Our Board of Governors
The Royal Russell Board of Governors has oversight of strategic direction, maintenance of standards, legal and regulatory compliance and ensures the control of the School's finances.
We are fortunate to have the support of a well qualified Governing Body, chaired by Mr Andrew Merriman. Each governor gives their time, expertise and unique perspective to all matters regarding the effective running and development of the School. Board and Committee meetings are held three times a year.
The Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee oversees the recruitment of the Senior Management Team and consider the long term strategy of the School. The Education and Welfare Committee and the Finance and Estates Committee oversee the implementation of policies and make recommendations in their respective areas of responsibility.
Parents can contact our Governors by email at: clerktogovernors@royalrussell.co.uk or by telephone on 020 8657 4433.
What our Inspection Report says:
'The quality of Governance is excellent.
The Governing Body provides excellent oversight of the educational direction of the School as a whole in line with its aims. Nominated Governors take a special interest in particular areas of the School, including safeguarding and child protection, health and safety and boarding.
Governors collaborate highly effectively with senior leaders to formulate a strategic plan, which is continuously monitored and evaluated.
The Governors have developed a highly effective system which enables them to have an excellent insight into the way the School operates. They make regular visits to boarding houses, to lessons, and to meet informally pupils and staff.
Communication with senior leaders in the School is excellent, and the annual review of achievements and targets, along with the formal arrangements for appraisal, provide highly effective support, stimulus and challenge.'
Independent Schools Inspectorate Report
Andrew Merriman
Chair of Governors
Joined our Board of Governors in June 2005.
Andrew is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee, Finance and Estates Committee and Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee.
He studied at Tonbridge School and then read Economics at Exeter University.
Andrew qualified as a Chartered Accountant and has since held the CFO role at Alfred Dunhill, Thomas Pink, Sweaty Betty and Anya Hindmarch.
As a Governor, he aims to contribute particularly in finance, risk control and tax.
James Penny
Vice Chair of Governors
Joined our Board of Governors in November 2007.
James is Chair of the Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee and is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee and the Education and Welfare Committee.
James is Managing Director and Head of UK International at Barclays Private Bank. He is a Chartered Banker and a Fellow of the Securities Institute.
James' association with Royal Russell goes back to 1999 when one of his children became a pupil here.
Professor Ali Ansari
Joined our Board of Governors in April 2019.
Ali is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee.
He is Professor and Director of the Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews.
Ali is professor of Iranian history and founding director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, as well as Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2016. He is the author of numerous books, including The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Iran.
Ali is an Old Russellian.
Olivia Bedell-Pearce
Joined our Board of Governors in December 2022.
Olivia is a member of the Education and Welfare committee and joined the Board due to the merger of St David's School and Royal Russell School. She is a trained lawyer working as in-house Counsel for a London-based firm.
Olivia is an ex-student of St David's School.
Nicholas Cobill
Joined our Board of Governors in March 2018.
Nicholas is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee.
Nicholas is a Barrister specialising in commercial litigation. He deals with high value commercial litigation arising from breaches of contract and professional negligence, acting for clients in the UK and overseas, including multinationals and high net worth individuals. His clients include banks, airlines, utility providers, insurers, manufacturers, franchises and UK and foreign government departments.
Nicholas has been involved with the governance of organisations in the third sector for over twenty years. He is a trustee and legal adviser to charities providing education, social mobility, health and counselling services in the UK and overseas.
Peter Dawson
Joined our Board of Governors in June 2020.
Peter is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee. He has previous experience as a Bursar in the independent sector.
Originally qualifying as an accountant, Peter has spent the majority of his career in a wide variety of commercial roles, with experience in finance, marketing and strategy development through to operational management within the consumer electronics industry.
Dr Agnelo Fernandes MBE
Joined our Board of Governors in October 2006.
Dr Fernandes is Chair of the Education and Welfare Committee. He is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee and the Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee.
Dr Fernandes has been an NHS doctor for over 36 years and has been a local GP for over three decades. As an educator, he has been involved in teaching and training as a GP Trainer and a Post-graduate Educational Supervisor. He has held a number of senior leadership roles, chairing a number of NHS related Boards and Committees in Croydon, London and nationally. Dr Fernandes was awarded the MBE for services to medicine and healthcare in 2004.
Dr Fernandes is a former Royal Russell parent.
Michelle Grant
Joined our Board of Governors in December 2022.
Michelle is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee and joined the Board due to the merger of St David's School and Royal Russell School. Michelle has a background in Human Resources.
Michelle is a former St David's School parent.
Cecile Halliday
Joined our Board of Governors in October 2022.
Cecile is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee. She is currently Head of Junior School, Northwood College for Girls; she previously worked on the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) Steering Group as a Trust consultant. She sits on the GDST Undivided Equality Diversity and Inclusion forum and is a member of the Independent Schools Council Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group. In her varied experience in the independent sector, Cecile has worked in Prep school, co-ed and single sex settings across London.
Cecile is a former parent and has worked closely with Royal Russell in the past.
Lisa Jessup
Joined our Board of Governors in August 2012.
Lisa is a member of the Estates Sub-Committee.
Lisa is Director Group Support Services for an international marine fuels reseller business, based in Dubai UAE. Lisa has international senior executive experience in leadership, HR and performance management, IT and communications, sales and marketing, project management, and corporate secretarial.
Lisa embraces challenges and enjoys opportunities to champion and advocate diversity, inclusion and redeployment as a director, mentor and team player. Her focus is to make a difference and make things happen.
Lisa is a former Royal Russell parent.
James Lacey
Joined our Board of Governors in March 2015.
James is the Chair of the Finance and Estates Committee, is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee and a member of Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee as well as being a member of the Estates Sub-Committee.
James is the Regional Managing Partner at Vail Williams, London. He is a Chartered Member of the Town Planning Institute with 16 years' experience.
James is a former Royal Russell pupil and remains actively involved with our Combined Cadet Force as Head of the Army Section. He is married and lives in Guildford.
Andrew Lorie
Joined our Board of Governors in September 2016.
Andrew is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee and the Finance and Estates Committee.
Andrew has been a barrister for over 25 years and specialises in all aspects of family law. His association with the School goes back to 1977 when he joined the School as a pupil and continues today as the parent of an Old Russellian.
His association with the School goes back to 1977 when he joined the School as a pupil and is also a former parent.
Sir Philip Moor
Joined our Board of Governors in July 2009.
Sir Philip is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee, a member of the Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee, and a member of the Education and Welfare Committee.
Sir Philip is a High Court Judge assigned to the Family Division. He was previously the Family Division Liaison Judge for Wales and then for the South East of England. He was chair of the High Court Judges' Association. Before becoming a judge, he was a barrister and KC specialising in family law. Sir Philip is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford.
Sir Philip is a former Royal Russell parent and both his daughters attended the School.
Nicola Rabson
Joined our Board of Governors in July 2022.
Nicola is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee.
She is partner in the Employment and Incentives group at London law firm, Linklaters LLP. With 25 years’ experience, Nicola is a very well-known figure in the employment world across the breadth of employment law.
Nicola is a firm believer in the importance of diversity and inclusion and regularly speaks at events. She is cited in the press on areas that focus on people management, culture, leadership, whistleblowing and diversity. Nicola is also a CEDR accredited mediator.
Nicola is a former Royal Russell parent.
Andrew Roach-Bowler
Joined our Board of Governors in December 2019.
Andy is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee and Chair of the Estates Sub-committee. He is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with experience in the delivery of complex infrastructure programmes and holds a BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying and an LLB (Hons) from the University of London.
Andy is a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.
Andy is a former Royal Russell parent.
Jennifer Smith
Joined our Board of Governors in December 2019.
Jennifer is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee, the Strategy, Appointments and Remuneration Committee and has specific responsibility as the Staff Liaison Governor.
Jennifer is CEO of the Girls’ Learning Trust and brings to the Board over 35 years of experience in education across a range of sectors.
She began her teaching career in Glasgow comprehensive schools. Since then, she has been Head of English at Rosebery School in Epsom and at Wallington County Grammar. She was then Deputy Head for ten years at Wilsons School in Sutton and, most recently, spent seven years as Head of Brighton Girls’ School, GDST.
Shirley Thompson
Joined our Board of Governors in December 2022.
Shirley is a member of the Education and Welfare Committee and joined the Board due to the merger of St David's School and Royal Russell School. Previously the Chair of the St David's Board, Shirley has a background in personal taxation with a firm of Chartered Accountants.
Shirley is a former St David's School parent.