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Trustees

Angela O'Brien (Chair)
 

Date of appointment:

1 September 2022

Term of office:

Until 31 August 2026

Appointed by: Members

Angela O'Brien OBE is the Managing Director - Macdonald Associates Consultancy (‘MAC’) and Systems Leadership Community Interest Company (‘SLCIC’), a global consultancy group helping organisations create the conditions where people willingly give of their best through the application of systems leadership theory.

Prior to this, Angela was the Director of Primary Education at the Spencer Academies Trust for 8 years, where she transformed failing schools, built new schools and improved established ones. She developed a collaborative approach across schools which resulted in significant improvements for pupils, a culture of innovation and development of new effective leaders. Many of the 18 primary schools in the trust serve disadvantaged communities including Wyndham Primary Academy, an outstanding school which has been awarded EEF Research School status and is one of the 25 schools nationally across the UK that now works to support other schools.

Angela took Wyndham from a bottom 200 school in the country to 'outstanding' in three years through transforming the culture to one that places a shared vision and systems leadership at the heart of everything.

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a

Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 18 September 2024

John Jex (Vice Chair) 

Date of appointment: 22 June 2020
Term of office: Until 21 June 2028
Appointed by:  Members

John Jex is a Sheffield-based management consultant and the current Chair of the Chemical & Industrial Consultants Association. He previously held senior general management and commercial roles in the chemical industry. He has managed large teams and has extensive international experience, living for many years in the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. After returning to Sheffield in 2019, he established a consulting business, advising chemical manufacturers on strategy development and execution, while also supporting companies in the chemical industry with executive recruitment and team development. John is active with Sheffield-based theatre company Tudor Players, in on- and off-stage roles.

Business or pecuniary interests
Name of business: Jex Business Services Limited
Nature of business: Consulting
Nature of interest: Owner and Director
Date of appointment or acquisition: 18 May 2020
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 5 September 2024
Name of business:  Chemical & Industrial Consultants Association (CICA)
Nature of business: Trade Association
Nature of interest: Committee Member
Date of appointment or acquisition: 12 April 2023
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry:

5 September 2024

Name of business:  Chemical Search International Ltd
Nature of business: Executive Recruitment in Chemical Industry
Nature of interest: Freelance Consultant
Date of appointment or acquisition: 1 March 2021
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry:

5 September 2024

Name of business:  Cowmouth Farm Estate Management Company Ltd
Nature of business: Residents Property Management Company
Nature of interest: Director
Date of appointment or acquisition: 30 May 2023
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry:

5 September 2024

Name of business: Chemical & Industrial Consultants Association (CICA)
Nature of business: Trade Association 
Nature of interest: Chair
Date of appointment or acquisition: 9 February 2024
Name of business:  Wide Impact Professional & Management Development Training L.L.C.
Nature of business: Management Training & Coaching
Nature of interest:  Freelance Management Trainer & Coach 
Date of appointment or acquisition: 4 September 2024 

Yejide Adewakun
 

Date of appointment:

24 December 2023

Term of office:

Until 23 December 2027

Appointed by:  Members

Details to follow 

 

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a

Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 11 September 2024

David Butcher
 

Date of appointment:

1 September 2024

Term of office:

31 August 2028

Appointed by:  Members

David Butcher

Details to follow 

 

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

Cambridge Assessment

Nature of business:

Education

Nature of interest:

Chief Examiner

Date of appointment or acquisition: 9 September 1995
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 5 September 2024

Chris Fox
 

Date of appointment: 22 June 2020
Term of office: Until 21 June 2028
Appointed by:  Members

Chris Fox is Professor of Evaluation and Policy Analysis at Manchester Metropolitan University where he is also Director of Research in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, providing strategic research leadership to approximately 350 researchers working across the arts, humanities and social sciences. Chris’s own research focuses on public service reform. He is particularly interested in how people can co-create the services they use, how to build strengths-based services and how to evaluate their effectiveness.

Business or pecuniary interests
Name of business: Manchester Metropolitan University
Nature of business: Higher Education
Nature of interest: Employee
Date of appointment or acquisition: September 2007
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 5 September 2024

Aniko Pike 
 

Date of appointment:

19 July 2024 

Term of office:

18 July 2028
Appointed by:  Members

Aniko Pike

Details to follow 

 

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a

Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: TBA

David Owen 

Date of appointment: 13 December 2019
Term of office: Until 12 December 2027
Appointed by:  Members

David Owen is an emeritus professor of education and former primary and secondary teacher. He was head of department in the Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University from 2014 to 2023, leading initial teacher training, education and childhood courses. He has specialised in geography education, teacher development, digital learning and developing successful education partnerships, and has written and presented to national and international audiences on these areas. David is committed to working collaboratively across the education sector to improve outcomes for all school students. He has chaired national Department for Education initial teacher training groups, as well as working as a member, governor and trustee for other regional multi-academy trusts, schools and colleges.

Business or pecuniary interests
Name of business: Wickersley Partnership Trust
Nature of business: MAT Board
Nature of interest: Director
Date of appointment or acquisition: 1 September 2020
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 8 September 2024
Name of Business: Exchange Teacher Training: Delta Multi Academy Trust
Nature of business:  Teacher Training/ITT Provider
Nature of interest: Member of the Strategic Board 
Date of appointment or acquisition: 1 October 2024
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 8 September 2024

Marie Prenton
 

Date of appointment:

24 December 2023

Term of office:

Until 23 December 2027

Appointed by: Members

Born in Africa, Marie Prenton benefited from a solid primary and secondary education that shaped her life profoundly. She strongly believes in the transformative power of education. She is a University of Sheffield alumna, excelling as an accountant across diverse industries around the UK.

Currently serving as a finance business partner in an engineering company, she also proudly contributes as a trustee for Chorus Education Trust, driven by a lifelong commitment to advocate for the underprivileged. Her passion is making a meaningful impact and building a brighter future for generations ahead.

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a
Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 8 September 2024

Tony Saunders 

Date of appointment: 1 September 2021
Term of office: Until 31 August 2025
Appointed by:  Members

Tony Saunders has a degree in economic and social studies from the University of Manchester. He is a chartered accountant (FCA) and worked in practice in Sheffield before moving into industry where he was the Finance Director at a multi-site logistics company.

After joining St Luke's Hospice in 2010 he has held a number of different roles covering all aspects of commercial and non-clinical operations and is currently the Director of Finance and Chief Operating Officer. Tony has extensive non-executive experience with a number of charities and has been the treasurer of the Sheffield and District Society of Chartered Accountants.

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

St Luke's Hospice

Nature of business:

Hospice

Nature of interest:

Employee

Date of appointment or acquisition:

6 December 2010

Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date returned: 5 September 2024

Steve (Howard Stephen) Shaw 

Date of appointment: 7 November 2017
Term of office: Until 6 November 2025
Appointed by:  Members

Image of Chorus Trust trusteeSteve Shaw is a retired chartered accountant and an experienced finance director/senior finance manager who has worked for UK and international multi-site, manufacturing businesses and a large international law practice.

Steve is experienced in managing reporting and controlling, and a key player in the development and implementation of strategic plans and budgets. He also gained mergers and acquisitions experience with acquisitions, disposals and business restructuring.

More recently, he developed and improved the accounting and control processes at an international law firm and was involved in a significant change management project to move processes to a shared service centre in Poland. Well motivated, Steve is a strong team player with excellent communication and management skills and a high level of integrity.

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a

Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date returned:  2 October 2024

Nicola Shearstone
 

Date of appointment:

1 September 2022

Term of office:

Until 31 August 2026

Appointed by:  Members

Details to follow 

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

n/a

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a
Date of appointment or acquisition: n/a
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 5 September 2024

Zoe Sullivan
 

Date of appointment:

28 February 2020

Term of office:

Until 27 February 2024

Appointed by: Members

Dr Zoe Sullivan works in policy and operational delivery in the Department for Education. Before joining the civil service, she held positions in executive search and academia. Zoe holds a BA and MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford. 

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

Department for Education 

Nature of business:

Government Department

Nature of interest:

Employee

Date of appointment or acquisition: 13 May 2019
Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date of entry: 26 September 2024

 

Trustee committee attendance

You can view full details of Trustees' attendance at committee in this summary document.

 

Trustees resigned or term of office expired in the last year

Jennifer Carlring-Wright 

Date of appointment:

4 May 2016

Term of office:

Until 3 May 2024

Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

Sheffield Hallam University

Nature of business:

University

Nature of interest:

Employee

Date of appointment or acquisition: 23 November 2020
Date of cessation of interest: n/a

Date returned:

31 August 2023

Name of business:

Edwood Joinery Ltd

Nature of business:

Kitchen installation and joinery

Nature of interest:

Shareholder and husband is Director since 2003

Date of appointment or acquisition: 01 January 2016
Date of cessation of interest: n/a

Date returned:

31 August 2023

Kevin James 

Date of appointment: 7 November 2017
Term of office: Until 6 November 2025
Resigned: 16 February 2024
Business or pecuniary interests

Name of business:

Nil

Nature of business:

n/a

Nature of interest:

n/a

Date of appointment or acquisition:

n/a

Date of cessation of interest: n/a
Date returned: 25 September 2022