Plenary Speakers
Rebecca Beaver
DfE Accredited SRMA & Fellow of ISBL, Lead Consultant, RBMA Consultancy
Rebecca is a director at RBMA Consultancy, providing independent support to the education sector and serving as a trainer, associate consultant, and fellow of ISBL. She is an accredited SRMA and SRMA assessor, a member of the ISBL operational excellence research team, and a recipient of the ISBL CEO award. Rebecca also contributes to the sector as a governor of a primary school rated ‘outstanding in all areas.’ Her dedication to promoting positive outcomes for disadvantaged children is informed by her personal experience and a strong conviction in the transformative power of education.
Louise Bennett
CEO, IDPE (The Institute of Development Professionals in Education)
Lou is CEO of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), which supports schools to develop successful fundraising and engagement programmes, through providing training, guidance, support, benchmarking and partnership work across the schools’ sector.
Lou has over 20 years’ experience of working across fundraising disciplines, and has previously held senior fundraising roles at The Stroke Association and Shelter Cymru. Lou has also volunteered for a number of organisations, from being Chair of Trustees for Cardiff Women’s Aid to being a Board member for the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and more recently, supporting the PTA, local Scout group as a Trustee, and is a Guide leader.
Lou is passionate about fundraising, and as such has found herself hiking across Iceland, running a marathon and cycling from Cardiff to Dublin, to raise money for good causes.
Paul Edmond
Chief Finance and Sustainability Officer at HEART Academies Trust and Co-chair of the UK Schools Sustainability Network (UKSSN)
Paul joined HEART in 2017 and oversees the work of three great teams, Finance, ICT and Sustainability. Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leaders and a Fellow of Thoughtbox Education. He is a member of the DfE working group on academy finance and the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change group.
Paul is a committee member for the Bedfordshire School Business Network and supports the Bedfordshire ‘Our Schools Our World’ sustainability programme. Paul also co-chairs the UK Schools Sustainability Network and sits on advisory boards for Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE) and Learning through Landscapes Climate 180. Paul is a Carbon Literacy trainer and Climate Fresk facilitator.
Stephen Morales
Chief Executive, Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL)
Stephen has a 20-year career history in operations and finance, working at a senior level in the public and private sectors, both in the UK and abroad.
Stephen presided over the development and implementation of nationally recognised school business leadership professional standards and led the transition from the National Association of School Business Management to the Institute of School Business Leadership.
Stephen works closely with the Department for Education in areas of policy reform, and his commitment to research to aid our self-improving system includes ongoing engagement with international jurisdictions including Australia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.
Warren Porter
Head of Education Strategy, IMP Software
Warren Porter is IMP Software’s Head of Education Strategy. Warren gained his chartered accountancy qualification whilst working at a 20+ school primary MAT, before moving on to become CFO at a Special/AP Trust in Derbyshire. In his role at IMP, he analyses sector developments and trends, and works closely with customers to ensure that IMP’s financial management tools continually evolve to support smarter MAT finance.
Work Session Speakers
Rachel Ayuba
School Resource Manager, West Sussex County Council
Rachel has previously worked as a Headteacher and a manager of several children’s centres, London, Abuja (Nigeria), Brighton and West Sussex. She is currently a School Resource Manager, working with 170 local authority maintained schools across West Sussex, alongside Claire and Susana.
Gary Benn
Director - Projects and Developments, BTS Eddisons
Gary Benn is a Director within our Building & Project Consultancy team, specialising in estates advice and project delivery for the education sector. With over 30 years’ experience, he supports academies and multi-academy trusts with funding strategy, condition improvement, feasibility studies and capital project management.
Gary has an exceptional track record in the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) process, securing close to £15 million for clients in recent years. His expertise spans bid development, design coordination, contract administration and overseeing schemes from brief to completion.
Before focusing on funding and project management, Gary led focused teams that delivered wide-ranging refurbishment, compliance and new-build programmes for schools and public-sector organisations.
Known for his practical, solutions-led approach, simultaneously earned during his years as a school governor as well as professionally, Gary is trusted by clients to provide clear advice and deliver high-quality projects that enhance learning environments and support long-term estate priorities.
Chris Kirk
Director, CJK Associates
Chris Kirk has over 25 years’ experience in leadership, management and strategy across the education sector. His career spans senior roles in the UK Civil Service, a Partnership within a leading global accounting and consulting firm, and an international CEO position for a large school group. He delivers the Confederation of School Trusts Masterclasses on trust shared services and leading trust mergers, and advises UK and international education and employment charities. A Member of Weydon Multi Academy Trust, Chris has also authored strategic guidance for trust leaders hosted by The Key and taught the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leaders.
Ian Henderson
Managing Partner, ACE Advice
Ian Henderson is the Managing Partner of ACE Advice, where he helps SBL navigate complex change Service Contracts in schools and Trusts with clarity and confidence. With a background spanning strategic advisory, transformation, business development and operational leadership, Ian is known for blending commercial rigour with pragmatic, people-focused solutions.
He works closely with executives, and senior teams to turn procurement and operational strategy into action, particularly in periods of growth, restructuring, or uncertainty.
As Managing Partner, Ian leads ACE Advice’s team of consultants and shapes its advisory approach, ensuring it remains practical, ethical, and impact-driven. He is valued for his clear thinking, trusted counsel, and ability to cut through complexity, enabling SBL to make better decisions and deliver sustainable results.
Sam Henson
CEO, NGA (National Governance Association)
Sam has been NGA’s Deputy Chief Executive since January 2024 and previously worked as NGA’s Director of Policy and Communications. Sam oversees NGA’s policy, research, advocacy, external affairs and advice and guidance work. Sam works closely with and deputises for NGA’s Chief Executive, leading the organisation to achieve positive change and drive influence at a national level through our policy and influencing work.
Sam specialises in several areas, including Ofsted, school accountability and workforce. He is the lead author of NGA’s guide, Governing a Multi Academy Trust and authored and co-authored NGA’s policy and research reports Moving MATs Forward, the Mature MAT system, Ofsted and governance and NGA’s annual governance survey reports.
Sam has is frequently featured in education media and has also driven NGA’s governance focus into national policy conversation, featuring in the Independent, the Times, the Guardian and BBC Breakfast. Sam has given evidence to several government inquiries and review bodies, including to the Education Select Committee and STRB, and has been a member of multiple government task forces and stakeholder groups for the Department for Education, Ofsted and others.
Sam has over 15 years of experience working directly in the education sector. Before joining NGA, Sam worked for a large multi-academy trust with more than 30 schools. Sam also worked for a local authority and in the financial services sector.
Elizabeth Jackson
Headteacher, Connaught School for Girls
Elizabeth is a retired primary headteacher. She has been a Chair of Governors of both Primary and Secondary schools in Waltham Forest for many years. She joined Connaught School for Girls as Vice Chair in October 2022 and became Chair in April 2023.
Daniel McDonald
Education Partner Manager, Sage
A highly experienced accounting professional with 18 years experience in the finance field. Daniel McDonald has dedicated the past 10 years to specialising in school finance and currently leads the education vertical for Sage Intacct, spearheading the growth and success of their education partners. Daniel is passionate about helping schools effectively manage their finances and leverage technology to improve efficiency and decision-making.
Bushra Nasir
Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk, Connaught School for Girls
Bushra is the Chair of the Finance committee and a community governor. She was a former Headteacher and former CEO of a MAT. She is a member of Re- Connect London and is the Chair of a number of charities. She is an experienced School Improvement partner and is an External Advisor to Governors/ trustees for Headteacher / CEO performance management.
Susana Newhouse
School Resource Manager, West Sussex County Council
Susana began her working life in the UK in HSBC. After 20 years, she swapped the corporate world for a federated infant and junior school in Worthing, as a School Business Professional. Now, currently working across West Sussex as part of the School Resource Management Team, alongside Rachel and Claire.
Charlie Place
Education Consultant, Sync
Details coming soon…
Warren Porter
Head of Education Strategy, IMP Software
Warren Porter is IMP Software’s Head of Education Strategy. Warren gained his chartered accountancy qualification whilst working at a 20+ school primary MAT, before moving on to become CFO at a Special/AP Trust in Derbyshire. In his role at IMP, he analyses sector developments and trends, and works closely with customers to ensures that IMP’s financial management tools continually evolve to support smarter MAT finance.
Alex Silk
Headteacher, Connaught School for Girls
Alex started teaching in a large mixed secondary school in Colchester, in 2006 before moving to Connaught School for Girls as a head of department in 2008. After moving into senior leadership in 2015 Alex was appointed as headteacher in January 2024.
Peter Tomkins
Director of TSO Education, SRMA and off-payroll CFO
Peter was a secondary headteacher for several years and has subsequently worked at senior levels in trusts. He is currently a director of TSO Education who support schools and academies, provide internal scrutiny and develop software like ICFP.school to increase their efficiency. He has been an SRMA for the last seven years.
James Wright
CFO, Astrea Academy Trust
Bio coming soon,,,
Claire Young
School Resource Manager, West Sussex County Council
Claire is an Accountant with a finance background specialising in compliance. Working as part of the School Resource Management Team with the local authority, she supports and advises maintained schools across West Sussex with all aspects of finance for Schools, alongside Rachel and Susana.
Speakers, agenda and times may be subject to change
