Leadership

Peter Barnes has been Chairman of the British-German Association since 2018, and is responsible for the overall leadership of the BGA.

Peter worked in HM Treasury, at Boston Consulting Group and for The Economist, before founding his own public affairs consultancy, which he wound up in order to focus his energies on the BGA.

Peter was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford (First Class BA Hons, PPE) and at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA).

As an undergraduate, Peter was encouraged by his Politics tutor to spend his two Summer holiday in Germany. This was the start of his continuing fascination with Germany.

Duncan Johnston has been Honorary Treasurer of the British-German Association since 2021, and is responsible for the finances of the charity and for fundraising..

Duncan was a partner at Deloitte for 20 years until his retirement in May 2022. He focussed on M&A transactions in the industrial and services sectors

Duncan studied German and Philosophy at the University of St Andrews, starting his interest in German and the German language.

While at Deloitte, he worked extensively in Germany and for a five year period lived and worked in Duesseldorf.  It was this period which sparked his desire to work on strengthening the civil society links between the UK and Germany.

Sybille is the Honorary Secretary of the British German Association.

Sybille is from Germany but came to the UK with a scholarship from the DAAD and British Council a long time ago and stayed in the UK. She is a dual qualified solicitor and Rechtsanwältin in England/Wales and Germany and a Partner in the Employment and Immigration team of Irwin Mitchell LLP. Sybille is also the Chairman of the British German Jurists’ Association.

Andrew Gilchrist has been a Trustee of the British-German Association since 2020 with a particular interest in military and business issues.

Andrew served in the British Army, spending several years in Germany with BAOR, and subsequently was with The Boston Consulting Group, The Financial Times, and Egon Zehnder. Andrew has now qualified as a full time Executive Coach.

Andrew was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge (MA, Cantab) and the Harvard Business School (MBA).

With a German mother, Andrew has always been drawn to Germany and it remains a primary focus of his personal and business interests.

Annika has joined the BGA in July 2024 as the new Schools Trustee. She will be working alongside Paul Stocker, the current Schools Trustee, until he is retiring from his role in 2025 after 10 years of service.

For the past 14 years, Annika has led a highly successful German department, and her commitment to excellence was recognised with the German Teacher Award in 2011.

She has built strong partnerships with organisations such as the Goethe Institut and the Oxford German Network and has actively promoted German language and culture.

Her extensive experience in classroom teaching, departmental leadership, and community outreach will enable her to make a meaningful contribution to the BGA Schools team.

Elisabeth Mainelli has joined our Board, with specific responsibility for the Patrons’ Circle. Until last November, Elisabeth was Lady Mayoress of London. Before that, she shas worked in different sectors including property, charity, the diamond trade and looked after a Thames Sailing Barge for over 20 years.

Tara Talwar Windsor joined the BGA in July 2025 with a particular remit for universities, as well as equality, diversity and inclusivity in BGA activities and membership.

Tara is Research Associate in German Studies at the University of Cambridge and holds a BA, MPhil and PhD from the University of Birmingham. She has also held academic positions in Birmingham, Liverpool, Dublin and Wuppertal.

Tara has both professional and personal connections with Germany. She has spent several years studying and working in Germany and had a German grandmother who fled Hamburg with her family shortly before the Second World War. Tara has dedicated her career to research and teaching German culture, literature, politics, history and language and is passionate about strengthening the uptake of German in schools and higher education.

Miriam Thiede has been on the board of the BGA since 2018 with particular responsibility for BGA members under the age of 35.

She has worked at Magdalen College, Oxford, the Royal College of Music and is now the Senior Development Manager at The Courtauld Institute of Art.

Miriam was educated at schools in both Germany and England and went on to read Theology at Worcester College, Oxford.

She holds dual nationality and strongly believes in fostering activities relating to strengthening ties between the UK and Germany. 

Born and raised in Munich, Nick moved to the UK in 2019, where he completed his International Baccalaureate at Ardingly College in West Sussex. Currently, he is pursuing a BSc in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Since 2023, Nick has served as the President of the LSE German Society, where he has been instrumental in organizing the renowned annual German Symposium. His leadership has fostered a vibrant community of German students and professionals, enhancing the Society’s role as a key platform for cultural and academic exchange.

With his extensive experience as a German student in the UK, Nick is eager to contribute to the British-German Association. He is passionate about fostering stronger ties between Germany and the UK and is committed to using his background and skills to support the Association’s mission.