Speakers

John is an experienced senior leader who has been involved with London South East Academies Trust since its inception, having worked with Dr Sam Parrett to establish the Trust in 2013. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and began his accountancy career in manufacturing before spending ten years working in forensic accounting.

He moved into senior finance roles within the education sector in 2007 and also spent five years working as a part-time lecturer at a Further Education college. Having helped set up London and South East Academies Trust in 2013, John has worked tirelessly to support its growth and success. The Trust now consists of 15 schools across Bromley, Bexley, East Sussex, Lambeth and Surrey.

Through this work, John has developed considerable knowledge and experience as a senior leader in both the Further Education and Academies sectors. He has an excellent track recordand a wealth of experience, including leading through periods of change, implementing significant business and financial improvements, and ensuring strong financial stewardship, governance, and Academy transfers.

In 2022, John was appointed by the FE Commissioner as one of two National Leaders of Further Education – Finance Specialist. In this role, he works with the FE Commissioner’s team to support a range of further education providers nationally.

In addition to being responsible for all matters relating to financial strategy, financial performance, and risk management, John is also responsible for capital projects, with projects in excess of £60m currently in the build phase.  Moreover, John oversees the Deputy CEO directorate, which includes a wide range of business support services covering Finance, Health and Safety, IT, Management Information Services, HR, Payroll, Marketing, and Estates.  This includes delivering the Estates, IT, and Sustainability strategies for both the Academy Trust and the College.