British Overseas Voters Forum

Simon has lived and worked in Asia for over 40 years. After graduation from Cambridge University, he worked as a lecturer, first at the National University of Singapore, then at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. He later worked in journalism, publishing, equity analysis and market research. He qualified as a chartered surveyor and for three decades worked as a property consultant throughout Southeast Asia, but mostly in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar. He has served in various roles for the RICS, IVSC, Thai SEC and as chairman of the British-Thai Chamber of Commerce and was awarded an MBE for services to UK-Thai trade and investment. His last full-time post was executive chairman of Colliers International Thailand. He is currently non-executive director of a Thai real estate investment trust and a UK charity funding child development in Thailand. Since retiring, Simon has become an author and has recently published a history on the early years of Anglo-Thai relations.

Michael is a headmaster of over twenty years experience, including founding head of Harrow Appi, Japan, and long serving head of Harrow Bangkok and The British School in Tokyo. Michael has particular expertise in organisational change, strategic leadership, school design and curriculum solutions. In the role of chief operating officer for the Harrow International family of schools, he had responsibility for six Harrow branded schools, three Harrow bilingual schools and two Harrow Little Lions Early Years Centres. In all, Michael has successfully opened seven new British international schools in Asia, two as founding Headmaster and five in his corporate role. Mick is also an avid traveler to remote corners of the world while at the same time competing in endurance sports competitions such as completing the Tour of the Dragon ultra MTB marathon in Bhutan.

Jonathan Fryer is a mathematician and chartered accountant who lives and works in Thailand. Having started his career in London, he moved to work with a Big 4 accounting firm in Bangkok before moving across to join Mazars, where as a partner, he has built up the largest international outsourcing practice in the country. He also represents the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in Thailand. He is passionate about supporting charities, especially the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy where he is Vice-President and Treasurer. In his spare time, he is an avid cyclist, participating in events around the world. Jonathan believes that the expansion of voting rights for Brits living abroad provides an opportunity for those with valuable international experience to make a greater contribution to economic and other polices in the UK.

Colin Mason has lived for over 30 years in Japan and currently lives in Yokohama with his young family. He is a UK Chartered Engineer and a member the UK’s Institution of Engineering Technology ( IET ). He holds a degree in Engineering Science from the University of Edinburgh and a diploma in Japanese from the University of London (SOAS). He started his career with a UK computer manufacturer before moving to work for a Japanese multinational, initially at its UK location and then on transfer in Japan. After returning to the UK, he moved into the world of technology startups, joining a UK software company and moving back to Japan to start up its business across the region. Although initially it was not intended as a permanent move, it became as such, with his roles in growing business on behalf of technology start-ups entering the region’s markets continuing ever since . Currently he manages the development of the Japan and APAC business of an Australian/Swiss AI software company. During his time in Japan, he has served the UK Department for International Trade as a specialist adviser on technology business in Japan. Colin is active with the Japan Local Network of the IET and with the Tokyo Branch of the Royal British Legion where he is Honorary Treasurer. Through his daughters’ school he has recently restarted participation, after a long absence, in dragon boat racing, although he freely admits he no longer has the youthful fitness to participate at the competitive level that he once did.

Gareth is based in Japan. Born in South Wales he grew up overseas in Northern Iraq, Pakistan and Australia. After graduating in Economics and Law. He became a Hydrocarbon Well Logger and worked on (mainly) off-shore oil rigs in Saudi Arabia, Korea, Japan, Pakistan and Australia. Returned to the UK in 1990 and became an EFL teacher ultimately working for Westminster City Council specialising in English for Academic and Professional Purposes and especially refugee doctors seeking to requalify in the UK. After promotion to managerial positions eventually took voluntary redundancy and moved to Japan in 2006. After spending a couple of years working as an Assistant Language Teacher in elementary and junior high schools he launched his own company LangServe, which offers language learning, translation, proofreading and rewriting services. Also had a side hustle in antique and collectable furniture, silver and English tableware. Currently interested in antiques and collectable furniture china art of all kinds, as well as renovation, electronics Right to Repair, current affairs and repair cafes and is a big BBC Radio 4 fan.

Ceri Weaver-Berthet is an experienced Chartered Accountant who as been working overseas since 2003. Ceri has spent much of his time in the Life, Health and P&C in the insurance industry. He has worked for numerous globally recognised insurers holding executive audit, risk and CFO positions. Having trained in the UK, he went on to work in Bermuda, Central & Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In more recent times he has temporarily taken a break from formal employment to focus on voluntary service, including acting as the Honorary Treasurer of the British Club Bangkok in Thailand. In his spare time Ceri enjoys walking, swimming, skiing (when able to do so!) and is a keen aviation enthusiast.

Michael Miller is based in Tokyo, Japan. He is an academic neurophysiologist who now runs a small, biomedical communications and training company in Tokyo. He first came to Japan in 1991 as senior tutor, later dean, of the St. Catherine’s College (Oxford) Kobe Institute before taking up a visiting Fellowship at the International Center for Medical Research, Kobe and moved on to become a founder member to the RIKEN, Brain Science Institute (BSI), Saitama. Prior to Japan he worked for the British Council in Saudi Arabia. Michael began his career, at the age of 16, as an actor with the National Youth Theatre and worked in repertory theatre for a while before going on to university. He is also a semi-professional artist (under the name, "Wilf Tilley", a combination of his parents' names) who has held nine solo exhibitions, beginning in London in the late 1970s. He believes that Britain must better exploit its first-class, scientific research base on an international basis, and that overseas voters represent a rich source of experience and economic drive.

Mark is a school teacher by profession, and is now based in Thailand. He is also the founder of the Odyssey International School which provides a different type of education based as much as possible on Forest School principles. He started the school in Pattaya Thailand during the Covid pandemic as a refuge and now has over 40 students and growing. Mark is also an accomplished actor and is also a part owner of the Ignite Theatre company in the UK as well as owner of the Siam Drama studio in Thailand. Mark is also a keen walker badminton player and active with local charities in the community.

Rob Williams is a 25-year resident of Tokyo, and heavily engaged with the British community through various professional and social networks. Rob is a partner at AP Advisers Ltd, an independent financial adviser to the expat community in Japan. He also founded the Knights in White Lycra in 2012, raising funds for 3.11 survivors, and latterly for children forced to live in care. KIWL has raised over Y146 million since inception. Rob received ‘Person of the Year’ award from the British Chamber of Commerce in 2015, and another award from the Japan British Society for services to the community.

Anthony Peters is based in Thailand after an eventful career in the United Kingdom. For much of his working life he was involved in a family-owned motor accessory business, working from the shop floor upwards to eventually managing the business. After this business merged with another similar business, he moved into working with car finance companies and in particular developed an expertise in debt recovery. Now happily retired in Thailand he is involved with the church and local charities.

Clive started his career in print before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, principally in the field of sales & marketing. In more recent times he set up his own company to provide consultancy services to SMEs in digital marketing services, future technology, and staff training. During his career, he lived and worked all over the UK, but he currently resides in Thailand. In his spare time he enjoys traveling to new and exciting places, whilst keeping abreast of the technological developments in areas such as communication, and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Scott Mitchell is based in Singapore where he has lived since 1999. Professionally he is a mortgage finance specialist provider, in the main helping Singaporeans and other Singaporean residents obtain finance for property purchase overseas and in the UK in particular. He is married with 4 children, some of whom are hoping to go to UK universities. He is also an avid cyclist and the Road Director for the ANZA cycling club. He is a passionate believer that Brits must keep their UK pension contributions up to date when overseas.

Colin Bloodworth has been based in Indonesia for a number of years and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment. Over a long career he has held senior management positions in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Government Relations, Financial Planning and Wealth Management spanning four continents: He is a keen Hash House Harrier, having completed to date over 1,700 runs, most of which have been in Jakarta and Bali. Colin has been fighting for a long time for the restoration of full pensions to some half a million British retirees whose pensions have been frozen since they left the UK due to an archaic ruling in 1947. Colin believes that the contribution of those whose ambitions led them to seek opportunities abroad are poorly understood and appreciated in the UK and as a result, there are many issues affecting them that need to be addressed.