Stuart Wallace
Chair of the Board
Stuart Wallace is the Chief Executive Officer and on the board of Forth Ports Limited. Stuart leads the group’s ports in both Scotland and Tilbury.
Stuart has been with Forth Ports since 2002 in various roles and was the Chief Operating Officer until 2024 when he took over the CEO role.
Eddie Scoggins
Vice Chair
Eddie was the Head of Safety Hutchison Ports UK and now works an an independent advisor . He is an experienced Head of Health, Safety and Environment with a demonstrated history of leading health and safety in a large multinational organisation with a diverse workforce. He has a strong operational background and skilled in ISO45001, health and safety law, CDM, safety culture and leadership , health and safety in the maritime and heavy engineering sectors, and Emergency Management.
With a wide experience of health and safety management in many sectors including public services, construction, agriculture, engineering and manufacturing, leisure and healthcare and a track record in leading and managing change, Eddie was an ideal candidate as Vice Chair of the PSS Board.
Martin Lawlor
Port of Blyth
Martin is a council member of the British Ports Association, having served as Chair between 2018 and 2021, a board director of Port Skills and Safety, Chair of regional flagship skills and education initiative, Energy Central Campus, and has held positions on a number of regional economic and strategic boards.
Having overseen the Port of Blyth’s significant growth over recent years into one of the UK’s largest Trust Ports, and contributed to the wider sector nationally, Martin was awarded an OBE for services to the Ports, Maritime and Offshore Energy Industry in 2024.
Martin was appointed Chief Executive and a Commissioner in 2006.
Ashley Nicholson
Port of Tyne
Ashley Nicholson MBE is Chief Business Officer at the Port of Tyne, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping corporate strategy and building strategic partnerships. In addition to leading the port’s commercial, marine, safety, and environmental operations, Ashley spearheads the decarbonisation of the port’s vessel fleet, driving innovation in response to the global transition to sustainable fuels.
Ashley joined the Port of Tyne after more than a decade at Forth Ports, where she advanced through a range of operational roles—from VTS Operator to Senior Harbour Master—developing deep expertise in complex marine environments.
She served as President of the United Kingdom Harbour Masters’ Association, representing over 500 UK Harbour Masters and marine professionals, and was the first woman to hold this position in the Association’s history. In this role, Ashley acted as a key industry consultee to UK government and regulatory bodies on maritime safety and policy.
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the maritime sector, Ashley has been widely recognised for her efforts to encourage more women into maritime careers and leadership roles. In recognition of her services to the industry, she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours.
Angela Jeffrey
Treasurer, Port of London Authority
Angela is in Chief Accountant at the Port of London Authority, she joined the PSS Board as Treasurer in 2023.
Helen Kelly
Nautilus International
Helen Kelly is Director of Communications, Campaigns and Digital at Nautilus International. Helen drives communications, campaigns, and digital strategy that delivers key messages to members, stakeholders, and the wider industry to bring about real change, and ensure the voice of maritime and shipping professionals are heard by decision makers and the public.
A former journalist, Helen worked for Lloyd’s List for 15 years, rising to the role of European Editor in Chief. She previously wrote for a several national newspapers, and reported for National Public Radio in the US as a UK-based stringer.
Neal Armstrong
PD Ports
Neal is the Head of Risk and Resilience at PD Ports, leading a number of functions including HSEQ, business continuity, emergency planning and crisis management, operational risk, group security and harbour police, that underpin PD Ports organisational resilience across 12 geographic locations.
Joining PD Ports in 2019, Neal has led the transformation of his functional areas to enhance the resilience of his organisation through identification of risk, response to disruptive events and effective recovery.
Prior to his current role, Neal was a police officer with a career spanning 30 years, across 3 policing areas and with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary(HMIC). He has an MSc with Distinction in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management from Leicester University.
Mark Rushton
COMET
Mark is CEO at COMET, an organisation that brings together technology and expertise to isolate risks and address the systemic issues which trigger incidents and under performance. He has spent over 20 years developing a forensic knowledge of the root causes that trigger failure of all types, and more importantly what it takes to build solutions that prevent recurrence and sustain better performance. Having worked worldwide his experience spans a number of industries including Oil & Gas, Construction, Ports & Marine and Utilities.
Mark graduated in Aberdeen in the late 1990’s and has retained a business and commercial interest since, having successfully led product developments, strategic partnerships, and acquisitions to support growth and innovation. He is passionate about collaboration, and in particular the role that technology can play in bringing industries closer and in making them better informed.
Mike Sellers
Portsmouth International Port
Mike is the Port Director at Portsmouth International Port. He has been leading the transformation of Portsmouth International Port since his appointment as Port Director in 2017. This has involved concentrating efforts in making sure the UK’s most successful municipal port plays a prominent role in positioning Portsmouth as the country’s leading marine and maritime city, and it is fast establishing itself as innovative and sustainable industry pioneer.
With a wealth of experience with 30 years in the ports industry, Mike has previously worked at seven major UK ports. Roles include Port Manager at Grimsby and Immingham the largest port complex in the UK, where he oversaw the movement of 54 million tonnes of cargo each year. Mike was heavily involved in the development of the Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal, the world’s largest biomass handling facility and has also held senior roles at a number of ports in East Anglia and Humberside.
