Tim Toyne Sewell is the founding Chairman of the Benjamin Britten International Music Competitions.

After retiring from the Army as Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst he became Director of Goodenough College, a residential college for international postgraduate students. It was at Goodenough College that his interest in music found expression and he was persuaded by a member of the College, Dima Tkachenko, to start a new competition. Following its success in 2004 he decided to produce a second Competition.

He retired as Director of Goodenough College in 2006 and is now Chairman of the International Board of United World Colleges, where he hopes to find more contenders  for the Benjamin Britten competitions.