The Board of Commissioners

Chair

Lee Hardy OBE

Lee Hardy was born in Poole and has been based in the area all his life.

He brings a broad perspective and wide-ranging experience gained during a long, operationally focused, career in the Royal Navy.  Latterly he led a UK Overseas Territory, served as a marine and maritime adviser within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is now closely engaged in the Blue Economy leading projects designed to counter illegality at sea, particularly in relation to fishing or that which is harmful to the oceans.

He is an advocate for technological innovation in the maritime domain, alongside a focus on all aspects of safety.  He is a strong supporter of a responsible approach to environmental matters, balanced against commercial realities and the strategic picture.

Vice-Chair

Martin Pate

Martin Pate is a Solicitor and Managing Director of MJP Law, a solicitors’ practice based in Dorset.  Martin started his career with the London Metropolitan Police and then the Department of Transport and Environment in London, working for a number of departments and agencies.  Martin is a keen sailor qualified to RYA Offshore Yacht Master and former Commodore of East Dorset Sailing Club in Poole.  Martin is also a Trustee of the Friends of Victoria Hospital Wimborne, a Trustee of the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne, and Honorary Solicitor to the New Forest Commoners Association.

Chief Executive

Captain Brian Murphy

Captain Brian Murphy has been in the marine industry for the past 44 years. A Master Mariner, attaining command of a large container vessel on a worldwide trade. His career path diverted closer to home serving 2 years at Condor Ferries before joining Poole Pilots Partnership. He remained there as a Class 1 Pilot for 4 years before joining Poole Harbour Commissioners in 2004, taking on the roles of Pilot, Pilotage Manager, Harbour Control Manager and Assistant Harbour Master. Brian was promoted to Harbour Master in 2008 and in 2018, he took on the additional role of Marine & Port Director, leading both Port Operations and Harbour Master teams.

On 1st July 2023 Brian was appointed CEO of Poole Harbour Commissioners and retains statutory role of Harbour Master until 1st September 2023.

Brian is a Council Member of the British Ports Association, formerly the Vice President of the UK Harbour Masters Association, Younger Brethren of Trinity House and Fellow of the Nautical Institute.

Commissioner

Alicia Andrews

Alicia Andrews has extensive experience operating in leadership roles in a commercial, marketing, or customer experience context.  She has worked in the media, digital, passenger ferries and rail sectors. Recently retired from full time work she was a member of the executive teams at Southeastern Railway as Commercial Director where she was accountable for retail, revenue, digital services, marketing, customer experience and insight and at Arriva Rail London where she transformed the infrastructure and facilities functions delivering significant improvements in SQR performance and led the team that successfully introduced the new class 710 trains to the Overground.

She was Commercial Director at Condor Ferries, and she led launch of new ships, the digitalisation of ticket sales and marketing activities.

Earlier in her career, Alicia spent eight years working at Yell Group as part of the senior management team for Yell.com. During this time, she was accountable for the Yell.com site.

In 1995 she was a founder member of the team which created FT.com.

She is graduate in History from the University of London and is a Chartered Director of the IoD.

Commissioner

Steve Wisdom

Steve is a Chartered Accountant with over 35 years’ experience gained across a number of senior finance roles. After qualifying with an audit firm, Steve spent thirteen years in financial services, ten of which were with Portman Building Society as Head of Group Finance, before accepting senior commercial finance roles in the property and business consultancy sectors. Steve joined PHC as Chief Financial Officer in 2015 and spends much of his free time on Poole’s beaches with Branksome Chine Surf Lifesaving Club where he is a volunteer beach lifeguard, delivers lifeguard training and coaches the sport aspects of surf lifesaving, in which he competes as a master at national level.

Commissioner

Dr Alice Hall

Dr Alice Hall is a marine biologist who works for Plymouth University and runs her own marine ecological consultancy. She is involved in various international research projects associated with Poole Harbour, including the cross-channel fish tracking project FISH INTEL. Her main areas of expertise are fish tracking, ecological engineering & biological monitoring. She has been involved in some of the largest intertidal ecological engineering projects in the UK to date- winning the ICE South West Innovation Award in 2025 and the CIRIA Big Biodiversity Innovation award in 2019. Alice has been conducting research and consultancy work in the Harbour for the past twelve years and is a qualified HSE Scuba Diver with her own personal fish tagging licence. She was previously the secretary for the Poole Harbour Study Group, which involved the organisation of several international conferences, and is currently the secretary for the Estuarine and Coastal Shelf Association (ECSA).

Commissioner

Paul Callaghan

Paul Callaghan has lived in Poole for almost 30 years and has extensive experience in commercial, sales and marketing and business operations both in the UK and overseas spanning over 45 years. Originally as a mainframe software engineer, he has worked for a number of tech and telecom organisations progressing through to Vice President level with companies such as Verizon and Sprint/Global One helping to drive sales and revenue whilst transforming business operations.

In recent years he owned and ran a local Joinery, designing, manufacturing, and installing bespoke high quality timber products in Dorset, Hants and London. Paul enjoys all the harbour, and its surrounds have to offer from walking, cycling, swimming, and boating.

Commissioner

Steven Young

Steven Young has spent over 45 years in the maritime industry. Initially at sea as a Master Mariner with P&O/Princess Cruises, he then spent twenty years in senior roles in the ports sector including Harbour Master Southampton and Executive General Manager and Harbour Master Sydney, Australia.

He then returned to the shipping sector and spent nine years with Carnival UK (P&O and Cunard) as Vice President, Port and Shore Operations, before retiring from full time employment.

In addition to Poole Harbour Commissioners, Steven is a Non-executive director for Solent Stevedores Ltd.

Steven has held an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate for 40 years and when not bare boat chartering, he likes to cruise his land yacht (motorhome) around Europe. He has a passion for all things Ports and Maritime.

Commissioner

Tom Russell

Tom Russell is from a family of Poole fishermen and has been on the harbour all of his life. He operates two commercial fishing boats from Poole and is the Chairman of the Poole and District Fisherman’s Association.

Commissioner

Richard Selby

Richard is the CEO of British Superyacht, the business membership organisation for the superyacht industry around the British Isles and also the Commercial Director and Head of Training for a global maritime aviation company, prior to which he was the Head of International Development at British Marine & Superyacht UK supporting the national marine and maritime industry in conjunction with UK and overseas governments.

Richard’s working life commenced with the Royal Navy before moving into aviation, defence and local authority fire and rescue and was a member of the marine incident response group dealing with incidents on large commercial vessels before moving on to run a busy full service boatyard and then into the superyacht industry. Richard continues to specialise in safety critical maritime subject matter.

He has enjoyed voluntary roles with the RNLI at Poole and Salcombe Lifeboat Stations and is also a First Responder with South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Commissioner

Rob Bridewell

As the son of a Poole Docker, Rob started his 39 year Dock career in 1986. For the past 21 years he has been a Foreman at the Port of Poole and has vast experience in the day to day running of the port operations.

As a training instructor of 24 years, Rob also spends his time training new Stevedores to become Competent Plant Drivers whilst understanding and adhering to strict health and safety requirements.

As a Commissioner he looks forward to representing our workforce, facilitating growth to the working Port and securing jobs for future generations whilst maintaining the preservation of the harbour.

Commissioner

Rt Hon Michael Tomlinson KC

Michael was elected to Parliament in three successive General Elections: 2015; 2017 and 2019, representing his home seat of Mid Dorset and North Poole.  After the 2024 General Election, he returned to private practice as a barrister in Bournemouth.

Michael served in the Cabinet as a Home Office Minister of State.  Previously, he served as HM Solicitor General and was one the Government’s chief legal advisers.

Called to the Bar in 2002, Michael practised as a barrister on the Western Circuit.  Since his return to Chambers, Michael has rejoined the commercial and the property teams.  He is an accredited mediator and qualified arbitrator. He sits on the Ethics and Integrity Commission, which reports to the Prime Minister on matters concerning ethical standards in public life.

Outside of work, Michael is interested in playing and watching a variety of sports.   When time permits, he still plays for Poole Hockey Club, and he enjoys swimming in the sea.