National Trustee Week – Meet The Kings Theatre Trust

November 8, 2024

National Trustee Week - Meet The Kings Theatre Trust

As Trustee week comes to an end we wanted to thank all the Trustees at the Kings Theatre Portsmouth, who invest so much of their time to enable the charitable Trust to “Enrich, Engage and Entertain” the Portsmouth community.

Damon Repton - Chair

Damon is currently the Chief Delivery Officer at Annata, a global company providing IT and systems solutions for the automotive, trucks & buses, and equipment industries. Before merging the Annata group, Damon was the owner and director of IRBL, providing systems solutions for SME and global firms. He has a long history with the Kings dating back to 2002 when he joined the Front of House team working behind the bar, moving to Front of House Manager and then House Manager, before embarking on his IT business career. Damon became a Trustee and is now the Chair. Damon also volunteers as lifeboat operations manager at Hayling Island Lifeboat Station.

Marie Costa

Marie arrived in England in 1957, joined the NHS, qualifying as a nurse and midwife. She obtained an Honours degree in History at Portsmouth Polytechnic followed by a PGCE, taught History and Sociology until 1994, alongside being a businesswoman for 20 years. Her community activities focus on reducing racism and fostering equality for all irrespective of background. Marie has been a key member and chaired some community groups including Portsmouth Local Strategic Partnership, Portsmouth Race Equality Network Organisation, Diversity in Media South, Africappella choir, Portsmouth Multicultural group, African Women’s Forum, and the FGM Steering Group. Marie has also been a Board member of the University of Portsmouth. Marie became a Trustee in 2023.

David Gant

David trained in the Dockyard, with an electrical background on Conventional and Nuclear Submarine refits in both Portsmouth and Plymouth Naval Bases. He retired in 2012 after 12 years in Facility Management and Health and Safety, enhancing his Business and Project Management skills. David has lived within a stone’s throw of the Kings Theatre and been an active supporter nearly all his life . He became a Trustee in 2013, visits the theatre most days and provides support wherever it is needed. David’s sole aim is to meaningfully contribute to the continuing and long-term success of the Kings Theatre.

Ron Hasker

Ron emigrated to Australia at a young age and lived in the ‘outback’ before moving back to the UK and finished schooling in Portsmouth. He worked in retail for forty years, and is a qualified and certified bookkeeper. Ron became a Trustee of the Kings in 2001, Chair in 2003 and Vice Chair in 2016, navigating some very challenging times for the theatre. Ron is a keen historian and loves imparting his knowledge of the Kings, including the provision of regular tours of the theatre.

Hugh Mason

Hugh grew up in South-East London, and was educated at Cambridge (MA) and Swansea (PhD). A university lecturer, Hugh spent most of his career in Portsmouth and has held visiting posts in the US, Canada and the Middle East. Brought up in politics, Hugh was a national trade union officer and has served as a City Councillor for Portsmouth City Council, who he represents on the Board, since 2004. Hugh and his wife Dinah also own a radio station, a guest house and a small farm in Uganda.

Gareth Morgan

Gareth spent the first part of his career working on medical research within the academic environment. He then spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry in major global multi-national organisations. Gareth has held many senior roles operating at Board level, he has mentored many small company start-ups and has been very active within Portsmouth University Business School as Chair of their Advisory Board. He is currently a Trustee of the Solent Academy Trust which is a group of schools catering for children with special needs. Gareth became a Trustee in 2016.

Rob Peck

Rob has extensive experience as a Marketing and Customer Experience Manager in large corporate businesses. Recently, he established a thriving retail business catering to aquarists locally and beyond. With a lifelong connection to the theatre, Rob is passionate about contributing to the theatre’s regeneration program, aiming to create a new space that will serve the local community for generations to come. Rob became a Trustee in 2016.

Jane Prescott

Jane was a Headmistress of a local independent school for thirteen years, retiring in 2024. During many years in education she championed educating the whole person and developing in children an intellectual curiosity that inspires a lifelong love of learning. As a classroom teacher of geography, she was committed to encouraging children to become analytical thinkers and to face their own challenges. Jane has been an independent school inspector for many years, a qualified coach and mentor and a governor of three independent schools. Jane became a Trustee in 2018.

Graeme Quar

Graeme has spent 40 years in industry supporting and advising businesses. In 1994 he established a boutique law firm specialising in business and following its acquisition in 2016 by Biscoes, moved to lead the Commercial Law team for this firm until 2022. Graeme has established a business consultancy Grazing with Gazelles advising and mentoring mid-market businesses on growth and scale up and has been an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Portsmouth since 2018. Holding a number of Executive roles Graeme joined the theatre in a Non-Executive role in 2023 and became a Trustee in 2024.

Paul Woolf

Paul has been in the entertainment business for over 50 years. Qualifying as a lawyer in 1973 he specialised in media and entertainment being a senior partner/lawyer at three leading London firms. He also produced West End and regional theatre and co-owned Air Studios, selling this in 2018. Paul joined the Trust in 2016, and like many fell in love with the theatre immediately and wanted to make a difference. He assumed the CEO role in a voluntary capacity in 2019 and set about rebuilding the business and creating a financially stable pathway. During his tenure as CEO the game changer for the Theatre was the decision for The Kings to produce its own pantomimes and community shows. Paul is now Chair of the 1907 Elevation project which includes the redevelopment of the shops on Albert Road.