of E. He enjoys long-distance walking and has recently completed a walk from Seville to Santiago. He is Chairman of the St. Albans and Harpenden Patient Group and a Hertfordshire Magistrate.

johnwigley33@yahoo.co.uk

Immediate Past President – Jon Corrall

Jon taught at the School for 31 years, first as Head of German, then as Head of Modern Languages and then as Senior Master. He retired in 2010 and was elected as President of the OHA in that year. Jon played cricket for North of England Young Amateurs and Leicestershire 2nd Xl, rugby for Leicestershire under 19s and was Captain of the Cambridge University table tennis team.                 

You can email Jon at j.a.corrall@btinternet.com

Editor of the OHA Magazine – Alan Newman

Alan left the School in 1974. He has an MA in Modern Languages (French and Spanish) from Cambridge University and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has been a Partner with Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG LLP. Alan is currently the Chief Financial Officer for YouGov PLC.

Alan was President of the OHA between 2005 and 2008, is a past Treasurer of the OHA and of the OHRFC and he was a keen rugby player.

Social Calendar – Rodney Jakeman

Rodney joined the School in 1956 and left in December 1961, helping with the move from Hampstead to Elstree. Having discovered retailing, he moved through the ranks of Harrods, Knightsbridge being appointed to the Board in 1983. Rodney has undertaken the role of OHA President on two occasions - 1982/3 & 1996/97. He was an active member of the OHRFC  and has served in many roles on the OHA Executive Committee over the years including chairman of the Social Committee, a role he been persuaded to recommence having recently retired.   Rodney is a Director of OHSG Ltd.

Ground Manager – Alan Phipps

Alan left the School in 1968.

Alan was President of the OHA between 2001 and 2002, he has run the Ground Committee for the last 10 years. He is a past captain and President of the OHCC. He continues to play cricket and table tennis for the County veterans.

He is a Director of OHSG Ltd.

Clubhouse Manager – David Heasman

David left the School in 1959, and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1969 He is managing partner of a long established NW London firm of Surveyors and Estate Agents. David was President of the OHA between 2004 and 2005. He has run the Clubhouse single-handedly for the last 10 years. He was an active member of the OHRFC for many years. He also directs the Harrow Apollo Male Choir.

Investments  – Graham Macfarlane

Graham left the School in 1961.

Graham was President of the OHA between 2003 and 2004, he is a past Treasurer of the OHA and now runs the Investments Committee. He was active member of the OHRFC for many years.

OH Rugby Club – Martin Baker

See OHA Secretary

OH Football Club Member - Eoin Broderick

Eoin left the school in 2003 having captained the 1st XV and playing for the football 1st XI. After graduating with a history degree from the University of Sheffield and a year long stay in China teaching English, Eoin began his legal studies and has recently qualified as a corporate solicitor at Edwin Coe LLP. 

Eoin took over the captaincy of the Old Haberdashers' Football Club in summer 2012.

eionbroderick@hotmail.com

OH Cricket Club Member – Robert Clarke

Robert left the School in 1990, was part of Strouts House and played cricket & rugby for the School.  

Robert has been an active member of the Executive since 2005 as an elected member and representing the interests of the OH Cricket Club.   He has been the Hon Sec. of the OHCC since 1999 and continues to be an active player.   He is also heavily involved in the OH Golf Society. 

Robert graduated from Southampton University and now works for Xerox on Environmental / Sustainability issues.

Elected Member – Peter Vacher

Peter left the school in 1955.  After National Service, he worked in industry and was Sales & Marketing Director of DRG Sellotape.  He then worked as a Senior Lecturer at the Open University Business School. 

He was an active member of OHRFC from 1955 onwards and was successively Captain of the Extra B, Extra A and A XVs and OHRFC President from 1982 to 1985. Peter had the honour of being OHA President in 1990-91.

He continues to write for the jazz press and to lecture widely on the subject.  His third book on jazz is due out in 2012 - please contact him for a copy!

Elected Member – Andrew Tarpey

Andrew left the School as School Captain in 1997 and graduated from Birmingham University, going to work for Jaguar Land Rover as a Product Development engineer. He has been an active member of the Executive since 2001 and took on the organisation of the OHA’s flagship Annual Dinner in 2011. Andrew is a Liveryman of the Haberdashers’ Company and indulges his love of beer by living in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire.

Co-opted Member – Keith Cheyney (School Archivist)

Keith retired as Head Librarian at the School in 1994 and then started his role as School archivist.He has assisted many year groups with reunions and has provided a great deal of archive material for the OHA.