Governors

City Lit's governing body has up to 21 members, with skills and expertise in a wide range of professions. Governors are responsible for determining the educational character and mission of City Lit and for monitoring quality and performance. They oversee the college's activities, including the effective and efficient use of resources, and ensure the safeguarding of its assets. Governors also act as trustees and company directors.

Governor biographies
 
Annita Bennett
Business Governor
Area of Expertise: corporate communications, public affairs, human resources and advertising.

Annita is founding partner and Chair of Taylor Bennett, an independent search firm specialising in communications assignments, actively advising on senior assignments, working closely with clients, consultants and researchers. She has worked for Unilever, as part of their recruitment team and corporate communications. She was also HR director for the advertising agency SSC&B Lintas. Annita is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a trustee of Independent Opera and a member of the national board of the Maggie’s Centres.


Professor Maurice Biriotti 
Business Governor 
Area of expertise: innovation and knowledge transformation 
 
Maurice is the founder, director and CEO of SHM, an international consultancy company that specialises in combining approaches from the humanities and social sciences to a range of strategic questions for prestigious organisations, including FTSE 100 companies. He advises boards on consumer understanding, cultural change and the improvement of products and services. 
 
My course choice would be: Literary Arabic
 
Ian Chapman 
Business Governor 
Area of expertise: accountancy 
 
Ian is a self-employed qualified accountant with an MBA. He has worked for prestigious companies such as the Society of British Aerospace Companies, the SCi Entertainment Group, Bride Hall Group and Cendant UK. Prior to becoming a governor, he worked at City Lit for 8 months as Interim Finance Director. 
 
My course choice would be: Maritime archaeology
 
Peter Davies 
Principal and Chief Executive 
Area of expertise: strategic planning
 
Peter joined City Lit in 2004 after a 25-year career with the Royal Navy, where he was Chief Executive of the Navy Recruiting and Training Agency. The training covered a wide spectrum, from basic skills and modern apprenticeships through to foundation degrees and an MSc programme.
 
Christopher Galleymore 
Business Governor 
Area of expertise: investment management
 
Christopher is a Non-Executive Director of JP Morgan US Discovery Trust. He has previously held senior positions at Henderson Global Investors, Wardley Investment Services International, Geoffrey Morley and Partners Ltd, Phillips and Drew and Slater Walker/Britannia Arrow. Christopher is also a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.
 
My course choice would be: Italian and French
 
Kevin Geeson 
Co-opted Governor 
Area of expertise: accountancy
 
Kevin is Director of Finance and Resources at the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Previous positions have included Head of Corporate Finance, Metropolitan Police Service; Vice Principal (Finance and Resources) Guildford College of Further and Higher Education; and Assistant Director of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. He has also worked as a management consultant and holds the MBA and FCCA qualifications.

Duncan Greenland
Local Authority Governor
Area of Expertise: local authorities, audit and resources.

Duncan is a Camden Councillor and represents the Liberal Democrat Party for West Hampstead Ward. He sits on various committees including the Standards Committee and chairs the Audit Committee and the General Purposes Committee. Duncan also holds the financial officer post on the Liberal Democrat Party’s Federal Executive. He is the Chair of the Yehudi Menuhin Competition Trust for Young Violinists.

Anne Harrison
Student Governor
 
Peter Hay 
Co-opted Governor 
Area of expertise: human resources/strategic planning
 
Peter now works as a consultant following a career that has included positions as Director of Strategic Development at Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust; Director of Contracts and Marketing for the same trust; Assistant Director for Planning and Performance, North West Regional Health Authority and NHS Liaison Manager for the London Borough of Ealing. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
 
Bertie Leigh 
Co-opted Governor 
Area of expertise: law
 
Bertie is a Senior Partner at Hempsons solicitors and a Lead Partner in medical law, acting for health authorities, trusts and numerous professional bodies. He has specific expertise in risk management and clinical negligence. He also has an interest in the law relating to solicitors and has worked for and against colleagues under fire.
 
Marco Macchitella 
Staff Governor 
Area of expertise: education and management 
 
Marco is Head of Faculty for Humanities and Languages at City Lit and a part-time Ofsted inspector with over 20 years experience in the sector both in Italy and the UK. He has also worked as an educational consultant for colleges and national organisations in England and is a member of the Chartered Management Institute. 
 
My course choice would be: Classical guitar
 
Tim Mitchell
Governor

Maureen Ndagire
Governor
 
Janet Obi-Keller
Staff governor
Janet is Head of Music at City Lit, and was elected as staff governor in October 2008. She trained at the Conservatoire of Music in Marseille, France, and later gained a Post-Graduate Diploma in piano accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. More recently she gained a Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Surrey, Roehampton. Janet has worked at City Lit since March 2001.  

Henrika Priest
Governor

Joanna Reynolds
Business Governor
Area of Expertise: Direct Marketing and Publishing, business strategy, team building, change management.

Joanna is the Founder and MD of ReynoldsBusby Lee, a business consultancy specialising in advice on change management, publishing and pan-Euro direct marketing. Her previous roles include the CEO Europe for IMP (International Masters Publishing) MD Europe for Time Life International, Marketing Director of the Consumers’ Association, and Vice President Europe for HCI Direct, a direct marketing company. She is a trustee of the One World Trust.

Bill Stokoe 
Governor 
Area of expertise: investor relations/financial markets 
 
Bill is a Partner at Ansdell Associates, a Moscow-based financial PR & IR consultancy. Previous roles include senior posts at Shared Value, Brunswick Group, The Bank of New York, and NatWest Bank. He is a non-executive director of the Learning & Skills Network Ltd, and served on the Foster Review Advisory Group in 2005. He was Chairman of Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College Corporation, 1991-2004. Chairman of Abbot's Hospital Trust, Guildford.

John Stone
Governor representing the interests of adult education
Area of expertise: adult education

John Stone is currently Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Network.
At LSN he leads an organisation which undertakes development, staff training and research into Learning and Skills. Prior to this appointment John was Principal of Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College. He was also Vice-Chairman of JISC, Chair of the Association of Colleges London Region and a Board Observer at the London Development Agency.
 
Carole Stott 
Chair of Governors 
Area of expertise: adult education
 
Carole is Director of Credit Works, which provides research, development and consultancy for the learning and skills sector in the UK and internationally. She has over 20 years experience in education, spanning schools, further, higher and adult education, and was formerly the first Chief Executive of the National Open College Network. Carole is a committee member for NIACE (the adult learning organisation) and a trustee of the Helena Kennedy Foundation. 
 
Andrew Weale
Student governor

Andrew studied classics at Oxford University, later attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He more recently gained a qualification in teaching English to speakers of other languages. He has worked as an actor, writer and opera singer, and was elected student governor in October 2008.

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