ALASTAIR Floyd has been appointed as the new chief executive of Tall Ships Youth Trust — the UK’s oldest and largest youth development sail training charity. He joins the Portsmouth-based organisation on Monday, October 18. 

Alastair has a wealth of senior leadership experience within the charity and commercial sectors, including director of engagement and development at the National Museum of New Zealand and group director of international business at the New Zealand Post.  

Most recently, Alastair has led significant growth in philanthropy, corporate partnerships and visitor experience at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, supporting children and adults with sight loss.  

During his tenure, Alastair helped grow new funding streams and awareness for the charity. This included leading the capital appeal that has raised more than £5m to date, to create regional centres of the future for the sight loss community across the UK. 

Previously, Alastair served in the military for both the RAF and Royal Marines with a distinguished career that included an active role in the UK’s counter terrorism security teams and several operational deployments, including Afghanistan. Alastair lives on the coast and his son, Archie, has just successfully completed his A-levels, with his daughter, Kesia, taking her exams in 2022. 

Alastair will replace Richard Leaman-Grey who left in August 2021 to pursue new commercial and charitable activities. 

Chair of Tall Ships Youth Trust, David Aisher, said: “On behalf of all the trustees, staff and volunteers, we are very much looking forward to working with Alastair to further increase the work that the Trust does in helping young people reach their full potential in life.”  

Alastair joins the organisation at a pivotal time, taking the helm after Tall Ships Youth Trust has successfully come through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. For more than 12 months, the Trust was unable to carry out a residential sailing voyage programme due to government restrictions. However, since June 2021, when restrictions were lifted, the charity has resumed youth-based residential voyages and is able to fulfil its charitable mission.