In the interests of objectivity, whilst I am a massive critic of the "regime", I did an FOI request last year and started getting stroppy about it with HLF and the trust and he did pick up the phone and talk extensively and was very honest in his remarks.
However, being equally objective that may have been motivated equally by the worry the FOI would force disclosure of accounts and alike which hadn't til then been compiled or maybe I just hit lucky.
I don't think for one moment he is a dishonest man, in fact the opposite, although he, in my humble opinion, is not the man to lead such a major project nor can I imagine how the figures (and they are 2 years old) quoted in the accounts can in any way shape or form be justified no matter how good he is / was etc.
The project management and trustees have on the face of it made some shocking business decisions whilst doing a fantastic engineering job throught the fine services of the front line staff. I was going to say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys but I suspect enough has been paid to buy the peanut plantation so we expect and deserve much much more.