Who we arePhilanthropy Board December 2023

The London’s Air Ambulance Charity Philanthropy Board was established in 2019 by Julia Leal Hartogs, a philanthropist, entrepreneur and avid helicopter pilot.  

Harnessing her professional expertise and passion, Julia has successfully built an engaged network around the life-saving work of London’s Air Ambulance Charity.  

The mission of the London’s Air Ambulance Charity Philanthropy Board is simple: to leverage the specialism and global reach of its members to raise awareness that London’s only air ambulance is a charity, and to secure vital funds to keep us in the sky.   

 

What we do

  • Our Philanthropy Board’s primary focus is to engage key philanthropists who are passionate about raising funds for London's Air Ambulance Charity and its life-saving service.

  • Our recent 2024 Black and White Gala, held at the iconic Raffles London at The OWO, was our biggest and most impactful gala to date raising a phenomenal £1.2 million.

  • The members, distinguished in their respective industries, continue to draw on their collective and distinct areas of expertise to ensure that each year awareness of the charity is increased and in turn vital funds are raised. 

Julia Leal Hartogs

Chair

Julia Leal Hartogs is a Brazilian / British entrepreneur and philanthropist, recognised for her achievements in the aviation industry. She founded Airlounge in 2004, a full-service aviation company specialising in cross-border deals.

Julia is also an avid helicopter pilot, a UK-qualified barrister and has contributed to many causes relating to preservation and community development, through being a Trustee of St John's Wood Society, a Statutory Consultee of Westminster City Council for planning, and North Kensington Law Centre. She is passionate about mentoring youth in need and fundraising, having served on the Gala Committee for Chain of Hope.

Julia has been involved with London's Air Ambulance Charity since 2012, first as an expert consultant in aviation, and then chairing the Philanthropy Board. Recently, she also joined the charity's Project Board to advise on the aircraft fleet replacement. 

Sofia Barattieri-Weinstein

Co-Chair

Sofia Barattieri-Weinstein is an investor, creative consultant and strategist with over 15 years’ experience working with young brands in the digital space. Sofia founded Motilo.com in 2008, a social-editorial hybrid that was called 'the first social shopping site' by The Financial Times. Already a patron of the arts and supporter of cultural institutions, Sofia joined the BFC Fashion Trust in 2012. She currently sits on the Social and Cultural Committee of the Serpentine Gallery, is part of the British Fashion Council and is a Co-Founder of the Camera della Moda Fashion Trust. In 2015, Sofia founded Barattieri Collective; developing sustainable content strategies.

Sofia is a philanthropist interested in cancer research, health and women’s charities. Sofia joined London's Air Ambulance Charity’s Philanthropy Board in 2019 and has secured vital funds through impactful event sponsorship. She became Co-Chair of the Board in 2022.

Read the rest of our Philanthropy Board's bios below.

Princess Alia Al-Senussi

Member

Princess Alia Al-Senussi, PhD, is a renowned member of the contemporary art world, an active cultural strategist, writer, patron, public speaker and academic, with a focus on cultural diplomacy.

Alia is the longtime Art Basel Representative for both UK and MENA and is also their Senior Advisor, International Outreach. She is a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia, and is a visiting lecturer at Brown University’s Watson Institute, as well as founding member of their Middle East Studies Advisory Committee.

Alia is the founding Chairperson of the K11 International Council, a member of the Tate Modern Advisory Council, the Strategic Advisory Board of the Delfina Foundation, on the Board of Trustees of The Showroom, ICA London, 1-54 African Art Fair and FUNTASIA/Elisa Sednaoui Foundation, the Board of Governors of Aiglon College and is a founding member of Tate's Acquisitions Committee for the Middle East and North Africa, the Middle East Circle of the Guggenheim, and the Serpentine Future Contemporaries.

 

Susan Bender

Member

Nicoletta Bernardi

Member

Nicoletta Bernardi is an esteemed businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. A tireless advocate for women’s rights, she has a proven track record in driving change and social innovation.

Her 25-year corporate career saw her covering prestigious roles as senior leader for FT100 corporations such as Goldman Sachs, where she became the first woman to lead the Italian Institutional Client Desk, and the GSAM Women’s Network. She moreover advances the corporate strategy and drives the fundraising of prestigious charitable institutions worldwide such as WAPPP at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, The Prince's Trust, Make a Wish, Depaul, The Red Cross, Give a Child and The London's Air Ambulance Charity Philanthropy Board.

Fluent in three languages Nicoletta holds a Summa Cum Laude degree from Bocconi, an MBA from UCLA and the CEMS Master’s in International Management. Nicoletta is also a pianist and a collector of Empire antiques.

Dr Flora Bird

Member

Ana Karina de Paula Allen

Member

Ana-Karina is a seasoned expert in the Jewellery and Luxury industries, with nearly 20 years of corporate experience. She began her career in broadcasting and swiftly transitioned to prestigious fashion titles like Harper's Bazaar and Esquire. At Net-a-Porter, she served as their Watch and Jewellery Director for their media division. Ana-Karina's most recent role was as the Commercial Director for Jewellery at Condé Nast, where she collaborated with prominent brands through British Vogue, Tatler, and Vanity Fair.

Starting in February 2024, Ana-Karina will assume the esteemed position of UK Ambassador for Tiffany & Co.

Besides her successful career, Ana-Karina has been leveraging her business acumen as an Angel Investor since 2015. She works closely with women founders, assisting them in achieving growth and scalability. Additionally, Ana-Karina has contributed as a board member of Save a Child's Heart UK, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing life-saving heart surgeries for children worldwide. She now serves as a Patron of the British Fashion Council Foundation while simultaneously raising four young children.

Alena Edmiston

Member

Milana Hadji-Touma

Member

Milana was born in Paris, France, with Lebanese roots. She earned her bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics from the Université-Paris-Dauphine. In 2010, Milana made a significant move to London, where she has resided ever since. She pursued a master's in Project Management Finance and Risk from the Cass Business School. 

Commencing her professional journey at HSBC in the M&A department for several years, she contributed to substantial transactions in the consumer and retail sector, including the IPO of Jimmy Choo and engagements with retail giants like Tesco. Post-HSBC, Milana played a pivotal role in establishing a private Real Estate investment firm, focusing on building the firm's infrastructure and evaluating and purchasing distressed Real Estate assets in Spain. Today, she balances dedication to her husband and two boys with a commitment to the London Air Ambulance Charity and various other collaborations.

Daniella Helayel

Vice-Chair

Daniella Helayel is a distinguished fashion consultant and creative director with a strong focus on image consulting and brand building. 

With over two decades of experience in the fashion and entertainment industries, she has established herself as a leading figure in creative strategy.

Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Daniella moved to London in 2000 and founded the internationally acclaimed fashion label Issa in 2001, which quickly became a global sensation. Her expertise extends beyond fashion, as she excels in guiding brands through the complexities of endorsements and partnerships, helping them to craft strong, recognisable identities in a competitive market.

Daniella actively supports London's Air Ambulance Charity and the National Portrait Gallery.

Amanda Kyme

Member

Lifestyle Brand Consultant and Influencer Marketing strategist. Amanda builds brands with influence, by creatively connecting them with high profile VIPs and influencers with shared values. She draws on her unrivalled international network of contacts built and nurtured over 25 years in the industry to elevate and reposition lifestyle brands.

Laura Laurence

Member

Carine Lee

Member

Christina Lykiardopoulou

Member

Christina Lykiardopoulou acquired in London a BA in Communications Mass Media and a Master's in Television and Film. She began working in publishing at Vogue Advertising, was on the editorial team of Dorling Kindersley and then worked for several years in the advertising industry in Concord Advertising, followed by Carat International where she received the Carat Diamond Award for the Vodafone account.

Christina worked in Greece for some years where she succeeded to raise a substantial amount for the charity ‘Pnoe’ to build a much needed ICU for children and then worked for several years in theatre production. The past eight years she has been working in the natural beauty industry, APIVITA S.A. and, currently in London, for the last four years she has been running Ilapothecary LTD. She is also studying to acquire an MSc in Biomedicine and Nutritional Therapy.

Cyrus Panahizadi

Vice-Chair

 

 

Mark-Francis Vandelli

Member

Mark-Francis Vandelli is a television personality and art historian whose style saw him proclaimed as Britain’s Best Dressed Man by Esquire aged 21. Since then he’s launched an eponymous menswear label, recorded countless entertainment shows, become Christie’s youngest ambassador as well as being a Patron of the Arts. Fluent in five languages, Mark-Francis is based in London and campaigns for sustainability internationally.

London, we still need you. Help keep us flying so we can carry on saving lives across London.
Help keep us flying so we can carry on saving lives.