Sail Training International names new chairman

Sail Training International (STI), a global charity focused on providing experiential learning through sail training for young people aged 15 to 25, has announced the appointment of James George as its new chairman.

Elected by the charity’s international members at the annual conference in La Coruña, George will officially begin his role in January 2025. He succeeds Jonathan Cheshire, who has served as chairman since 2018.

In his position, George will work alongside the board of trustees, the Tall Ships Races International Ltd board, and the charity’s staff to ensure STI continues to align its operations with its mission of delivering experiential learning and promoting cross-cultural understanding through sail training.

Tall Ships Races returns to the UK 29 June 2023

Sail training for youngsters

Speaking of his appointment, James George says: “I am truly honoured to have been selected as chairman of trustees and I am very much looking forward to getting to know everyone within this magnificent organisation. I recognise the amazing work that STI does as a global charity; delivering sail training experiences to our leaders of tomorrow and our youths of today and look forward to supporting this charity in meeting their objectives and making a positive difference to so many young people around the world. Having spent plenty of time at sea, during my career in the Royal Navy, I understand the challenges of being in such a harsh environment and the undeniable effects that it can have on an individual, as well as its impact on working within a team. I am delighted to take up this role and be part of this remarkable international team to drive its future success.”

Throughout his career in the Royal Navy and then working at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Pyxera Global, George has worked with many different international stakeholder groups including not-for-profits, community leaders, startups, governments and multinational corporations, across various industries.

Alan James, CEO of Sail Training International, comments: “James is joining us at an exciting time as we look ahead to the future, having now fully recovered our financial reserves to pre-covid levels. This provides a stable platform for the organisation to meet and deliver on its charitable objectives. The decision to appoint a chairman from outside of the sail training industry, combined with his wealth of experience I’m sure, will prove very beneficial to Sail Training Internationals future growth and I very much looking forward to working with him.”