I am a Chartered Accountant. I trained in practice before moving to a university spin-off company which delivered post graduate education and specialist corporate training worldwide.
During my time there, I completed my MBA with my final dissertation being the creation of a financial distress model for the HE sector. It has been interesting watching more recent developments in the HE sector and how my model now fits. Working here also gave me my first taste of education being delivered during a pandemic – the SARS outbreak. No staff could travel to deliver the courses our training centres in the Far East so we had to quickly install IT infrastructure.
I changed jobs and moved to an unquoted PLC, in the retail pharmacy sector, where I progressed to the role of Finance Director. The company was sold to a well-known high street pharmacy chain and I then began some work as a consultant.
After becoming a parent, I decided to change role and joined Priestley College as Director of Finance. The College converted to a 16-19 academy and joined the Trust upon conversion.
My role involves overseeing the finances of the Trust, helping the Headteachers manage their budgets, managing public funds and ensuring value for money.
Education has been an important theme throughout my life. It was key to my future because it gave me the opportunity to leave an area of high unemployment with little or no opportunities. I have worked in all sectors of education and, whilst outside education, I met my wife who also just happens to be a teacher.
My role involves overseeing the finances of the Trust, helping the Headteachers manage their budgets, managing public funds and ensuring value for money.