THE Isle of Wight has a new High Sheriff.

Self-made business man, Geoff Underwood, has been appointed to the position.

Geoff is the chief executive of IFPL, an Isle of Wight company specialising in the design and manufacture of aeroplane products for the passenger in-flight entertainment industry.

He is also founder and chairman of The WightAID Foundation, which channels business donations to local causes, having given more than £250,000 to 100 local charities.

Geoff was born and raised on the Island after his parents moved here in the early 1950s, when his father worked as an engineer for Saunders Roe.

Geoff studied at the Isle of Wight College and took an apprenticeship at Plessey Radar, and then studied mechanical engineering at Portsmouth Polytechnic.

He has worked in the UK and USA on military avionics and missile systems, until taking the role of chief mechanical engineer at GEC Marconi Inflight Systems, in Portsmouth in 1993.

When GEC Marconi pulled out from the market in 1996, Geoff established IFPL as a design consultancy, working from home.

The company, currently based in Calbourne, began manufacturing its own products in 2000 and since then has seen year on year growth.

IFPL currently employs around 70 people, and has a policy of using Isle of Wight suppliers wherever possible.

IFPL recently won The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the second time.

Geoff was president of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce up until 2018 and is the founder and recent chair of the Isle of Wight Technology Group.

Geoff said: "I am delighted and honoured to be appointed High Sheriff, and I am very much looking forward to the year ahead. It is an opportunity to get involved in many aspects of Island life.

"I will be working with the voluntary sector, listening to what they do, thanking them for what they are doing, and encouraging them to keep going — but most importantly, I want to offer help where I can.

"I am also passionate about business and education, and I want to use my network and connections to bring the two together where I can.

"Many young people do not realise how many opportunities are available to them on the Island, so if I can help raise awareness of this, then I will.

"The Island is a wonderful place, and we are blessed to live here. I want to do my part in celebrating this."

Outside of business and charity work, Geoff's main interest is motor racing. He takes part in single seater racing in cars from the 1960s and '70s

He was sworn in as High Sheriff during a ceremony at CECAMM in East Cowes, which was presided over by Judge Roger Hetherington.

Susie Sheldon, Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, attended the ceremony.

Retired deputy lieutenant, John Matthews DL was sworn in as Under High Sheriff.