Operating an Efficient Trust - London - Speakers

Mark Blois, Partner and Head of Education, Browne Jacobson LLP (Chair)

With over 20 years' experience as an education lawyer, he has been recommended as a leader in his field. For the last eight years, Mark has been the Chair of the L.E.A.D Academy Trust, a large multi-academy trust in the Midlands. He is a Trustee of NASEN and also a non-executive legal advisor to the National SEND Forum. He has been interviewed by BBC Panorama, Radio 4 and Sky News, and has contributed over 100 papers, articles and book chapters to education literature on a variety of aspects of education law.  'Insightful, highly responsive and knowledgeable. His understanding of issues in the education sector is second to none,' Chambers 2020.

Listen to Mark's Welcome from the Chair here to learn more about the conference

Anja Beriro, Partner, Browne Jacobson LLP

Anja specialises in advising public bodies, including some of the largest multi-academy trusts, on: their duties and obligations under the public procurement regime and how to run successful and compliant procurement exercises; managing complex projects that require lawyers and other advisors from different disciplines; commercial and governance advice to a wide range of public authorities; alternative service-delivery models, in particular outsourcing of service delivery and corporate vehicles. Anja has previously worked in-house as a solicitor for Sheffield City Council and is a governor of Nottingham College.

Karen Burns, CEO, Victorious Academies Trust

Karen is an experienced school leader having worked in a multi academy trust since April 2015, taking on the role of CEO in January 2016. During 2017 Karen led discussions with the DfE, Regional Schools Commissioner and former sponsor to relaunch the Trust.  Victorious Academies Trust was launched in January 2018 and currently comprises of seven primary academies with additional schools under application. Subsequently Karen has supported a small MAT in Cumbria in the role of interim CEO and is currently mentoring two MAT CEOs in Greater Manchester and supporting a local primary school, as a School Improvement Officer

Ian Buss, Managing Director, Education Banking Consultancy

Ian worked for 30 years in the banking industry, prior to becoming managing director at the Education Banking Consultancy. This included more than 15 years focused on the education and not for profit sector (with the last 10 focused exclusively on the academy and independent school sectors). This has given him a unique insight into the academy sector. He built the education team and proposition for academies at a major bank in 2010 and led the team to grow market share from 12% of academies in 2010 to more than 70% by the end of 2018. His expertise can significantly improve financial efficiencies, returns, and risk management in multi-academy trusts. Ian has held voluntary posts as both a school governor and a trustee at an Education Governance charity.

Tommy Cullen, COO, The Stour Academy Trust

Tommy began his career in 2009 as a Finance Assistant whilst studying accountancy. By 2016, he was acting as Finance and Business Manager for a 9 school MAT. In 2017, Tommy was appointed Chief Operating Officer at The Stour Academy Trust (a top performing Multi Academy Trust based in Kent). He has an extensive track record in academy conversion and rebrokerages, as well as taking part in pilot schemes such as SAT to MAT suitability inspections. Tommy has been commissioned to provide additional support and mentoring for failing multi-academy trusts and is an active member of the ESFA School Commercial Team User group.

Anderson Dy, VP, Sales International, OnBoard

Anderson is a strategic, commercially astute & highly analytical sales professional with a wealth of experience in the technology sector. As the VP Sales for OnBoard's international markets, he spearheads the sales & business development team for EMEA, APAC & emerging markets. Anderson has the influence to drive organisations forward with proven strengths across sales, business development & partnerships to deliver success. Holding a PhD from the University of Kent, Anderson has a highly successful sales background in technology, data management, aviation & security verticals.

Alex Green, Schools Lead, Ashden

Alex Green is the Schools Lead for Ashden, a climate solutions charity based in London. Alex leads on Let’s Go Zero 2030, a campaign that supports UK schools working together to be zero carbon by 2030. She sits on the DfE User Group for their Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy and previously managed Ashden’s sustainable school awards and peer to peer LESS CO2 programme for 7 years before launching the Let’s Go Zero campaign in 2020.

Michael Heard, Education Business Partner, Scomis

Michael joined Scomis in early 2018, and brings a wealth of knowledge about the education sector and school management information systems from his role at Capita SIMS where he worked for the previous seven years. He is highly motivated by working with customers to help them solve their challenges through effective use of MIS and ICT. Michael is recognised as a trusted partner by the schools, trusts and local authorities that he works with. Michael was core to establishing Scomis as an Advanced Accredited Arbor Support and Training Partner, alongside Scomis’ longstanding SIMS credentials as ESS’s leading and largest support unit.

Emma Hughes, Head of HR Services, Browne Jacobson LLP

Emma is the Head of HR Services and manages the team responsible for providing HR consultancy services to a range of clients across multiple sectors.

Ernest Jenavs, CEO and Co-founder, Edurio

Ernest is the CEO of Edurio, England’s leading stakeholder feedback platform for schools and school trusts. He is a frequent public speaker in the UK and internationally on effective use of stakeholder feedback in schools and has published extensive research on stakeholder feedback, staff wellbeing and Covid-19 impact on education.

Hear more about Ernest's workshop here

Stephen Mitchell, Director, Keystone Knowledge

Stephen has a background in strong educational management, now working with several organisations across the country, as well as being CEO of a high performing Trust.  He is a Fellow of the ISBL. He completed his MBA with a thesis on Improving the Quality of Management in Education.  Stephen is an accredited SRMA, supporting schools across the country, and helping schools put into place action plans which improve the use of resources and focus on ensuring better provision of services to children. Stephen is an advocate of the Sustainable Schools System, ensuring that Excellence in Teaching and Learning is paired with Operational Effectiveness and Financial Efficiency.

Stephen Morales, Chief Executive, Institute of School Business Leadership

Stephen has a 20-year career history in operations and finance, working at a senior level in the public and private sectors, both in the UK and abroad. Stephen presided over the development and implementation of nationally recognised school business leadership professional standards and led the transition from the National Association of School Business Management to the Institute of School Business Leadership. Stephen works closely with the Department for Education in areas of policy reform, and his commitment to research to aid our self-improving system includes ongoing engagement with international jurisdictions including Australia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

Watch this short video to hear more from Stephen

Androulla Nicou, CEO, ELT Partnership

Androulla Nicou is the Chief Executive Officer of the ELT Partnership. An experienced school leader with over 32 years in the profession, she is a strong believer in the power of excellent education to transform lives. The ELT Partnership has been established since 2016 and currently comprises of six primary academies, one all-through sponsored special school, and an additional school under application. Androulla has supported a number of Heads and smaller Trusts in London.