Fairley Allan, Vice-President
Fairley was born in England with a Swiss mother and Scottish father. He has worked in financial services, advertising and marketing, and the management of conference and corporate events. He graduated in History at the University of Surrey, obtained his teaching qualification from the University of Sussex and now teaches young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder at a special school. He lives in the country on the Surrey/West Sussex border with his wife Helen and two teenage children. His interests include cooking, history and enjoying the countryside. He is also the treasurer of the Cercle Genevois, which every year celebrates the Escalade – the repulsing of an attack on Geneva in 1602.
Marie-José Lindon, Membership Secretary
Marie-José Lindon-Briccarello was born and educated in Geneva up to ‘Maturité’ level. Once in London she continued studying part-time while raising a family and obtained the Final Diploma of the Institute of Linguists in 1983. She worked as a personal secretary first at the Department of Education and Science (as it was then known) and later at the Treasury. She first joined the New Helvetic Society in 1992, becoming a member of the Council a few years later as secretary. In 2001 she took over the post of membership secretary and is still there! Apart from generally enjoying her retirement, her principal and favourite hobby is spending time with her grandchildren here in the UK and in Australia.
Marina Malmed, Assistant Secretary
Marina Malmed was born in Berne and educated in Basle. For many years, she worked for the now defunct Swissair Airline company. She is currently working at the Embassy of Switzerland in London.
Natalie Monnot, Event Coordinator
Nathalie was born and educated in Jura (Switzerland) and is dual national (Swiss and French). She studied Law at the University of Neuchatel as well as Journalism. Nathalie moved to London in 1993 after meeting the man who became her husband at Swiss Radio International in Bern and who was offered a job at the BBC. In the past 18 years, Nathalie has worked in translation, event coordination and relocation. After spending two years in Switzerland and two years in New Delhi (India) where she worked as a communication consultant, Nathalie came back to London in 2006. In the last four years, she helped set up a new brand of women's shoes in the UK. She currently provides help to French and UK companies interested in setting up business in the UK or French-speaking countries. She has two teenage children who also need her attention. It is the second stint of Nathalie on the Council of the New Helvetic Society.
Daniel Pedroletti, President and Secretary
Daniel Pedroletti was born and educated in Switzerland. After studying business and working for a health insurance fund in Lausanne, he moved to the UK in 1968. In 1969, he briefly worked in the City for an insurance broker and underwriters at Lloyds. He joined the staff of the Embassy of Switzerland in London in January 1970. After 33 years at Montagu Place, he took up a managerial post with the Federal Department of Finance, Swiss Compensation Office, in Geneva as Head of the Contributions Section. He retired in February 2008. He is a long-standing member of several Swiss clubs and is currently a member of the Unione Ticinese Committee, Honorary Treasurer of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK and Co-chair and Secretary of the Swiss National Day London.
Esther-Lou Pedroletti, Catering Coordinator
Esther-Lou Pedroletti was born and educated in England. After spending 6 months working in a clinic by Lake Geneva, she kept an interest in all matters Swiss. In 1973, she qualified as a State Reregistered Nurse at St Georges Hospital in Hyde Park Corner and in 1982, she obtained her District Nursing diploma at Newland College in Buckinghamshire. She is currently team leader of a Community Nursing Night Service. A keen amateur cook and cake maker, she has taken courses in Italy and England.
Marc Peter, PR & Website
Marc Peter was born and educated in Switzerland, completing a Typographic Design Diploma in 1990. Marc moved to London to complete an MA Interactive Media (University of the Arts) in 1999, the same year that his first book. Industry magazines in Switzerland, Germany and the UK have consistently published Marc’s comment and articles. Marc is the Creative Director of on-IDLE, a design and web development agency he co-founded with his now wife in 2000. He is a long-standing member of the City Swiss Club and PR and Webmaster of the Swiss National Day London.
Rosmarie Sabir, Honorary Treasurer
Rosmarie Sabir was born and educated in Switzerland. She came to the UK to work as a mother’s help. After one year, she joined a dental practice where she worked for 37 years as a nurse and a bookkeeper. Rosmarie was a member of the Consistoire of the Swiss Church for 25 years before becoming a member of the Council of the New Helvetic Society.