TRUSTEES

Mr Michael Brinkley – Chair of Trust

Michael was appointed as Chair of the Trust in December 2022.  He sits on the Finance , ARC and Performance committees.

Michael is a Programme Director for a national rail infrastructure company specialising in business strategy and transformation.  Michael has a passion for pupil achievement and school performance and brings a wide range of skills and experience from a career in both large private and public sector organisations.  He is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Mr Paul Watson – Chief Executive Officer

Paul led Preston Hedge’s Primary School to outstanding in all areas in 2014 and has previously supported school improvement as an NLE. He is currently enrolled on NIoT’s System Leader Development Programme.  As CEO he has led the establishment of the Preston Hedge’s Trust and its growth between 2017 and 2021 from one to five schools, successfully bidding for two new primary schools in Northamptonshire.  He understands how to grow and turnround schools, shape teams and deliver high outcomes for children.

He currently is a member of Challenge Partners Education Advisory Group and CEO Network.

Professor Jane Murray – Vice Chair

Professor Jane Murray is currently Vice-Chair for the Trust, and she sits on the Performance Committee and supports the work of the Culture, Values and Wellbeing group. Jane has longstanding experience in governor, trustee and advisory roles for education and arts organisations, and she holds qualifications as a teacher and school leader.

Jane works as Professor of Education at the University of Northampton, where she has led Qualified Teacher Status and Education Master’s programmes, and currently co-leads the Centre for Education and Research. In that role, Jane combines teaching, research and consultancy, supervising PhD students, conducting research for schools, national and global organisations, and advising NGOs and governments on education matters. Jane has published extensively in the field of education and she is Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Early Years Education. Before her career in higher education, Jane worked as a primary and early years teacher

Mr Paul Dawes – Trustee

Paul joined the Trust board in 2021 and is keen to play an active part in the running and future growth of the trust.  Paul is currently a Trustee sitting on the Finance Committee.

He is a Senior Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years’ experience providing advice to directors and senior managers, specialising in tax and investment planning. This background will enable him to provide guidance and opinion to ensure we make the best use of the resources available.

Mr Lee Gentry – Trustee

Lee is currently a Trustee sitting on the ARC Committee and has experience as a governor responsible for SEND in schools.

Lee is a Chartered Civil Engineer, Chartered Structural Engineer and Party Wall Surveyor.  He is a director of a limited company offering building consultancy services, which is currently based in Northampton.

Mr David Hughes – Trustee

David is currently a Trustee sitting on the Finance Committee.

David is a Chartered Accountant and has had a variety of financial and commercial roles and experiences across Financial Services and the Automotive industry, including defining and implementing business strategy, and providing financial and operational consultancy.  In his current role he is responsible for overseeing the financial performance of a global network of independent business partners.

Mr David Nyamatore – Trustee

David is Chair and Responsible Office for the ARC Committee to help drive the audit readiness agenda for Preston Hedges Trust.

Currently, David works as an Associate Solicitor at Dentons law firm. Prior to this David has gained valuable experience working in various commercial and governance roles within the financial services sector.

Mrs Sharon Smith – Trustee

Sharon is a Senior Lecturer in Early Years at The University of Northampton. She is a  registered nurse and health visitor with over twenty years of experience in family and community practice.  Sharon is currently an early year’s academic adviser for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)  ‘A Fit and Healthy Childhood’. She has had extensive experience in school governance at secondary and primary levels, including previous Chair of Governors at Preston Hedges for 7 years.  Sharon is currently a Trustee sitting on the ARC and Performance Committee

Mr Stevyn Andrew – Trustee

Stevyn’s current role see him led a wealth digital investment team, working on full end to end customer journeys. He is an experienced marketing manager, specialising in wealth retail banking, and focused on delivering a compelling and convenient customer journey, through which ever media the customer interacts with.

He has previously been a governor and Chair of Governors.  Stevyn is a currently a Trustee sitting on the ARC and Performance Committee.

Mrs Sharanniya Balakrishnan

Sharanniya is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant and a first class graduate from Staffordshire University with a degree in Corporate Finance. She is currently the Head of Commercial Finance in a global cosmetics company with 14 years of financial management experience. Her current role includes implementing and leading the adoption of model driven frameworks for strategic goal setting, financial risk assessment and performance tracking. She has held various roles across finance functions, working with multiple markets and diverse cultures.  Sharanniya is currently a Trustee sitting on the ARC Committee and is Chair of the Finance committee.