The Prime Minister has appointed Jeremy Bailey as Navy Trustee and Sir William Worsley as Estates Trustee for a term of four years from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2030.
The Secretary of State has appointed Samantha Washington as Media Trustee for a term of four years from 16 March 2026 to 15 March 2030.
Rear Admiral Jeremy Bailey
Jeremy was born in Portsmouth, educated at The Portsmouth Grammar School and joined the Royal Navy as a Marine Engineer in 1992. Having completed his Engineering Degree at the Royal Naval Engineering College, he deployed on Maritime Operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Middle East interspersed with further academic training and delivery roles. Since 2012 he has worked ashore in strategy, future technology and in programme leadership of complex engineering, infrastructure and asset management roles, including as Naval Base Commander, Commandant of the Defence College of Technical Training and as Director of Submarine Support. A Chartered Engineer, he served as Deputy Chief Naval Engineer and is an alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies. He left the Royal Navy as a Rear Admiral in 2025 and has subsequently split his time between consultancy in digital transformation and infrastructure delivery plus a wide range of volunteer roles.
Sir William Worsley
William Worsley is Chair of the Forestry Commission. He is also Chair of the Hovingham
Partnership and a member of Court of the Merchant Taylors’ Company and until recently Chair of their Property Committee. He is also a member of the Chapter of York Minster. He was the Government’s Tree Champion from 2028-2020 and was Chair of the National Forest Company from 2016-2020. He is a former President of the Country Land and Business Association.
He is a former Chairman of the Scarborough Building Society and a former director of the Skipton Building Society, The Brunner Investment Trust plc and the Private Banking Board of Merchant Bank Guinness Mahon. He is also the former Honorary Colonel of the Yorkshire Squadron of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a Professional member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters and a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire.
Samantha Washington
Samantha Washington has been a Presenter at Sky News since 2011, covering a range
of stories from the Eurozone Crisis, to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to the death of
Prince Philip.
Samantha presents Sky News Today, conducting exclusive interviews such as that with the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and anchoring big breaking stories; including
announcing the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prior to working at Sky, Samantha was a business presenter at BBC Breakfast and BBC News, and hosted Your Money, BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live.
Before becoming a journalist, Samantha worked in the City as a management consultant for Oliver Wyman and latterly at the Investment Bank, Barclays Capital. She has an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from Oxford University and was recently awarded an MSc from the renowned Oxford University Internet Institute, where she
specialised in the intersection between digital technology/AI and the culture sector, specifically museums and news journalism. Her thesis explored cultural sovereignty and
contested heritage in the age of AI and digitisation. She founded a Housing First scheme for female prison leavers and has volunteered for Pets as Therapy with her Bernese Mountain dog.
Remuneration and Governance Code
These roles are not remunerated. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.
Jeremy Bailey, Sir William Worsley and Samantha Washington have not declared any such activity.
Notes to Editors
DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.