Meet the Team

While management of the activities of Sail Training International depends heavily on volunteers, the staff team is critical to the success of the organisation. This includes:

• The commercial team responsible for marketing and publicity, contract and project management, finance and administration.

• The race directorate, responsible for the technical management of races for sail training Tall Ships.

Biographies and contact details for each of our staff members can be found below:

Paul Bishop
Head of Race Directorate
Paul joined Sail Training International in July 2006 from the UK national sail training organisation, ASTO, where he was Business Manager. Prior to that he served in various management functions with sail training providers, was a frequent competitor (skipper) in The Tall Ships Races, and Assistant Race Director for these races (1987-93). He is an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean Instructor and Examiner, and past member of the RYA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel. 

Paul started his career as a professional seafarer at the age of 21 mainly skippering sail training vessels around Europe. He has completed several trans-Atlantic crossings and went out to Australia and Tasmania during which time he skippered a vessel in the Australian Bicentennial Tall Ships Race.  He retains his commercial licence and regularly sails as a volunteer skipper for a UK sail training charity. He has been a keen racer entering regattas such as Cowes Week. He also regularly cruises his own yacht with his family and sails a Dart 18 catamaran with his wife. 

Contact Paul Bishop – paul.bishop@sailtraininginternational.org

Gwyn Brown
Chief Operations Officer

Gwyn joined Sail Training International in 2004 having previously worked at director level in the aviation industry where he was responsible for European marketing, business development and strategy formulation. He previously held the position of Commercial Director at Sail Training International and continues to be responsible for all commercial aspects of the organisation including marketing, sponsorship, contracting with host ports.  



Contact Gwyn Brown – gwyn.brown@sailtraininginternational.org

Paul Thompson
Deputy Commercial Director

Paul has worked in business development and client management across a variety of industries. He spent eleven years as Sales Director with The Challenge Business – the organisation behind the Global Challenge round the world yacht race. During this time he developed an active sponsor community of more than 100 companies.


Paul has been involved in sail training since his first voyage as a trainee in the early 1980’s. He has taken part in a number of Tall Ships Races, both as a trainee and in more recent years as a skipper with a UK sail training charity.


Contact Paul Thompson – paul.thompson@sailtraininginternational.org

Sally Titmus MCIPR

Communications and Marketing Manager

Sally holds a masters degree in the environment and is an Accredited Practitioner with the Chartered Institute of Public Relation.  She has an award winning marketing and communications background that spans sport, youth development, community development, charity and the public sector.

A keen scuba diver, Sally traditionally spent more time under the sea than sailing on it, but since joining Sail Training International in 2012 she has become actively involved in sail training, taking part in many Tall Ship Races and Regattas and other sailing events. 

Contact Sally Titmus– sally.titmus@sailtraininginternational.org 


Aleksandra Wisniewska
Commercial Assistant 

Aleksandra joined Sail Training International in September 2013.  Originally from Poland, Aleksandra has good experience in sailing events. Since 2009 she was in charge of volunteers for Sail Szczecin and responsible for good relations with captains and crews. In 2010 she started managing Szczecin’s sailing team for TSR. Just before joining the Mumby Road team she was a deputy director of TSR 2013 final’s press office in Szczecin. Aleksandra holds master’s degree in politics. In addition to Polish and English she speaks also Italian.  

Mike Bowles MBE CNI
Race Director
Mike served in the Royal Navy and then the British Army where he specialised in Port and Maritime Operations. He retired in the rank of Colonel following which he worked as a consultant in management and security in the marine field in the UK, USA and South America. An experienced dinghy sailor and an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, he is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and a Companion of the Nautical Institute.

Contact Mike Bowles – mike.bowles@sailtraininginternational.org

Janet Gauntlett
Race Assistant and Administration
Janet joined Sail Training International in December 2002 when STI acquired the assets of ISTA. Previously she was Secretary to the Race Director from 1983.

Contact Janet Gauntlett – janet.gauntlett@sailtraininginternational.org

Tony George
Finance Manager
Tony joins us after a successful 30 year career working in the finance area. Most recently he worked at QinetiQ from 1994 -2006 in various finance and operational management roles. Prior to this he spent 10 years at sea in the British Royal Navy as a seaman officer.

Contact Tony George – tony.george@sailtraininginternational.org

Amanda Goodden
Race Directorate Administrator

Amanda joins Sail Training International  having worked for the Sail Training Association from 1999 to 2007.  Initially she was the Secretary to the Fundraising Director, and on the successful conclusion of the appeal to build the two brigs (Stavros S Niarchos and Prince William) she then acted as Membership Secretary and Fundraising Assistant to the charity.  Amanda sailed on the 1982 Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race from Falmouth to Lisbon.

Contact Amanda Goodden - amanda.goodden@sailtraininginternational.org

Françoise Pinget
Canada 150 Project Coordinator

Françoise first joined Sail Training International in 2006 to work as Race Directorate Administrator for 6 years. After a sabbatical year she has re-joined Sail Training International in her new role dedicated to the Transatlantic Tall Ships Regatta in 2017.

 

Contact Françoise Pinget - francoise@sailtraininginternational.org

Alison Grace
Finance Assistant
Alison Grace was appointed Accounts Manager in August 2008 having previously worked as Office Manager for PR agency, Carswell Gould. Previously, Alison has worked for MEP UK Ltd as an Office Manager and Alldays Stores Ltd as a Management Accountant.

Contact Alison Grace – Alison.grace@sailtraininginternational.org

Peter Newell
Race Director
Before joining Sail Training International, he was Race Director for ISTA. Prior to that he was with the British Army where he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Contact Peter Newell – peter.newell@sailtraininginternational.org


Esther Tibbs
Race Assistant
Esther was employed by the Sail Training Association from 1981 until 2002, her final position being Marketing Services Manager, Public Relations Officer and Editor of STA News.  She has been a regular Tall Ships sailor, principally on the Schooners Sir Winston Churchill and Malcolm Miller.  She was also an occasional volunteer in the mobile Race Office for the mid-1980s.  Esther joined the staff of Sail Training International in 2009.