Our Story

Past Preservers was founded by archaeologist and media consultant Nigel Hetherington. By way of his many contacts in both the global academic field and in the media industry, Nigel serves as head of Past Preserver’s daily operations. Throughout his years immersed in the real and various challenges of graduate studies and professional field work in archaeology and site preservation, Nigel resolutely nurtured his design to facilitate and support the happy marriage of rigorous and scientific archaeology to innovative and (dare we say) entertaining film and media projects. Nigel is a graduate of the Institute of Archaeology, University College London and is the co-author with Dr. Kent Weeks of The Valley of the Kings Site Masterplan.

Emad Hamdy is Past Preservers indispensable office manager and handles many of the day to day tasks involved in running the company's lively Cairo office. He has university training in IT, and provides crucial support to the Past Preservers team by making sure that our office systems always stay up and running when his colleagues may be occupied on location or otherwise assisting clients directly. Eager to assist our clients and his fellow staff in quickly and painlessly accomplishing their work here in Egypt, Emad is an essential member of the Past Preservers staff.

Co-founder of Past Preservers, Kelly is a graduate from Boston University, USA and the Institute of Archaeology at University College London. She has lived and worked extensively in Cairo with organisations and institutions that include the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the Egyptian Antiquities Information System (EAIS), AUC and the Egyptian Museum. Kelly has archaeological experience with the Anglo-American Project in Pompeii (AAPP)  and has also worked with the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). She has lectured in both the USA and Egypt, and her recent research interests lie in cultural tourism and sustainable development and the roles of identity and the modern community in heritage management. Kelly is now running her own company with Claudia Brose called  Heritage in Action, a cultural heritage consultancy.

Jim Mower is an archaeologist and television producer with fifteen years experience. He has produced films on history and archaeology for Discovery, National Geographic, Channel 4 and Channel 5. As a producer on the Channel 4 series Time Team Jim has developed a wide network of international contacts in both the media and heritage sectors. Jim believes passionately in the importance of collaboration between science and the media and in the communication of archaeology and history to the widest possible audience.

Maggie has many years of experience on various levels of Film and TV production and post production, in both the US and the UK.  She has worked in areas as diverse as costume to copyright and commissioning to marketing, on projects that range from the Harry Potter films, to Gordon Ramsey Cooking Live, to Public Service Announcements.   This gives her a great insight in to how programmes are made, and how they come to air.  She is a graduate of Northwestern University, which is well known for its Arts & Media Programmes.  Maggie has high standards, and equally high aspirations.  She has learned that interesting programming comes from drive and creativity.  When you gather all the right pieces, you can make great TV.