Executive Member, BFELG

In a career spanning over 40 years dedicated to raising aspirations and transforming lives through education and training, Stella worked in Further Education (FE) for 30 years starting as a part time hourly paid lecturer and rising through the ranks to be appointed, in 2001, the first black and ethnic minority female Principal/CEO of an incorporated UK college, a post she held for 19 years. She had previously worked in both secondary and, awarding and assessment sectors. Stella has extensive experience in the areas of leadership and management, quality assessment, policy development and implementation, international education development, governance including in primary, further and higher education; international, national and regional board level experience, both as a member and chair. She has pioneered the establishment of a number of educational organisations and has represented the UK internationally. Stella holds an MEd with distinction from the University of Sheffield and her dissertation won the Lloyds Register Quality Assurance prize for Excellence. A qualified teacher, Stella is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, City & Guilds of London Institute, Institute of Directors, Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. She served as President of the Association of College Management (ACM later AMiE) and Chair of the FE sector Black Leadership Initiative (BLI) which won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Stella is co-founder and member of the executive of the Black Further Education Leader Group UK Ltd (BFELG), a position she holds in a voluntary capacity. In 2007, Stella was awarded CBE for services to further education. 

Executive Member, BFELG

Robin is a co-founder and member of the Executive Team of the Black FE Leadership Group, like all team members, working in a voluntary capacity. In addition, he is Vice Chair of Governors at Lewisham College and a member of the CMI Race Advisory Committee. Prior to that he was co-founder and former CEO of the Network for Black Professionals. Robin was a schoolteacher for ten years before a 30-year career in further education management, working in four colleges, the FEFC and for the British Council in South Africa. 

Executive Member, BFELG

Over the course of his career Amarjit has held a number of senior leadership roles in Further Education/ Higher Education institutions, all serving diverse communities across England. These include Principal & CEO posts at Cornwall College, New College Nottingham, Walsall College and Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College. A number of these institutions attained outstanding accreditations through public regulatory frameworks for further and higher education, alongside receiving Queen's Anniversary Prizes for innovation and quality in the provision of training and skills. He also held Board membership roles with Pearson Education Limited (a subsidiary board of Pearson plc), Cogent (the talent and skills partner for the science industries) and Engineering UK (the national organisation responsible for the promotion of careers in engineering), alongside being seconded to support the Mayor of London’s research and planning for the devolution of skills funding to the devolved authority. Amarjit is a co-founder and member of the executive of the Black FE Leadership Group (BFELG), a UK focused membership organisation championing the interests of black and minority ethnic students, staff and communities engaged with post-16 learning and skills (Further Education). He is also a Fellow of the City & Guilds of London Institute, awarded in recognition of his outstanding service to vocational education. 

Executive Member, BFELG

Janak is a co-founder and member of the executive team of the Black FE Leadership Group (BFELG), a UK focused membership organisation championing the interests of black and minority ethnic students, staff and communities engaged with post-16 learning and skills. He moved from Gujerat, India to Bolton at the age of seven. During his teacher training, he was introduced to Anti-racist Education which he has practised throughout his 30 year career, first as a schoolteacher of Mathematics and Science and then in Further Education where he taught Maths, Science and Black Studies and delivered Equality and Diversity staff development programmes. He progressed into senior roles, including Director of Equality and Diversity and HE and then eventually on to three Principalships. He was an active supporter of the Network of Black Professionals and participated in the Black Leadership Initiative. Having left his full-time career, Janak is successfully working as a consultant, supporting colleges to develop Engineering and Technology curriculum, specialising in Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Technology, Renewable Energy and Automation, which can be delivered remotely, through the Cloud.  

Google for Education Head, UK & Ireland

Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London

Sir Kenneth Aphunezi Olisa OBE is a British businessman and philanthropist. He is the first black Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London. He founded and led the AIM-listed technology merchant bank Interregnum and now leads Restoration Partners. Ken Olisa is Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and has served and serves on several boards of philanthropic, educational and regulator organisations. Sir Kenneth with his wife endowed the Olisa Library at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. 

Rosemary Campbell-Stephens MBE is a veteran educator who received her professional training in England, but her breadth of experience is international. Rosemary is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Education, University College London. Her ground-breaking leadership work as part of the London Challenge 2003-2011 was in developing a leadership preparation programme focussed on increasing the numbers of Black and Asian educators in London Schools. Investing in Diversity became the catalyst for subsequent leadership programmes in the schools' sector across the UK, that sought to move beyond the mere representation of Black educators in senior leadership positions within a systemically racist system. In 2009, Investing in Diversity drew international attention, when a sister programme Leading for Equity was launched at the OISE, University of Toronto, Canada. Rosemary frames her work through a critical race lens and describes herself as an anti-racist, paradigm shifter. While actively retired in the Caribbean she spends some days writing and others designing leadership programmes that blend western models with global paradigms. Rosemary provides bespoke training and coaching and is a sought after keynote speaker in her areas of expertise and passion, namely developing anti-racist decolonising practice, in pursuit of equity and social justice in educational leadership. Her book on decolonising leadership preparation builds on her work in the UK and Canada and will be published in autumn 2021. In 2016 Rosemary was awarded an MBE for thirty-five years’ service to education in the United Kingdom. She was honoured to accept the award for recognition by her peers of activism. As a junior elder, she embraces the label disruptor. 

Principal & CEO, Stoke-on- Trent College 

Denise is a very experienced senior executive with over 30 years’ experience in Further Education management. She is passionate about inclusion and open access to further education and she has used this passion, commitment and her undoubted creativity to build a reputation as a seasoned and successful leader of curriculum, quality, and teaching and learning. Denise is currently Principal and CEO at Stoke on Trent College, a general further education college in the West Midlands. Denise took the helm of Stoke on Trent College at a time when it required emergency funding from the Transaction Unit to support its ongoing viability. In addition to the financial problems of the College, the quality of provision had also slumped. 3 years later, the financial stability of the College has been transformed. The funding from the Transaction Unit was a useful start but after the funding, the College still had to improve its financial position from Requires Improvement. It is currently financial health Outstanding. It has an improved Ofsted grade profile, and the transformation journey is on the cusp of being achieved. Prior to being CEO and Principal of Stoke on Trent College, Denise has held roles in colleges in London as Principal, Deputy Principal, Vice Principal x 2, Head of Faculty, Principal Lecturer, Race Advisor and Multi Ethnic Education Co-ordinator. Denise started her career in FE as a volunteer basic skills teacher in adult education and she was smitten by the value that the Adult and Further Education sectors brought to society and decided to dedicate her career to these sectors. At the same time as starting her career in education, Denise completed a Master of Social Science – Race and Education. 

CEO, Chartered Management Institute

Ann Francke is Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute the UK’s leading professional body for management and leadership with a global member community of over 150k. She started her career at Procter & Gamble and has held senior executive positions at Mars, Boots, Yell and BSI. In 2020, Ann was awarded an OBE for services to workplace equality. Ann is an expert on gender balance in the workplace and speaks frequently in the media and conferences on this and other management topics. Her book on gender balance - Create a Gender-balanced Workplace, published in September 2019. Ann also authored the ‘Financial Times Guide to Management’ and has been named in the top 100 women to watch in the 2015 Female FTSE Cranfield report. She was awarded the MemCom award for outstanding leadership of a UK professional body in 2016. Ann holds several Board positions and five Honorary Doctorates for her work in management and leadership. Ann and her husband live in West London; she has one daughter 

Deputy Director, Further Education and Skills, Ofsted

Paul Joyce is one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and is the Deputy Director for Further Education & Skills. Paul joined Ofsted in 2005 as HMI having previously worked within the Further Education and Skills sector in both general and specialist further education colleges. Immediately prior to working for Ofsted, Paul was a consultant for the former Department for Education and Skills and worked on national initiatives supporting improvements to teaching and learning and in leadership and management. Paul has significant inspection experience in both the schools and further education & skills remits and prior to being appointed Deputy Director was a Senior HMI with responsibility for the college inspection programme nationally 

CEO Education and Training Foundation

David was appointed as the first permanent Chief Executive of the ETF in January 2014. He has grown the ETF from start-up to become a trusted, effective improvement agency working with Government and the FE sector to support quality and standards. He previously served in the Department for Education under Labour and then the Conservative/Lib-Dem Coalition Government, latterly as national policy director for Vocational Education. Previous senior policy roles included leading the Open Academies programme, and managing the cross-government Skills Strategy. David was educated in Scotland at Crieff High School, St Andrews University and Moray House Institute of Education, Edinburgh. He is a member of the judging panel for the annual TES FE awards, and an assessor for the Queen’s Anniversary Trust Awards in Higher and Further Education. He is also an experienced school and College governor.  

Deputy Director for skills reform delivery

Sharmini is the Deputy Director for skills reform delivery, her division is responsible for delivery of the Skills for Jobs White Paper reforms, the Skills Bill, and coordinating the 2021 Spending Review for HE and FE. Prior to this Sharmini was a Deputy Director in the Prime Minister's Implementation Unit and before joining the Civil Service she worked for 12 years as a journalist on BBC Radio 4. 

CEO/Group Principal HCUC

Darrell was appointed Principal of Uxbridge College in August 2019, having previously been Vice Principal - Curriculum & Standards at the College since August 2007. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Darrell grew up and was educated at a grammar school in West London. Darrell obtained a BSc Hons from Kings College, London and completed a PhD in Applied Genetics at Birmingham University. Darrell obtained his PGCE from Garnett College, Roehampton University and has considerable experience in the FE sector as a Science lecturer, curriculum and support service manager and senior manager. As nominee, Darrell led Uxbridge College through its 2008 Inspection where it was graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. Darrell chaired the AoC London Quality forum up until July 2019, and through this and previously through other London forums, has been involved in and led a range of London based FE projects and initiatives. Driving high performance has been a critical part of Darrell’s role. The College, now as HCUC and previously as Uxbridge College has enjoyed a strong reputation within the FE sector and is currently ranked first among London GFE for its 16-18 Achievement rates. Darrell is passionate about the role GFE plays in providing access points and pathways to very diverse range of learners in order that they are able to engage and re-engage with the educational process in a way that allows them to thrive and realise their full potential. 

Principal/CEO The Henley College

Satwant Deol is an innovative senior education professional with extensive experience of internal and external strategic relationship building in the Sixth Form, Further and Higher Education sectors. A Computer Scientist by background as well as a devoted Star Trek fan, Satwant has a life-long commitment to encouraging more young women to follow her into engineering, computing and sciences. She is currently the Principal and Chief Executive of The Henley College in Oxfordshire. Since starting there in November 2016, she has pursued a transformational approach to both teaching and learning and the college finances. She turned round a substantial inherited deficit of more than £1.5m to achieve Outstanding financial health and an Ofsted Good rating and has made major strides towards a complete culture change, developing links with major, industry and universities to improve outcomes for all students Having come to the UK with no English and few aspirations, Satwant, is an excellent example of the life-changing effects of education and the right support and guidance. Her professional career began in software development and she went on to become both the first woman to lead an all male development team and the youngest Head of Department at Coventry University. From Higher Education, she moved to the FE sector in London where she developed a reputation for effective change management and for her inclusive, collaborative approach to leadership. As well as working in senior FE leadership roles around quality improvement, innovation, mergers, business and curriculum developments, Satwant has taken part in a series of national policy initiatives. She is a life-long learner with an entrepreneurial approach who, as well as mentoring aspiring leaders has taken up work experience opportunities whenever possible with the most recent being at the Oxford Said Business School. Her commitment to widening participation, equality and diversity is exemplified by her record of accomplishment in colleges where, amongst other initiatives she set up a successful mentoring scheme for under-achieving BAME students. She was an active member of the Black Leadership Initiative designing and delivering on their programmes and coaching managers into senior positions.  

Principal/CEO Basingstoke College of Technology

Principal/CEO Hereward College

Paul is a chemistry graduate and spent his early career in the police service eventually becoming a training officer specialising in conflict resolution. He made the transition to Further Education over twenty years ago and he has served in some of the country’s highest performing colleges as a teacher, advanced teaching practitioner, head of facility and in a variety of senior management roles. During this period, he managed a range of departments including public services, applied science, hospitality and catering, travel and tourism and sustainable and renewable energy. Paul then spent three years working for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) managing the financial and quality recovery of further education providers in the north east of England. As part of this role he piloted the countries first Structure and Prospects Appraisal methodology with a further education college. Over the last eight years he has served as a college principal and chief executive in the north east of England and the West Midlands. Paul has research interests in the effective methods of securing sustainable employment for learners with disabilities and is the director for employment for Natspec, a national membership organisation supporting one hundred specialist and general further education colleges throughout England and Wales. He also served as an Additional Inspector for five years where he inspected both general and specialist further education examining teaching learning and assessment and leadership and management. 

Principal/CEO Central Bedfordshire College

Vice Principal HSDC

Suki Dhesi is Vice Principal at HSDC, an Ofsted Inspector and a member of BFELG. A key driver is to ensure that FE education transforms lives through inclusion and aspiration. 

Managing Director, Further Education and Skills, JISC

Robin is an experienced C-Suite executive serving the FE and Skills sector for over 27 years, a former College CEO, trustee and non-executive director of educational establishments and technology associations. Robin is a Board member of large further education college in London. Robin is the UK Executive lead for Jisc FE and Skills Policy, Engagement and Services. Leading on Jisc’s strategy for building the digital capacity and capability within FE and Skills institutions whilst also leading on the strategic engagement with the DFE, government departments, regional and combined authorities on policy, digital infrastructure planning and investment; plus, the strategic engagement and collaboration with other relevant UK sector agencies and commercial digital suppliers. 

Google for Education UK, National Accounts Manager

CEO, Association of Colleges (AoC)

David Hughes became Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges in September 2016. Before that he was CEO at Learning and Work Institute, a leading think tank, research and policy organisation which was formed in 2016 from a merger he led between NIACE and Inclusion. From 2000 to 2011, David worked in senior roles at the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). At the LSC and SFA David led the funding and improvement relationships with colleges and providers and successfully took on trouble-shooting roles to rescue crises in capital funding and Educational Maintenance Allowances. Prior to that, David worked in the voluntary sector across a wide range of roles and organisations in the UK and Australia, in social housing, co-operatives, welfare, regeneration and community development. David has held many Board and Committee roles, including a few years as Vice-Chair of the East Midlands Regional Assembly in the 1990s. He played a leading role in establishing the new Education and Training Foundation in 2013 and has established and supported several third sector organisations.  

Chief Executive ColegauCymru

Iestyn Davies is the Chief Executive of ColegauCymru, a member-led body representing 13 further education colleges and institutions across Wales. Acting as a collective voice, ColegauCymru raises the profile of further education among key decision-makers in order to improve post-16 educational opportunities. Iestyn leads ColegauCymru to provide a credible and authoritative representational service for colleges, and to assist through strategic level contributions, to deliver their vital contribution to the economic and social needs of Wales. He is keen to ensure that the ambitions and needs of both learners and employers alike are met. A Philosophy Graduate, with an MA in Political Communications, Iestyn’s career has spanned across the business, voluntary and education sectors. He has a keen personal and professional interest in the provision of high-quality learning and skills in Wales and has worked as a Lay Inspector with Estyn. He was also a Governor at both Cardiff Metropolitan University and his local Welsh-medium primary school. 

Business Learning Technologies Manager, City of Wolverhampton College 

Conrad is the Business Learning Technologies Manager at City of Wolverhampton College, where he ensures the college is using the latest technology to support teaching, learning and assessment and effective business processes across all aspects of the institution, he also oversees the digital up-skilling of all staff and students to ensure they can live, learn and work in a digital society. Conrad has over 20 years’ experience in further education in roles such as computing lecturer, teaching and learning advisor and a programmer creating software for accessible screening and assessment tools for dyslexia and dyspraxia. His passion lies in fostering collaborative practice, personal development and creative thinking, and he is deeply passionate about technology and believes that it has the power to influence change.