Chichester Cathedral announce appointment of new Lay Members of Chapter

The Cathedral, located on West Street, has appointed the two members, Anita Rolls and Howard Castle-Smith, to be new Lay Members of Chapter, ‘the body of both clergy and lay people that determine the policy for administering the Cathedral.’

In a statement, a spokesperson for the cathedral said: "Chichester Cathedral is pleased to announce the appointment of Anita Rolls and Howard Castle-Smith as new Lay Members of Chapter, the body of both clergy and lay people that determine the policy for administering the Cathedral.”

Anita Rolls’ career began as a solicitor for Linklaters, followed by other global organisations such as Morgan Stanley, American Express, UBS and Barclays where she worked in various capacities such as In-House Counsel, Marketer, Private Banker and Executive Coach. In 2015 she founded the Career Intelligence Academy, a company with a mission to help organisations manage career growth in a way that is good for their people and good for the business.

Anita said: “It is a deep privilege to join the Chapter and bring my range of business skills and experiences from the worlds of law, finance, marketing and leadership development to serve the ongoing mission of the Cathedral. Inspired by the Cathedral’s new vision, I particularly look forward to contributing to the ongoing renewal of the life of the Diocese and the Christian faith in Sussex, and am very much looking forward to getting started.”

Having graduated with a Masters degree in engineering, Howard Castle-Smith spent the last twenty-five years of his career with Air Products and Chemicals Inc., a leader in the production and supply of industrial gases and which serves the industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide. Prior to retirement, Howard was Regional Vice President–Tonnage Gases, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India at Air Products. Latterly, Howard has been Hon. Secretary of the Chichester Cathedral Friends, serving the community for the last five years; a role that he will be stepping down from in June 2023.

Howard said: “I view the Cathedral as my spiritual home and over the years the place, and the people who worship there, have come to mean a great deal to me. I am very much looking forward to joining the Chapter and contributing to the delivery of the Cathedral Vision in all its fullness. Towards this, I would hope to be able to use my knowledge of the Cathedral afforded me from my time as Secretary of the Cathedral Friends, together with the experience I gained from working in the energy business sector for over thirty years.”

The Acting Dean of Chichester, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, said: “Anita and Howard bring a wealth of skills and experience to their new positions, joining our Cathedral community as we continue to discern our new vision ahead of our 950th anniversary in 2025. We look forward to working with them both at this essential strategic level, supporting the sustainable development of the Cathedral and the delivery of its mission.”