Meet the Governors

Richard has a wealth of experience both as a Governor and as an educationalist.  He is currently a Housemaster at Christ’s Hospital, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.  He has worked there for over a decade and held various roles including Head of Economics.  Before this Richard worked in both the state and independent sectors, holding roles such as Head of Economics and Business, Head of Year, Master in Charge of Teacher Induction, Master in Charge of Transition (from Prep to Senior) and Assistant SENCo.

Richard has led school expeditions to various part of the globe including Belize, Zambia and Venezuela along with leading sailing trips in the South of France and sports tours to Canada and Barbados.

He is a keen reader and sportsman although his rugby playing days are now behind him, he is still involved refereeing matches and coaching teams.  He has served on the governing body of another school in West Sussex.

Richard sits on the Governance & Nominations, Finance & Estates, and Education & Welfare Committees.

Diana Kay is a Graphic Designer who retired from full time work in 2017. Diana was educated at The Abbey School, Reading before completing a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design at The London College of Printing.

After working at various creative design studios in London, in 1990 Diana joined the McLaren Formula One team, based in Woking, as senior designer, becoming Head of Graphics in 1995. She spent 27 years there leading a team and overseeing the brand identity of the race team and the Group companies. She was also a member of the senior leadership team involved in the strategic direction of the Marketing company.

She continues to freelance design with clients, including The Wentworth Estate, Global Promotional Solutions and several small start-up businesses creating logos and corporate identity for them.

Diana has lived in Rudgwick for 28 years and is involved in several volunteering roles. She leads The Arts Society Cranleigh volunteering team who engage and inspire young people  in the Arts. She regularly listens to young children reading online through the Bookmark Reading Charity and is responsible for the distribution of the Parish Magazine, co-ordinating over 40 volunteers.

Diana enjoys being active and loves walking, swimming, cycling, ski-ing and Tai Chi. She enjoys singing and was a member of Rock Choir for over 12 years She has a passion for flowers, studies Ikebana and has recently joined the Parish Church flower rota.

Nick Roberts is Director of Studies and Housemaster at St Edmund’s School, Hindhead, where he teaches Latin and maths. He was previously Head of Sark School and during his tenure was shortlisted for a national TES Award. Nick also works with the Independent Schools Examinations Board to create French and Spanish papers for Common Entrance at 13+ and Common Academic Scholarship assessments.

Nick entered the independent sector in 2015 after completing his PhD at Newcastle University. He also holds an MA with Distinction in the Linguistics of European Languages, a First Class BA Hons in French & Spanish and a PGCE with QTS from the University of Buckingham.

Nick is Vice Chair of Governors and the Chair of the Education and Welfare Committee.

Michael has gained extensive Board and General Management experience since achieving his MBA at the Cranfield School of Management. He is now Chairman and CEO of PWJE Associates – a specialist advisory company focused on five key areas:

-Supporting Management teams to significantly improve performance in their supply chains and to develop the necessary skill sets

-Planning and implementing Free Trade Zones and Logistics Parks for Government Institutions and Private Companies

-Logistics infrastructure development – Airports and Ports

-Assisting underperforming businesses to restructure and reorganise to achieve their full potential, including mergers & acquisitions

-Raising funds for projects in partnership with UK Capital Investments.

Michael and his team have supported companies and projects in Europe, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Mexico, India, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Michael was the CEO of Dubai Logistics City (DLC) and a member of the Management Board of Dubai World Central (DWC) from 2004 to 2009, the initial phase of planning and development for this project. Dubai World Central covers an area of 140sq km – the centrepiece of which will be the new Airport of Dubai, capable of handling 160 million passengers when fully developed. DLC is a Free Trade Zone within DWC linked to the airport and the Jebel Ali sea port covering an area of 26sq km.

Prior to joining DLC Michael held senior executive positions in Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN/DHL) following the acquisition of Danzas by DPWN, where he was Executive Director of the Logistics Division and a member of the Danzas Board.

Prior to his role in Danzas Michael was on the Board of Hays plc, with responsibility for all of the Group’s Logistics activities, and also held a number of positions in the Ocean Group – his final position being as CEO of McGregor Cory, their Logistics Division.

Michael is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and is a qualified Accountant. He has been involved in a number of representative bodies and acts as a non-Executive Director.

Michael is married with two children and four grandchildren, His son, Matthew, works at Pennthorpe.

Michael sits on the Finance & Estates Committee, and the Governance & Nominations Committee, within the Board.

Nick is currently Deputy Head Co-Curricular at Wellington College in Berkshire and sits on their Executive Leadership Team. Prior to this he was part of the Senior Management Team at Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex. At Hurst he was also a Housemaster for seven years, Assistant Director of Sport and Head of Cricket. His teaching career began at The Scots College in Sydney, and he went to university in Cardiff.

Nick completed his teacher training at Sussex University and, more recently, has completed an MEd in Educational Leadership.

Before entering the teaching profession, Nick worked for a commercial sport sponsorship agency, a commercial property firm and represented Sussex CCC at cricket. Nick is a keen trail runner, average golfer and enjoys spending time in Devon during the school holidays with his wife and two daughters.

Nick sits on the Finance & Estates and Education & Welfare Committee within the Board.

Tom draws on a considerable range of education management experience to lead schools to be better. Currently the Chief Operating Officer at Ardingly College, where he is responsible for non-education functions, he also takes responsibility for strategic leadership both in the UK and internationally. He has held similar roles in both the UK state and independent sector, and has previously been an advisor to both local and central government on schools’ financial management.

Tom qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte, where his diverse experience spanned auditing manufacturing firms in the North of England to devising a model for school efficiency on behalf of the UK’s Department for Education. He has been engaged as a consultant to teacher training organisations, leading universities, multi academy trusts and government agencies. He is also a qualified project manager, an Economics graduate and proud father of two.

Iain is an Assistant Head in charge of Year 7 & 8 and Sixth Form as well as being a safeguarding lead at Burgess Hill Girls school. He and his family moved to Sussex three years ago and have loved being in the area. Previously he worked for seven years as a Head of Religion and Philosophy in Hertfordshire where he also served on the governing body of two primary schools.

Iain has always been involved outside of the classroom whether coaching, refereeing, umpiring or in taking sports tours to Barbados and Ireland, as well as taking part in school World Challenge trips to Madagascar and Ecuador & the Galapagos.

Iain is a keen reader, reluctant runner and proud father of two.

Following a degree with a teaching qualification from Homerton College, Cambridge, Vincent initially deferred a career in education to pursue a City-based profession in Banking and Finance. Following formal credit training, he specialised in Business Development, Relationship Management, Treasury, and corporate fund administration.

After a distinguished 30-year career in the City, Vincent transitioned to education administration, taking on the role of Deputy Bursar at one of the largest preparatory schools in the UK, located in Kent. His subsequent roles within the independent school sector have included Estates Bursar/Facilities Director, Project Director, Bursary Consultant and Mentor, and Clerk to the Governing Body. His experience spans co-educational preparatory schools, co-educational senior boarding schools, and girls’ senior day schools across the South East and Central London.

Vincent and his wife, Sarah, are proud parents of three daughters: two are recent graduates from UCL and the University of Bristol, while the youngest is currently an undergraduate at King’s College London. Their daughters have been educated in both state and independent schools, across co-educational and single-sex environments. Vincent and Sarah remain devoted to their family roles as housekeepers, taxi drivers, and unofficial cashpoint machines!

Vincent has also contributed to the state education sector, having served as a Governor of his local primary school.

Pennthorpe holds a special place in Vincent’s heart for its commitment to caring for, nurturing, developing, and challenging its pupils. He is eager to leverage his extensive experience to support the continued growth and success of the Pennthorpe community.

Franklin is former pupil of the school, having attended Pennthorpe between 2000 and 2008 before going onto Lancing College and Cardiff University. With fond memories of his time at Pennthorpe, he is keen to share his experience and give back to the Pennthorpe Community.

Franklin is a civil engineer and incorporated member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. With over a decade in engineering consulting he has helped both private and public sector clients deliver schemes across the globe.

Having worked on projects from planning, through to construction in residential, education, healthcare, defence, aviation and strategic infrastructure sectors, as well as advising clients on site feasibility, estate maintenance, health and safety, construction and project management. Franklin brings his industry experience to the Finance and Estates Committee.

Passionate about promoting STEM subjects, Franklin gives his time to school and university career events, as well as organisations like Engineers without Borders to support the next generation of engineers.

With a love for the outdoors, if he can’t be found on a building site, Franklin can typically be found up a mountain, whitewater kayaking, climbing, skiing, shooting, or hiking.

Emily Harrison was Head of Key Stage Two at Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong where she moved with her husband back in 2019. While there, she was a Deputy Safeguarding Lead and gained much experience teaching children with English as an Additional Language. Prior to this, Emily taught at Daneshill Prep School (Now Wellesley Prep) in Hampshire for four years. Here, she was a Year 3 class teacher and supported the PE department during Wednesday afternoon matches.

Emily grew up in Snowdonia and was educated in Shropshire. Before entering the teaching profession, she worked in Architecture and graduated from The University of Bath with a Master’s Degree in Architecture. After a change in career, Emily completed her teacher training through Buckingham University.

Having returned from Hong Kong with her husband in June 2023, they welcomed their daughter in July 2023. Emily’s father-in-law went to Pennthorpe and the family run a dairy farm in the local area. Emily enjoys the outdoors, walking, golfing and playing tennis.

Emily sits on the Education & Welfare Committee within the Board.

Adrian has had 30+ years being at forefront of tech innovation and advertising. Starting his career in IT infrastructure and networking, then as the web came into existence, this ignited his passion for digital media and advertising.  

In his current role at Microsoft, a senior partner in the advertising arm, nested in Microsoft AI, Adrian is at the helm of global media transformation. Adrian’s focus at Microsoft has been on driving advertising solutions with AI at the core. Running a $1bn global business brings a rich understanding of what it takes to have impact for consumers and the brands that are looking to create a human connection at scale. 

Adrian brings his business acumen, knowledge of AI, tech innovation and media and advertising to the Pennthorpe Governing body, to bridge the gap between education and AI. 

As a Pennthorpe parent, with his daughter having attended Pennthorpe since Honey Pot, he has witnessed first-hand her progression through the school (nursery, Pre-Prep and now in the Prep school), with his wife a much appreciated volunteer reader at Pennthorpe, too. Adrian can be found on a dancefloor, or sports field, whenever there is a compelling beat. He spent many years teaching a form of modern Jive, Ceroc and met his wife dancing. 

Adrian has a lot to learn about the education sector, and will be a guest on all the committees for the foreseeable, with a goal to sitting on Governance plus Finance & Estate committees from January.