Effective Financial Management in Uncertain Times - Speakers

Sue Birchall
Business Manager, The Malling School

Sue is an experienced business manager with knowledge across the sector both in maintained and academy through all phases. She has worked as an assessor for the DSBM, written for various sector publications and contributed to training manuals.

Russell Dalton
Finance and Business Director, Pershore High School

Russell is finance and business director at Pershore High School in Worcestershire and a NASBM fellow. Previously he had a successful military career, and now enjoys using the lessons learned in leadership, teamwork and professionalism to motivate others in the workplace.

Nickii Messer
School Business Manager and Leadership Development

Nickii Messer, Nickii Messer was a school business manager for many years in three school phases, including seven years on the SLT. She now works as a consultant and, in recognition of her strategic leadership experience, is Anglia Ruskin’s operational lead for their SBM programmes.

Twitter: @NickiiMesser

Micon Metcalfe
Director of Finance and Business, Dunraven 

Micon is a specialist leader of education and was one of the first 100 to be awarded the Advanced Diploma in School Business Management. Micon has worked in schools across the 4-19 age range and has wide experience in maintained and academy school finance, HR and capital programmes. She is also experienced in change management and is interested in how school business professionals can contribute to the changing educational landscape.

Twitter: @miconm

Matthew Clements-Wheeler
Business Manager and Deputy Head, Bordesley Green Girls’ School

Matthew is a Fellow and trustee of the National Association of School Business Management and led the creation of the new standards for SBMs. Matthew has delivered training for SBMs and headteachers across the UK and internationally.

Twitter: @MidlandsSBM ‏

Justin Smith
Owner  , Chameleon Training and Consultancy

Following a career spent in private sector business development and marketing, Justin moved into the education sector over 15 years ago. Justin is a vastly experienced bid writer with a strong track record in raising funds for schools via conventional trust funds, grants and sponsorships. To date Justin has raised over £1 million in additional income for schools.

Twitter: @jus_chameleon

Julia Harnden
ASCL Funding Specialist

Julia is the ASCL Funding Specialist and works as part of the ASCL policy directorate. Currently Julia is working with schools to support financial sustainability and strategic financial planning and represents ASCL in the campaign for a national funding formula. Julia sits on a number of Department for Education (DfE) strategy groups, working alongside colleagues from DfE and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) as well as representatives from the sector.

Twitter: @julia_harnden

Heather Mitchell
Associate, Browne Jacobson LLP

Heather specialises in contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including contractual issues, unfair dismissal, redundancy and all areas of discrimination.

Emma Gray
Business Manager and Finance Director, Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust

Heather specialises in contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including contractual issues, unfair dismissal, redundancy and all areas of discrimination.