Our Trustees

Jeremy King, Chair and Mediator Lead

Jeremy has worked in Financial Services for over 40 years. He became an accredited mediator for commercial disputes in 2000 and expanded into community mediation with AMS in 2020, becoming a Trustee in 2024.

Chad Whitton, Deputy Chair and Treasurer

Chad retired from full-time work in 2017 following a career in public service finance, much of it in North East London NHS. Since stepping down as Chief Finance Officer for Newham CCG in 2017 he has since undertaken both interim Chief Officer and Non-Executive Board roles in primary care organisations and remains actively engaged with healthcare. Chad joined AMS in November 2023 and took on the role of Honorary Treasurer in January 2024.

Rob Birley, Trustee for Operational Strategy

A business leader with over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services, Rob has a proven track record in Risk Management, Leadership and Cultural Transformation having held senior leadership roles within a number of top tier financial institutions.

More recently Rob has become involved with Ashford Mediation Services and has been impressed with the passion and energy the team bring to supporting Ashford and its communities resolve their disputes – so much so that he is delighted to be joining the team, becoming a Mediator and Joining the Board of Trustees where he will also lead on Organisational Strategy.

Rob is married to Saira with 3 children, Max, Zak and Noah and the family have lived in and around Ashford for the last 15 years.

Cliff Grieve, Lead for Youth and Safeguarding

Cliff spent 31 years in the police service retiring in 1999 in the rank of Detective Superintendent. For almost 60 years he has been active in working in a voluntary capacity with vulnerable and challenging young people and for over 20 years has been a modern slavery activist. Cliff is a trustee, youth and safeguarding lead, and experienced mediator with Ashford Mediation Service, with his training being accredited by the Law Society and Bar Council.

Cliff would summarise his mission in life as being a passionate commitment to justice and the protection of children and young people, and to those entrapped in, and survivors of, modern slavery.

Zopash Khan, Business Lead

Barrister Zopash Khan is a dispute resolution specialist with a focus on mediation. He is Co-Chair of The Society of Mediators’ Pakistan Chapter and Founding President of HTS. An Accredited Mediator (MSoM) and Partner at Pasha’s Associates & Consultants – AAQLLP, Zopash is a member of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

Co-Chair – The Society of Mediators – Pakistan Chapter – IDI
Accredited Mediator – MSoM
Partner – Pasha’s Associates & Consultants – AAQ-LLP
Founding President – HTS
Member – Queen’s Commonwealth Trust

Contact: zopash@ashfordmediation.co.uk

Ross Moore, Analytics Lead

Ross is an analytics expert who has worked across Asia and in the UK, primarily in the financial services sector. He has recently moved back to the area and lives just outside Ashford with his family.

Akvile Willmore, Mediator Lead

Akvile is a marketing and communications professional with a background in law. She has always had a strong personal and professional interest in how people communicate and resolve issues. Although she was introduced to mediation as part of her university education, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that she actively got involved in community mediation and joined the service. Seeking ways to give back to the community, she found mediation to be both meaningful and highly rewarding.