Dr Jim McAtear has been appointed as Chair of Trustees, having previously served as Honorary Treasurer. Jim brings extensive experience in education and leadership, including his role as CEO of the Hartismere Family of Schools, where he led Hartismere to become the first Academy in the country and achieve consistent “Outstanding” Ofsted ratings, and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. Jim’s leadership and wealth of experience will serve ESB International well in the coming years. 

We extend our sincere thanks to Sami Mirza, who has completed his term as Chair. His leadership has been hugely valued, and as he is stepping down as a Trustee after our October Board Meeting we would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the Board of Trustees. 

We are also pleased to confirm that Jason Vit has been appointed as our new Vice Chair of Trustees. Jason has built his career in the educational charity sector, focusing on communication and literacy. He now leads a nationwide network of literacy programmes through the National Literacy Trust. His experience in improving social mobility through literacy is closely aligned with ESB International’s values.  

We would like to thank Frances Richardson, for her term as Vice Chair. Frances remains on the Board, continuing to share her wide-ranging expertise in strategic planning and leadership gained through her senior roles at RoSPA and her work in the arts. 

Damian Low has resumed Dr Jim McAtear’s former responsibilities as Honorary Treasurer. Damian is a strategy consultant who has advised global organisations such as Meta, Netflix, Shell, and Google. Damian’s strategic thinking is a great asset to the Board. 

We bid farewell to Simren Priestley, who has stepped down from the Board. We are very grateful for the time and energy she dedicated to ESB International during her tenure as Trustee and wish her every success in the future. 

Finally, we are delighted to welcome Edward May as the newest member of our Board of Trustees. Edward co-founded the Community Academies Trust and has held senior leadership positions across both primary and secondary education. He has also contributed to national educational initiatives, written for leading publications, and currently runs his own education consultancy while supporting a number of education charities. His expertise and passion for education will be an excellent addition to the Board.