THE BOARD

Christopher Wade

CEO & Founding Director

Christopher was born and raised London’s East End, leaving his family home at the age of 15, working 3 jobs whilst at college and keeping a home of his own.

At 16 Christopher became a Millennium Ambassador when he was awarded a Millennium Award and lifetime Millennium Fellowship from the Millennium Commission and Princes Trust; recognition for the work he completed for the commission and within his community. The first of 15 young people to receive the award in the United Kingdom which now boasts over 150,000 Ambassadors across the Country.

Christopher is currently the Residential Manager for one of the largest property development companies the City of London, he is also a founding director of DEMA (Development Estate Management Association) and an associate of the Institute of Residential Property Managers.

Christopher tested HIV positive in what he describes as “a traumatic, life changing event,” details of which remain undisclosed due to ongoing litigation.

Christopher was surrounded with people that were able to support him mentally, advise legally and care for him emotionally. The Mulwade Foundation understands that this is not the case for everyone, some individuals are not even able to tell their closest friends about their struggle.

The sad fact is that Christopher’s story is not an isolated one. Many have a Mulwade story to tell – a story of sorrow, heartache, pain, rape, betrayal, drugs or being drugged.

“The Mulwade Foundation is here to support the victims of these crimes, helping to make being positive, a more positive experience.” – Christopher Wade.

Justin Gyphion

Trustee & Chair of the Board of Trustees

Justin started life in South Wales, born the eldest son of his Welsh mother and Jamaican father.

With a string of sporting accolades, including becoming Wales’ Open Champion for Men’s Sparring at Tae Kwon Do (TAGB), as well as playing South West rugby, and representing his school and county at the National Athletics Championships as one of the UK’s leading junior triple jumpers, Justin successfully balanced his extracurricular

sporting activities with a keen interest in drama (playing a lead role in ‘Playing Sinatra’ by Bernard Kops in Bath), and also significant academic achievement, winning the Townsend Pembroke College Oxford Prize for Academic Excellence.

Justin attended Cardiff University to read undergraduate law, remaining there to complete his Post Graduate Diploma in Bar Vocational Studies, achieving the highest grade in Advocacy for his cohort (he was rated ‘Outstanding’) and being rated ‘Very Competent’ overall. The culmination of his academic efforts came in his being Called to the Bar at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in London in July 2003.

During his time at university, Justin slowly came to terms with his sexuality and eventually felt able to come out at the age of 23. He quickly became an advocate and activist for the local gay community, volunteering for THT Cymru and gaining a seat on the Committee of Cardiff Mardi Gras, which he held for over three years, making him responsible organising and stage managing the annual two day event, celebrating all things LGBTQ+ for over 40,000 people.

He is a currently an active member of the Interlaw Diversity Forum, whose mission is to foster inclusion for diverse talent working in the legal sector, and to promote meritocracy in all sectors by working to level the playing field in order to create environments where the best talent can succeed. He is also an active participant in Iris (his current firm’s LGBTQ+ network) which held its European Summit in Frankfurt in Spring 2019, to explore ways of addressing LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace.

“Justice looks different for everyone, but however it looks for you, we can help. In an ever-changing legal landscape, the Mulwade Foundation brings together key individuals with a range of experience, forming a ‘community of expertise’, ready to be leveraged by anyone affected by the serious issues of negligent and intentional HIV transmission. I am both proud and honoured to support this incredibly deserving cause as a trustee.” – Justin Gyphion

 

Davide Paladino

Trustee & Treasurer 

Davide Paladino is of Italian descent, born and raised in a small Swiss village. His parents were young when Davide was born, and as a result, he spent most of his childhood in a nursery school, which was run by Italian nuns.

After successfully completing his apprenticeship in banking and business at the age of 17, he decided to try his luck in Zurich, one of the biggest Financial Centres. The decision didn’t come easy – it was merely an escape from a toxic environment at his parents’ house following his unexpected coming out.

Davide built a new social environment in Zurich and managed successfully to progress in his career as a private banker. Nonetheless, a sudden inspiration triggered by one of his close friends made him want to explore the world. He had nothing to lose and decided to become a flight attendant for the national carrier Swissair, allowing him to travel all around the world. The job and travel fulfilled him with joy.

Davide moved to London to pursue a bachelor degree in Management. Davide is currently working at one of the top 3 private jet charter companies as a Sales Vice President and managing one of their biggest portfolio, including HNWI and VVIP customers. His job allows him to attend events that prove to be important and helpful to the Foundation’s further network expansion.

Ross Davies

Trustee

Trustee Originally from a small village in South Wales, Ross was a keen student achieving record breaking A level results in Business Management. This led him to study Business Management at the University of Nottingham, at which time he also invested in other interests, such as music. Co-creating The Song Writers’ Society and joining the University gospel choir influenced his move to London in 2009, where he chose to study Vocal Technology at The London School for Music and spent 3 years working both as a vocalist.    

In 2012 Ross decided to move away from working in Music and turn back to his marketing interests. Now a hybrid sales specialist with 10 years’ experience working in digital marketing & communication. Ross possesses excellent interpersonal and communication skills used to great effect when developing positive professional relationships.

Ross is known for his work with other charities such as AIDs Foundation, which he participated in a physically challenging and epic fundraiser event in 2018; the event involved cycling from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 7 days and raised over $18.2M. The money was used for those in need of life saving treatments which are less accessible in USA. Ross has held professional positions aimed at helping others, such as the International Head of LGBTQI for AOL/ Yahoo, which involved supporting Employee Recourse Group (ERG) members and organising Pride events in London.

His story with Mulwade began when he was introduced to founder Christopher Wade at a dinner party in 2018. Ross took a keen interest in the charity and recognised the importance of the work being done. Immediately Ross wanted to be a part of the fundraising efforts, volunteering to take part in the events held in 2018, 2019 and 2020 as a performer. He was also a key Mulwade Ambassador, helping to raise awareness and spread the message of the charity.

Ross will be an asset to the Mulwade Foundation, as he brings professional marketing expertise, which will be used to great effect as the charity grows and requires strategic marketing plans. He is already intertwined with the cause, the culture and the Mulwade family, which will set him up for instant success as a Trustee.