Anthony St John

Anthony St John’s Biography

The Lord St John of Bletso is a crossbench (independent) peer with Special Parliamentary Interests that include FinTech, education, Southern Africa, wildlife conservation and the environment. He is also a highly respected businessman, solicitor, philanthropist and Extra Lord in Waiting to HM King Charles III.

Anthony St John took up his seat in the House of Lords in 1978 and has served on many Select Committees including on Artificial Intelligence/Robotics, Communications, and is a Past President of Friends of South Africa. He is currently Vice Chairman of All Party Parliamentary Groups on South Africa, Zimbabwe, Endangered Species, and a Council Member of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee.

Anthony was educated in South Africa where he qualified as an attorney (solicitor). He began his career at Shell, working as a legal adviser and auditor before moving to the UK to complete his Master of Laws (LLM) at the LSE. Following his admittance as a Registered Representative of the London Stock Exchange, Anthony worked for over 20 years in financial services, initially... The Lord St John of Bletso is a crossbench (independent) peer with Special Parliamentary Interests that include FinTech, education, Southern Africa, wildlife conservation and the environment. He is also a highly respected businessman, solicitor, philanthropist and Extra Lord in Waiting to HM King Charles III.

Anthony St John took up his seat in the House of Lords in 1978 and has served on many Select Committees including on Artificial Intelligence/Robotics, Communications, and is a Past President of Friends of South Africa. He is currently Vice Chairman of All Party Parliamentary Groups on South Africa, Zimbabwe, Endangered Species, and a Council Member of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee.

Anthony was educated in South Africa where he qualified as an attorney (solicitor). He began his career at Shell, working as a legal adviser and auditor before moving to the UK to complete his Master of Laws (LLM) at the LSE. Following his admittance as a Registered Representative of the London Stock Exchange, Anthony worked for over 20 years in financial services, initially as an oil analyst for County NatWest Securities. He went on to work for Smith New Court before acting as senior consultant to Merrill Lynch, focussing on Southern Africa, the Far East and Parliamentary liaison.

He has served on the boards of both public and private companies and is currently Chairman of Yellow Cake plc, Integrated Diagnostic Holdings plc and Strand Hanson Ltd. Anthony also advises and mentors several SMEs, with a particular focus on FinTech and Southern Africa.

Anthony is a dedicated philanthropist and acts as a Trustee to six charities including the Nick Maughan Foundation, the Berkshire Youth Trust, and The Life Neurological Research Trust.

In 1998 Lord St John was appointed as Extra Lord in Waiting to HM Queen Elizabeth II, a position he continues to hold as Lord in Waiting to HM King Charles III. more less

Anthony St John’s Newsfeed

UK debates tightening Zimbabwe sanctions as China, Russia influence grows

Lord St John of Bletso raised concerns that existing sanctions have created an opening for China and Russia to exploit Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.

Anthony St John’s Background

House of Lords

Crossbencher

Dec 1978 - Present

London, UK

Anthony took his seat in the UK Parliament’s House of Lords in 1978. He sits as a Crossbencher, or Independent, and is not aligned to any political party.

Merrill Lynch

Consultant

1991 - 2008

London, UK

Anthony acted as a consultant to Smith New Court until 1996, and thereafter Merrill Lynch International. His work focused on corporate broking, particularly in Southern Africa and the Far East, as well as Parliamentary liaison.

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Current Board Positions

Airport Holdings Ltd

Non-Executive Director

2022 - Present

Port Louis, MU

Airport Holdings Ltd is the owner of Air Mauritius, the flag carrier airline of Mauritius.

Gulf Marine Services plc

Senior Independent Director

May 2021 - Present

Gulf Marine Services (GMS) manages a fleet of versatile self-propelled lift boats. In March 2014 the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Anthony St John was appointed Senior Independent Director in August 2023, having served as a Non-Executive Director since 2021.

KneoWorld UK Ltd

Non-Executive Director

2019 - Present

London, UK

KneoWorld's digital platform offers educational programmes aimed at children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Choice International Mauritius Ltd

Non-Executive Director

2019 - Present

Choice International Mauritius Limited is a FinTech solutions provider with expertise in cost-effective and rapid international trade payments available to businesses in Africa and Southern Asia.

Smithson Investment Trust plc

Non-Executive Director & Chair of Audit Committee

2018 - Present

London, UK

Smithson Investment Trust is an investment trust that raised a record £822m in 2018, the year it was established.

Yellow Cake plc

Non-Executive Chairman

2018 - Present

Saint Helier, JE

Yellow Cake is a specialist company focused on the purchase and storage of Uranium Oxide.

Integrated Diagnostics Holdings plc

Non-Executive Chairman

May 2015 - Present

London, UK

Integrated Diagnostics Holdings is the largest medical diagnostics business in the Middle East and South Asia. IDH provides superior medical diagnostics services to more than 5 million patients annually.

Strand Hanson Ltd

Non-Executive Chairman

2015 - Present

London, UK

Strand Hanson is an independent financial advisory boutique, primarily focused on the natural resources sector in Southern Africa.

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Previous Board Positions

Empati Ltd

Non-Executive Director

2019 - 2021

London, UK

Empati is a private company seeking to promote renewable energy solutions in emerging markets.

Falcon Group

Non-Executive Director

2016 - 2021

Dubai, AE

A specialist finance company providing tailored and flexible financing options that enable mid-cap companies to grow quickly and efficiently, as well as assisting large corporations to enhance growth.

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Current Advisory Roles

Shyft

Advisor

2020 - Present

London, UK

Shyft Network is a secure blockchain-based ecosystem solution that enables KYC/AML attested data transfers between those who own the data, and those who use it.

Geobear

Advisor/Mentor

Feb 2020 - Present

London, UK

Founded in the 1970s, Geobear is a private engineering business focussed on underpinning for subsidence of both public and private sectors.

Bell Microsystems Ltd

Advisor

2017 - Present

Portsmouth, UK

Bell Integration has provided data centre solutions since 1996. With an experienced team of over 450 employees, Bell Integration is able to offer multiple services to optimise IT within companies.

BetWay

Advisor

2015 - Present

London, UK

BetWay is a a global online sports betting and gaming company providing entertainment across a number of brands.

Roc Technologies

Advisor

2015 - Present

Newbury, UK

Roc is a multi-award winning business and technology services provider. Roc helps senior business leaders change, challenge their assumptions and continuously improve.

WET Holdings

Advisor

2016 - Present

London, UK

Anthony acts as an unpaid advisor to WET Holdings (Global) - water enhanced technology.

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Previous Advisory Roles

FarmaTrust

Advisor

2017 - 2021

London, UK

Anthony acted as an unpaid advisor to FarmaTrust, a company that uses blockchain technology to counter the threat of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs.

17ARM

Advisory Board Member

2017 - 2021

Dubai, AE

Based in Dubai and Jersey, 17ARM is a provider of global asset tracing and corporate intelligence.

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Philanthropy

Nick Maughan Foundation

Trustee

As a Trustee of the Nick Maughan Foundation Anthony advises on donations to well-managed charities, focused primarily in Africa.

Berkshire Youth Trust

Trustee

The Berkshire Youth Trust has been providing exceptional support services to under-privileged young people in Berkshire for over 75 years.

Harpenden Spotlight in Africa

Trustee

London, UK

Harpenden Spotlight in Africa is a charitable organisation that is focused on the health, development and education of children and communities in Eastern Uganda.

Alexandra Rose Charities

Vice President

Jan 2010 - Present

Surrey, UK

Works with small charities and community organisations throughout the UK helping them raise funds.

Christel House Europe

Director

Apr 2010 - Present

Indianapolis, US

Christel House helps disadvantaged children all around the world to escape the cycle of poverty and develop into self-sufficient, contributing members of their communities.

Television Trust for the Environment (TVE)

Trustee Emeritus

Mar 2010 - Present

London, UK

Television Trust for the Environment (TVE) works with filmmakers and partners worldwide to make and distribute films that put the environment and sustainability on the global agenda.

Tusk Trust

Member of Global Advisory Board

Apr 2000 - Present

Dorset, UK

TUSK Trust initiates and funds conservation and community developments across Africa.

Afrika Tikkun UK

Former Trustee

Established in 1994, Afrika Tikkun (previously known as MaAfrika Tikkun) is a charitable organisation with an aim to enable the development and transformation of disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

The Life Neurological Research Trust

Trustee

London, UK

The Life Neurological Research Trust's mission is to raise awareness for neurological diseases and to fund research and targeted projects.

The Helen Feather Memorial Trust

Trustee

Mar 2002 - Present

London, UK

The aims of the Trust are to support people with cancer and raise money for carefully selected Cancer Research Projects.

Citizens Online

Patron

Founded in 2000, Citizens Online is a charity with an aim to explore and assist the impact of the internet on today’s society, without the exclusion of anyone.

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Media

The Money Maze Podcast

Podcast

Aug 2020

Anthony St John is interviewed for The Money Maze Podcast. He discusses several topics including investing in Africa, Uranium, cyber security, his relationship with Nelson Mandela and his advice for young people.

Accreditation

London Stock Exchange

Registered Representative

1984

London, UK

Anthony was admitted as a Registered Representative of the London Stock Exchange in 1984.

Public Service

The Royal Household

Extra Lord in Waiting

1998 - Present

In 1998 Anthony St John was made Extra Lord in Waiting to HM Queen Elizabeth II. He now serves as Extra Lord in Waiting to HM King Charles III.

Speaking Engagements

Money 20/20

Moderator

Jun 2022

Amsterdam, NL

Money20/20 is the world's largest fintech event, bringing together payments and financial services innovators for connected commerce. Anthony served as the Moderator on the Introducing New Era, the UK's first Digital Sterling Pilot panel on 9th June in Amsterdam.