Richard Sermon, is Chairman of Gryphon Corporate Counsel Limited and a group of associated companies involved in marketing, public relations, corporate governance, international trade relations consultancy and executive search.  He was a founding director of Shandwick plc, successively managing and developing the UK and European businesses and subsequently, as Chief Executive of Shandwick International, handling international client activities.  He was additionally for five years Public Relations Adviser at Goldman Sachs International until forming Gryphon in 1996. 

He was appointed as a non-executive member of the Management Board of The Defence Academy in 2007. He has previously served as senior independent director of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc and as a non-executive director both of Newmond plc and of The Defence Storage and Distribution Agency. 

He is currently Chairman of London Youth and of the Home Improvement Trust. He is Joint Honorary Secretary of The City & Guilds of London Institute and was elected as an Honorary Fellow in 2002. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators he is also Master of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators for 2006/7.