Meet the Board

Ted Webster

Ted has been actively involved in commercial real estate investment consultancy for over 35 years, initially in the Richard Ellis (now CBRE) investment department in 1975, going on to run the firm’s Scottish office for over 25 years and eventually, from London, serving on the group’s UK and European Boards.

Since leaving Richard Ellis, Ted has chaired and served as executive and non-executive director in companies in UK and Ireland.

In Scotland he sat on the Court of Glasgow University and was a governor of Glasgow School of Art.

His affiliation with Queen Mary dates back nearly ten years and includes sitting on the Finance and Estates Committees, Chair of Queen Mary Innovations Ltd, as well as chairing a variety of project boards in the past. He has been chair Queen Mary BioEnterprises Ltd since 2011.

Dr Sharon Ellis

Dr Sharon Ellis is the Chief Operating Officer at Queen Mary University of London. Prior to her current role she was the Director of Research & Innovation. In her time at Queen Mary she has played a key role in delivering the University’s strategic research and innovation ambitions.

Before entering higher education, Sharon built a wealth of previous senior leadership experience from her roles in several central Civil Service Departments (Environment, Transport, and Business). As a Director, she led a wide range of policy agendas both domestic and international, several public body reforms and a range of short-term postings in response to national emergencies, to lead in preparations for issues such as nationwide flood recovery.

Sharon is a Governor at Homerton University NHS Trust.  She is also a lead Reviewer for Public Body Reviews for the Cabinet Office and External Review for the Cabinet Office Infrastructure projects Authority.

Peter Thackwray OBE

Peter has a career of more than three decades supporting ‎the growth of smaller businesses, principally as a Board Director and MD of several businesses with the Newable Group. 

In addition to his non-executive directorship of QMB, he is ‎currently Chairman of Capital Enterprise, a grouping of universities, co-working spaces, accelerators and early-stage equity funds, collaborating to super-charge the start-up eco-system, particularly for tech businesses. 

He is also Chairman of Church House Westminster, a major, state-of-the-art, conference and events venue in a grade one, listed building ‎neighbouring the Houses of Parliament. 

Peter also advises the board of a leading apprenticeship provider. 

Peter was granted and OBE for services to small businesses and to international trade in 2009.