OBE for Surrey resident and SSAFA Honorary Treasurer David Rowe

14 June 2024

Surrey resident and SSAFA trustee David Rowe has been appointed as an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for his service to the Armed Forces community in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours.

David has been a volunteer for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity since 2002, a trustee since 2008, and its Honorary Treasurer since 2015.

His experience is comprehensive.

After serving – as did his father and grandfather – in the Royal Regiment of Artillery (his family has an extensive record in the Armed Forces), David enjoyed a career in banking with 17 years each at Schroders and UBS. He retired in 2019.

It is, however, through his work strengthening the financial governance of charitable organisations, most notably SSAFA, that David has indirectly improved the lives of thousands of serving men, women, and veterans regardless of rank, regiment, ship of squadron – as well as their families.

His citation states:

“He gives a huge amount of time to his trustee role and is the epitome of the objective, critical friend, focusing on outputs and [SSAFA’s] beneficiaries, but always with a keen eye on a strategic approach.”

Of his OBE, David says: “It’s been a great pleasure and given me enormous satisfaction over the last 22 years to help guide initially the financial aspects of SSAFA and then more broadly strategy and governance.

“I have been lucky to also be involved with Army Sport, where I’m also a trustee, and with the Master Gunner’s Committee, Royal Regiment of Artillery. Much of the advice I have been able to give has been made possible through my work as a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at the Bayes Business School and with the Charity Commission.

“Coming from an Army family, being able to give back anything of value is a pleasure, but to receive recognition for this was a surprise and I am immensely honoured. As with many, I suspect I wish my father was alive to see this, but happily my mother – also from an Army family – is.”

Kirsty Bushell CBE, SSAFA’s National Vice Chairman, adds: “David’s wisdom has been proven time and again, and the strength of SSAFA today is, in large part, due to his unstinting efforts, and the Armed Forces Family should be reassured that he has their welfare close to his heart.

“His brave and determined counsel over more than a decade has truly enhanced SSAFA’s ability to support the 60,000 individuals who seek assistance from the charity each year.”