The Board

Eden Project Limited is managed by a Board of Executive and Non-Executive Directors who remain ultimately responsible to the Eden Trust, a UK Registered Charity (number 1093070).

Executive Directors

Tim Smit, Chief Executive (and co-founder) of the Eden Project

Tim Smit was born in Holland on 25 September 1954. He read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University. Tim worked for ten years in the music industry as composer/producer in both rock music and opera. In 1987 Tim moved to Cornwall he and John Nelson together ‘discovered’ and then restored the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Tim remains a Director of the gardens to the present day. Tim is Chief Executive and co-founder of the Award winning Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall. Eden began as a dream in 1995 and opened its doors to the public in 2000, since when around 11 million people have come to see what was once a sterile pit turned into a cradle of life containing world-class horticulture and startling architecture symbolic of human endeavour. Eden has contributed over £900 million into the Cornish Economy. Eden is proud of its success in changing people’s perception of the potential for and the application of science, by communicating and interpreting scientific concepts through the use of art, drama and storytelling as well as living up to its mission to take a pivotal role in local regeneration. It demonstrates once and for all that sustainability is not about sandals and nut cutlets, it is about good business practice and the citizenship values of the future. Tim is a Trustee, Patron and Board Member of a number of statutory and voluntary bodies both locally and nationally. He has received a variety of national awards including The Royal Society of Arts Albert Medal. In 2002 he was awarded an Honorary CBE in the New Years Honours List and he has received Honorary Doctorates and Fellowships from a number of Universities. Tim was voted ‘Great Briton of 2007’ in the Environment category of the Morgan Stanley Great Britons Awards. Tim has taken part in a quantity of television and radio programmes and has been the subject of ‘This is Your Life’ and a guest on ‘Desert Island Discs’. He is a regular speaker at conferences, dinners and other events. Tim is the author of books about both Heligan and Eden and he has contributed to publications on a wide variety of subjects. He lives in Fowey, Cornwall and in his free time he enjoys reading, film, music and art.

Gaynor Coley, Managing Director

Gaynor joined the Eden Project as Finance Director in 1997, having been Director of Corporate Finance at the University of Plymouth. She describes the move as like 'stepping from an oil tanker on to a small, fast-moving speedboat with little petrol'. Her first job at the Project was to make it financially and commercially secure and she led the development and delivery of the £86m public and private sector funding package that allowed the Project to be delivered on time and on budget. This provided a template that has been used by many other projects throughout the UK. Her Finance Team was recognised as the Accountancy Age team of the year in 2001. In May 2001 she became the Eden Project Managing Director and steered the team through their first full season and a record-breaking 1.8m visitors. She then oversaw the process that has brought the current phase of the project to fruition. Gaynor grew up in Wales, graduated in Economics from University College London in 1979, and has a postgraduate certificate in Education from London’s Institute of Education. She trained in the City of London with Touche Ross, moving to Cornwall in 1987 with KPMG. She moved into the food industry with her first Financial Directorship in 1990. Her role model in life is Mary Poppins: ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to snap your fingers and have all the chores done.'

Tony Kendle, Foundation Director

Tony was part of the Development Team from 1996 but joined Eden full time in September 2000 and was appointed Foundation Director in October 2001. As Foundation Director his responsibilities include strategic development of the meaning of the project, overseeing the education programme (schools and public), science outreach and horticulture. Prior to joining Eden he was a staff member at the University of Reading School of Plant Sciences. He has worked as a researcher and consultant both in the UK and overseas specialising in nature conservation, horticulture and restoration of degraded lands.

Peter Cox, Finance Director

Peter Cox joined the Eden Project in June 2002 and was appointed to the Board as Finance Director and Company Secretary in November 2002. As part of his role, Peter also has responsibility for fundraising and IT. Prior to joining Eden he was a partner at Ernst & Young in London where he specialised in corporate finance and restructuring.

Non-executive Directors

Richard Eyre (Chairman)

Richard Eyre was appointed to the Board in February 2003. His career spans over 30 years in media and advertising. He has been CEO of ITV and Capital Radio plc. He was also Chairman and Chief Executive of Pearson Television and an executive director of RTL, the largest broadcasting company in Europe. He now has several advisory and Non-Executive roleOs, mainly in media and communications.

Julie Hill

Julie joined the Board in November 2004. She is a former Director of, and currently an Associate of, Green Alliance, one of the UK’s leading environmental policy organisations. Her areas of expertise are biotechnology, waste and resources, and sustainable buildings. She has held a number of government advisory posts, including five years as Deputy Chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission and recently a member of the Commission on Environmental Markets and Economic Performance.

Cullum Mc Alpine

Cullum was appointed to the Board in February 1998 and is a Director of Sir Robert McAlpine Limited. He is Chairman of R.E.S. Ltd, a renewable energy company, and a member of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, London and the Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol.

Geoffrey Wilkinson

Geoffrey Wilkinson was chief executive of the South West Regional Development Agency for five years until her retired in April 2006. Before this he was managing director of the Laird Group plc, a UK based international manufacturing company. He served in this role from 1994 to 2001. Geoffrey previously worked for a number of organisations including the British Steel Corporation and Dillon Read Ltd. He was a non-executive director on the Court of the Bank of England between 2005 and 2009, and has been a non-executive director of the South West Strategic Health Authority since September 2006. He is also a member of the England Committee of the Big Lottery Fund.