SIMON MELVIN, CHAIRMAN
Having always lived in Putney, Simon has spent his working life with the Melvin family business, setting up a partnership, some forty years ago, with his father, Doug, and brother, John. Whilst establishing working relationships with local residents and businesses, the firm has also been fortunate in securing a number of large contracts and projects in central London and the West End. More recently the partnership has invested in the local housing market and now manages and maintains a number of rental properties.
Simon has sat on LRC’s Committee on two previous occasions. During his second stint as a committee member Simon took on the position of House Steward – an appointment which coincided with an exciting and significant time for the Club. In the role, he was on hand to assist in the 2005/06 building project, which saw the formation of both the women’s changing room and the Ashton Room. He was also involved in the Club’s 150th anniversary celebrations of 2006 and was part of the sub-committee set up to organise the events held that summer. Simon holds fond memories of that year and recalls what a very special time it was for the Club.
During his lifelong association with London Rowing Club, Simon competed in The Thames Challenge Cup, The Ladies’ Plate, The Wyfold Challenge Cup and The Queen Mother Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. He also represented the club in GB colours at four World Championship regattas.
DEVIN WARD, Hon. Secretary
Devin is a Senior Editor at Springer Nature, which is one of the leading publishers of academic research in the world. Her own research career in anthropology extended from Rutgers University to Cambridge (Masters) and University of Toronto (PhD). Much of her studies and post-doctoral work have involved the analysis of skeletal remains.
Devin has served as a Vice-Captain of LRC in the last two years. Members will have noted her efficient organisation of boats during the Balcony Project earlier this year. She has also spent time creating space in the boathouse by revising racking arrangements. Devin has supported the training programmes of Squad and Masters crews and is a volunteer coach.
Devin learnt to row at Cambridge and continued at University of Toronto. At LRC she has been a member of the Women’s Squad. Now rowing as a Master, she is sometimes called upon to jump into a Squad boat if a substitute is required.
LYNTON RICHMOND, Hon. Treasurer
Lynton has recently retired after spending his career of 39 years at KPMG where he was an audit partner.
Lynton joined LRC while a student at Oxford in 1982. He rowed in the Squad following university, continuing into the mid-1990s and was Captain in 1994/95. In 2019 Lynton took on the role of chair of the Finance Sub-Committee.
Lynton rowed at St. Edward's School and Oxford University, where he was the winning President in 1985. In 1986, he represented GB in the Lightweight eight at the World Rowing Championships. Lynton is a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee of the Regatta. He has served as a director of The Boat Race Company and remains on the committee of the OUBC, having previously served as Treasurer.
Saskia Gill, Membership Director
Saskia works in financial services and technology and joined London Rowing Club in 2021 as part of the Women’s Squad and then moved into the Masters Squad in 2023. Saskia began her rowing career as a Junior and restarted it at the University of Surrey. When she moved to London she rowed at Vesta and briefly at Thames before joining LRC. As a member of the Squad, Saskia reached the semi-finals at HWR, qualified for HRR, and won a few head races and regattas.
She started working as the LRC Membership Secretary in 2023 and took over the Women’s Masters group leadership in 2024. She is now the Membership Director as well and is looking after how the club can support its members.
TIM LEPPARD, Hon. House Steward (PROPERTY)
Tim qualified as a Chartered Surveyor after gaining a BSc (Hons) in Estate Management from South Bank Polytechnic. Since qualifying Tim has advised clients and investors on the sustainable asset management of Central London property for over 30 years. He has been responsible for everything from the day-to-day management of portfolios to whole building refurbishments.
Tim manages a never-ending schedule of inspections and remedial works to our clubhouse, a beautiful but vulnerable building where some parts are over 150 years old. Before becoming House Steward (Property) he was an active member of the Property Sub-Committee.
Tim started rowing at Hampton School, moving to Molesey Boat Club, then University of London Boat Club before joining LRC in 1991 where he’s been a member ever since. Tim has raced in three Henley Royal Regatta semi-finals and represented GB in the 1984 Match des Seniors (predecessor to the U23 World Championships) in Copenhagen in the M8+ where he won the bronze medal.
Tim now rows regularly with the Masters group including winning at British Masters Rowing Championships in 2023.
EDOARDO MARSHALL, Captain
Edoardo is a Senior Associate at Heidrick & Struggles, which provides executive search, corporate culture and leadership consulting services to 70% of the world's largest companies.
Edoardo joined LRC in 2022 after graduating from Reading University, where he was Men’s Captain of the boat club in 2020-21. He is a former LRC Resi and was also the Men’s Squad Captain for two years from 2023.
Growing up in Maidenhead and rowing at Maidenhead RC, Edoardo achieved GB honours at J16 and twice in the J18 category. At RUBC he was a member of the winning quad at the European University Championships in 2019. At LRC Edoardo has been a key part of the club’s resurgence in recent years winning the Wyfold Challenge Cup in 2023 and 2025. This year he was a member of the club’s Ladies Plate crew.
