Board of Trustees
Dean was part of the small team that established REAch2 Academy Trust along with its founder, Sir Steve Lancashire in 2012. Dean also established the business model for the launch of Reach4 Academy in 2015. Dean began his career as a secondary science teacher before taking roles in school management and leadership. He then moved into Local Education Authority leadership as Deputy Director of Education before becoming a Corporate Director of Children’s Services. Dean has held several Trusteeships and Directorships including: Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Youth Justice Board; Chair of the South West Grid for Learning; Chair of the Cornwall Children and Young People’s Partnership; and Chair of the Cornwall Local Safeguarding Children Board. Dean has also led an educational consultancy. Dean has been the Director of Operations for REAch2 and Reach4 Academy Trusts.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 Term to: 27/04/2020 Appointed By: Academy Members
2018/2019 Meeting Attendance: 13/15
Marcus Agius
Lady Penny Marland
Gabby Beaver
Gabby is a senior executive with more than 30 years of experience across a multitude of disciplines including strategic transformation, programme delivery, governance and control, risk and technology. Gabby was the Chief Administrative Officer for Barclay Bank PLC reporting directly to the Group Chief Operating Officer. Gabby role at Barclays was to support the Group COO in the implementation of structural reform and formulation of group strategy. Gabby’s previous roles have included Chief of Staff, Chief Internal Auditor and Global Head of IT, Change and Third Parties Audit at Barclays. Gabby was also Global Audit Manager Asset Management with JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Appointed on: 27/11/2017 Term to: 27/11/2010 Appointed By: GB/Board 2018/2019 Meeting Attendance: 4/6
John Ellison
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 Appointed By: Original Signatory (Members)
Shirley Simon
Board of Trustees
Dean Ashton - CEO
Dean was part of the small team that established REAch2 Academy Trust along with its founder, Sir Steve Lancashire in 2012. Dean also established the business model for the launch of Reach4 Academy in 2015. Dean began his career as a secondary science Teacher before taking roles in school management and leadership. He then moved into Local Education Authority leadership as Deputy Director of Education before becoming a Corporate Director of Children’s Services. Dean has held several Trusteeships and Directorships including: Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Youth Justice Board; Chair of the South West Grid for Learning; Chair of the Cornwall Children and Young People’s Partnership; and Chair of the Cornwall Local Safeguarding Children Board. Dean has also led an educational consultancy. Dean has been the Director of Operations for REAch2 and Reach4 Academy Trusts.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 21/23
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 25/25
Marcus Agius - Chair of Trust Board
Marcus has significant corporate governance experience in the private and public sectors. He was previously Chairman of PA Consulting, Barclays, BAA and Lazards in London. He was the first Senior Independent Director on the Executive Board of The BBC and was the Chairman of the British Bankers Association. He was also Chairman of the Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Marcus is the Chairman of Reach South Academy Trust, and also the Chairman of Exbury Gardens and the Cambridge Plant Initiative. He is a member of the Science Museum Advisory Board.
Appointed on: 30/11/2016 (Reappointed on: 30/11/2020)
Term to: 30/11/2024
Appointed By: GB/Board
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 14/16
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 19/19
Sue Inglish - Vice Chair of Trust Board
Sue was Head of Political Programmes at the BBC and a Member of the BBC News Board. An award winning national journalist, Sue chaired the negotiations between the broadcasters and political parties which resulted in the first Prime Ministerial election debates. Sue is Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee and Member of the Sky News Board.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 (Reappointed on: 27/04/2020)
Term to: 27/04/2024
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 14/14
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 16/18
Dr Chris Gentle - Chair of Finance Sub-Committee
Chris established and led the Research and Policy Team for Europe, Middle East and Africa’ as a Managing Partner at Deloitte. He also led the Deloitte relationship with Bank of America Merrill Lynch through the financial crisis. In addition he has held senior positions at KPMG, WPP and the European Commission. Chris is an advisor at the highest levels of Business and Government. In Government he has advised the UK Prime Minister and the EU President on fashioning strategies to secure stakeholder engagement and secure lasting impact. Chris has also advised the United Nations and World Trade Organisation on jobs and growth. He was a Board Director at a national financial services organisation before his career in Big 4 firms. He is an author of two books he has written for the Financial Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. He teaches at London Business School and Hult International Business School.
Appointed on: 01/10/2016 (Reappointed on 01/10/2020)
Term to: 01/10/2024
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 16/18
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 17/19
Gabby Beaver - Chair of Risk & Audit Sub-Committee
Gabby is a senior Executive with more than 30 years of experience across a multitude of disciplines including strategic transformation, programme delivery, governance and control, risk and technology. Gabby was the Chief Administrative Officer for Barclay Bank PLC reporting directly to the Group Chief Operating Officer (COO). Gabby's role at Barclays was to support the Group COO in the implementation of structural reform and formulation of group strategy. Gabby’s previous roles have included Chief of Staff, Chief Internal Auditor and Global Head of IT, Change and Third Parties Audit at Barclays. Gabby was also Global Audit Manager Asset Management with JP Morgan Chase & Co and Chief Compliance Officer at Citi. Gabby is now Chief Auditor at Citi.
Appointed on: 27/11/2017
Term to: 27/11/2021
Appointed By: GB/Board
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 4/12
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 11/11
Heather Tomlinson - Chair of Education Sub Committee
Heather is an exceptionally experienced educationalist that has operated at the highest levels of the education system. She has experience as Director of Education and Children’s Services in four local authorities - Nottingham, Bristol, Derby (interim) and Brighton & Hove (interim) - and interim strategic leader for educational inclusion in Birmingham, Merton, Southend-on-Sea, Newham and Surrey. A former Director of the South West Grid for Learning and Learning Partnership West, Heather has also led international educational leadership programmes commissioned by DfE.
Appointed on: 01/02/2021
Term to: 01/02/2025
Appointed by: Academy Members
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 8/8
Adrian Gunn - Chair of Human Resources Sub Committee
Adrian is the former CEO for Matchtech Group PLC which he led from 2009 to 2015, including AIM listing in 2006. Adrian was a Fellow of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals; a Council Member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC); a CBI Regional Council Member for the South East; and sat on the CBI's Employment & Skills Board. Adrian is a Non-Executive Director for Harvey Nash Group and Senior Industry Advisor for DBay Advisors.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 (Reappointed on: 27/04/2020)
Term to: 27/04/2024
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 15/18
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 14/16
Alex Crossman
Alexander Crossman is Head Master of The London Academy of Excellence, one of the highest performing academic sixth forms in the United Kingdom.
Alex’s career in education has included being a Deputy Head at a sponsored academy in Brixton, the founding Head of one of London’s most successful free schools and the Chief Executive of an education consulting firm based in the Middle East but operating worldwide. Teaching is Alex’s first calling but his second career. Previously, he was a managing director with global responsibility for strategy at one of the world’s leading investment banks. Alex’s commercial career has involved operating in over 40 countries worldwide.
Alex graduated with a first class honours degree from the University of Oxford and with distinguished higher degrees from the London School of Economics & Political Science and the UCL Institute of Education.
Alex is a Member of the Advisory Board at the Centre for Innovation and Learning at Eton College.
Appointed on: 01/02/2021
Term to: 01/02/2025
Appointed By: Academy Members
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 7/8
Lady Penny Marland
Lady Penny Marland is a former High Sheriff of Wiltshire, 2017-2018. Lady Marland is a practicing Probation Officer. She is also a Trustee of the Chalke Valley History Trust and has been a Governor of three schools.
Appointed on: 25/07/2017 (Reappointed on: 25/07/2021)
Term to: 25/07/2025
Appointed By: GB/Board
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 8/11
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 7/9
Alan Newton
Alan Newton has over 35 years experience with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. His roles within the firm included leadership of the London and Global Finance Practices, membership of the Practice Committee, the global Executive responsible for key investment decisions in the business worldwide and elected membership of the Partnership Council, the global supervisory body having overall strategic responsibility for the firm. His practice involved advising a wide range of public and private sector institutions, banks and companies both in the UK and internationally, including the Bank of England, which he advised on various funding operations for the UK Government and on a number of bank rescues and restructurings during the financial crisis. He is a Governor of the University for the Creative Arts and also sits on its Audit and Risk Committee and a Non-Executive Director of Belmont Green Finance Limited a private equity backed start-up mortgage lender.
Appointed on: 25/07/2017 (Reappointed on: 25/07/2021)
Term to: 25/07/2025
Appointed By: GB/Board
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 13/15
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 12/16
Mark Papworth
Mark is currently a Non-Executive Director of Reliance Precision Limited and Director of CCP Limited. He is an experienced Executive who has worked as a CEO on both PLC and Private Boards operating in the Energy Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Aerospace and Defence markets. During his career he has worked for a number of companies including Rolls-Royce, Wood Group, Alstom and Chemring.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 (Reappointed on: 27/04/2020)
Term to: 27/04/2024
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 9/14
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 13/18
Anne Stevens
Anne is an award winning, commercial MBA who has operated in leading multi-national companies. Recognised for outstanding leadership in delivering the people agenda in line with business strategy and the nurturing and developing of talent with a passion for the progression and advancement of women. Anne is now building a portfolio career using her strong business, consulting and governance skills. Experienced as a Chair and a Director at Board level. She is a winner of a 'Global Inspirational Woman' award at the Women’s International Networking Conference in Rome. Anne has held global, international and national HR Executive roles within IBM, CSC, NCH, CMC Markets & Rio Tinto. Anne is currently a HR Consultant, Executive Coach and Business Adviser.
Appointed on: 27/04/2016 (Reappointed on: 27/04/2020)
Term to: 27/04/2024
Appointed By: Academy Members
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 12/15
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 14/16
Bronwen Lacey - Advisor (Resigned)
Bronwen has forty years of experience in education leadership and governance. She has experience as a Board Executive and Non-Executive. Bronwen was the founding Director of Education for Plymouth City Council and later its Director of Children’s Services. A former Director and Chair of the South West Grid for Learning and the lead for the Sector Led Improvement Programme for the South West. She currently acts as a coach and mentor for education Chief Officers around the country, commissioned by the DfE and ‘Virtual Staff College’.
Appointed on: 01/08/2017
Term to: 01/08/2021
Stepped down as Trustee: 31/01/2021
Appointed By: Academy Members
Stepped down as an Advisor: 08/07/2021
2019/2020 Meeting Attendance: 16/19
2020/2021 Meeting Attendance: 10/10