The people who steer the group.

An Abingdon alumnus, James read law at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, obtained his Legal Practice Diploma at Nottingham Law School and undertook his legal training contract at Linklaters where he qualified as a solicitor. After several years advising corporate clients at Linklaters, James went on to hold General Counsel roles at online takeaway company Just Eat plc and AI cyber security firm Darktrace plc. James is currently General Counsel at MUBI, the global streaming service, production company and film distributor. James also served as a trustee of The Aldridge Foundation education charity for over ten years until January 2025. He was appointed Chair of Governors of the Abingdon Foundation in August 2025. He and his wife Lucie live near Abingdon and have a daughter and a son, at St Helen & St Katharine and Abingdon Prep School respectively. He can be contacted at the school via heads.pa@abingdon.org.uk.

Mark is an Oxford educated lawyer with three boys at Abingdon. He has advised Education Ministries and worked across Governments to enhance the provision of high quality education for all. He has sat on the Governing Boards of three of the Middle East's leading schools, and currently Chairs a global human rights charity. Mark is committed to every child being able to fulfil their potential, irrespective of means and is a member of the Advisory Council to one of Oxford's most progressive colleges. Mark is also a visiting fellow at Oxford University and a visiting Professor at the Shanghai University for Political Science and Law.

Born in Norfolk, Peter was educated at Beeston Hall and Rugby School, going on to Pembroke College Cambridge where he graduated with a degree in Applied Biology. In 1984 he joined Coats Patons plc as a graduate trainee where he worked in a range of managerial roles in South America, South East Asia and Australia, meeting his wife Ruth whilst living in Tasmania. In 2005 he was promoted to the Executive Board of Coats plc before moving to China to lead a number of businesses there. Peter returned with his family to the UK and continued to work in the manufacturing industry with Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson Matthey plc and Rotork plc. He is also former Chair of Governors at The Manor Prep School. Peter is married with three grown up children, all of whom were educated at local schools including The Manor, St Helen & St Katherine and Abingdon. He enjoys hill walking, flyfishing, rugby, rowing and lacrosse as well as travelling with his family back to Tasmania.

Mike is a chartered accountant, with a career working for international and regional accounting firms. He was a partner at accountants and business advisers James Cowper Kreston from 1995 to 2022. He is a director of a luxury country house hotel, Lucknam Park. Mike has substantial expertise in accounting and advisory work, with a specialism in charities and education, advising on risk, governance and financial matters. As well as Abingdon School, he has significant experience as a trustee or adviser to a number of other charities. He is a current trustee of Greenham Trust. An economics graduate of St John’s College Cambridge, Mike has two sons who were both educated at Abingdon. Mike’s off-duty interests include golf, sport, current affairs, walking and travel.

Thomas read Physics at the University of Bristol and then served as an Officer in the Royal Navy, before embarking on a career in teaching. He spent ten years teaching at Abingdon, during which time he became a Head of House and Head of Boarding, responsible for child protection. He went on to become Head of Pangbourne College, a position he held for nineteen years. He has also served as a governor of four prep and senior schools, most recently as Chair of the Education Committee of Christ's Hospital. Thomas is on the Committee of the National Schools' Regatta and a trustee of the Titus Trust. Interests include rowing, walking, music and painting. Having now moved back to Abingdon, he is exploring opportunities in Christian ministry.

Henrietta read History at St Andrews and went on to teach almost every age range, from Year 1 to A Level, specialising mainly in History and English. She has taught in both the maintained and independent sectors, as well as overseas in Argentina and Italy, teaching IGCSEs and the IB. Henrietta is a Mercer, currently a Governor of an academy in Walsall and is also a trustee in a small charity supporting young people struggling with schooling in Cheltenham. Although retired, she still loves teaching online - mainly GCSE - to young people who are unable to go to school.

Nick is an Emeritus Fellow of both Pembroke College and St Cross College, Oxford. After reading Botany as an undergraduate at Pembroke, Nick completed a PhD in Plant Biochemistry at Queens’ College, Cambridge. This was followed by post-doctoral studies in California and Canada, and subsequent industrial research in the agricultural biotechnology sector. He moved back to Oxford, initially as a Lecturer in Plant Science and Fellow of St Cross College, before returning to Pembroke where he was Tutorial Fellow in Biological Sciences until retirement in 2022. As well as teaching biology and biochemistry at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, Nick headed a plant molecular biology research group and was a scientific advisor to various national and international research agencies and charitable groups. In addition to a wide range of university management roles, Nick has over 30 years’ experience sitting on the Governing Bodies of Oxford colleges, in which he also served as Vice-Master and Chair of Executive Committee. In retirement, Nick is an Emeritus Professor and retains an active interest in computational application of mathematical control theory to metabolism in biological systems, but freely admits that he needs to get out more.

Valerie read Economics at Durham University before beginning her career in equity capital markets and equity sales, working in both London and Paris. A move to Sydney prompted a shift into the not-for-profit sector, where she has since built wide-ranging experience across operational and governance roles. She is currently Partnerships Lead at The Ditchley Foundation, where she works on convening and strengthening relationships across policy, philanthropy, and international affairs, and also serves as a trustee of City Pay It Forward. She is the mother of two sons, both of whom are at university, and is based in Oxfordshire. She is a keen skier and travels widely.

Charles became a governor in December 2023 and he is a member of the Finance Committee and chair of Abingdon School Enterprises. Educated at Abingdon and Exeter University, he had a career in finance and general management at Ford, Elf, Avis, National Power and Prudential/M&G. Retiring in 2018, Charles became Chair of Governors of Rupert House School, Henley and is President and a Trustee of Reading Cricket and Hockey Club. A keen sportsman, he plays hockey, tennis and golf, enjoys fly fishing and the outdoor life. He has a son and two daughters who attended Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine respectively.

Andrew read History at Swansea University before completing a PGCE at Westminster College, Oxford. He began his career in the civil service, spending seven years at the Church Commissioners in London, working in press and parliamentary affairs, before moving into teaching at St Andrew’s School, Eastbourne.

He was appointed Head of Davenies School, a boys’ day prep school in Buckinghamshire, in 2000, and in 2006 became Head of St Hugh’s School in Oxfordshire, a post he held until 2019. Andrew inspected for ISI for over 20 years and served as Chair of IAPS from 2020 to 2024.

In 2019, Andrew set up his own education consultancy, supporting heads, governors and parents with appointments, appraisal, mentoring and strategic development, and works alongside RSAcademics on headship recruitment. He is also a charity consultant to the Sloane Robinson Foundation.

Andrew is a governor of several HMC and IAPS schools, where he has served as safeguarding governor and chaired education and compliance committees.

He is married to Sarah and they have five children, including two sons educated at Abingdon, and three grandchildren. Andrew is a keen cricketer and longstanding member of MCC; outside education he enjoys his growing family, cooking, gardening, travel and the theatre.

Benjamin currently works in public relations after many years in business and finance journalism. Benjamin spent most of his career in Beijing and Hong Kong where he worked for the South China Morning Post newspaper and Bloomberg News, among other firms. Benjamin is a member of the Mercers' Company, a livery company in the City of London. He is married to Sylvia and has two children, both at independent schools. He now lives in Oxford.

Following an engineering degree Felicity spent the first half of her career in venture capital, but then saw the light and moved into education, joining Abingdon as Registrar for a very happy ten years. She subsequently specialised in admissions, marketing, fundraising and alumni relations at two other schools, and has been a governor at several single sex and co-educational schools, as well as a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire. Cambridge hockey blue, but living in Henley, rowing is the sport she supports most. Heavily involved in the local community, a director of Leander and a viola player (with enthusiasm rather than skill). Sadly widowed, family life revolves around her three OA sons and two daughters and their families, with seven grandchildren (so far). An experienced non-executive director and school governor, she is a member of the Education Committee with a particular interest in Abingdon Prep.

Henry became a governor in 2023 and is the designated health and safety governor, serving on the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee. He is President of the OA Club. As a member of the Social Impact and Education Sector at Russell Reynolds Associates, the global executive search and leadership advisory firm, Henry advises on chief executive, board, and other senior appointments for major global development organisations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. He read music at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar and university instrumental award-holder on the viola. Before he arrived at Abingdon on a music scholarship, he was a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford. His interests include history, rugby, music, and cooking with fire (when safe, of course).

Having studied planning as an undergraduate and graduate, Steven joined Kemp & Kemp LLP in 1982, becoming an Equity Partner in 1987. Steven is now Head of Planning (South) and an Equity Partner at Carter Jonas LLP. He leads a team working for a wide variety of public and private sector clients providing planning consultancy services on a national basis. Married with four children in their 20s, Steven has firsthand experience of Abingdon and Abingdon Prep through his two sons. An avid reader, gardener and sportsman Steven played semi-professional football and is now a keen cyclist, skier, tennis player and walker.

Kate is the Safeguarding Governor. Kate qualified as a doctor from King's College London. After working in different specialities including general practice and a year in an African mission hospital she decided to specialise in paediatrics. She has been a consultant in paediatric oncology in Oxford since 1995 and has also held many roles in regional and national management (NHS England) and doctors' education including being the Programme Director for the Oxford School of Paediatrics. Kate is also a medical trustee to two children's charities - Neuroblastoma UK and Sebastian's Action Trust. Kate lives in Newbury and is married to Tom Rossiter a solicitor. They have a daughter and two sons both of whom are OAs. Kate's interests include sport, especially tennis and recently Park Run, in addition to supporting her sons' Great Britain rowing careers. Kate also enjoys music, playing the violin in local orchestras.

Harriet started her career as a graduate trainee with Unilever. She has worked in marketing, communications and corporate strategy related roles in the UK and abroad, on global brands including Dove, Wall’s and Lifebuoy. Passionate advocate of sustainable living and the circular economy, with recent focus on developing partnerships between businesses and charities to help drive positive social impact in tandem with sustainable growth for businesses. Abingdon resident, OA parent, sports enthusiast and volunteer at charity SOFEA/FareShare in Didcot.