Governors' profiles

Marilyn Standley (Chairman)

Director of Concerto Consulting; a business specialising in helping public and private sector clients transform their business - often through property or construction projects or programmes. Former Managing Director, WSP Facilities Management plc. and previously Director of Premises and Facilities, Longman Group Ltd and a Chairman of the British Institute of Facilities Management. Presently a Non Executive Director of Barnet Primary Care Trust.

Ellen Fleming (Vice Chairman)

Solicitor specializing in communications and media, currently Partner at Field Fisher Waterhouse (1998-date).  Partner at Allison & Humphreys (1979-1997).  Director of The Grierson Trust and Xansa QUEST Ltd.

Andrew Fellows

Retired former CEO of a charitable Housing Association.  Former Chairman of Governors of Bedgebury School and current Chairman of The Bedgebury Foundation, a grant making charity providing support to individuals requiring specialised education or training.  Now practicing as a freelance housing and property consultant. Chairman of Kingsown Properties.

Peter Mackenzie Smith

Consultant in international education and training, and a director of Getenergy Ltd.  Previous career involved 28 years in the British Council in various positions, including director for educational contracts, for export promotion, and for South Asia and Africa.  A member of UK Trade and Investment’s advisory committee on education and skills. From 1997 to 2003, a Director of Education for GEC and for Marconi, with responsibility for designing and implementing partnership programmes with a number of universities in the UK, the US, and Europe and for the company’s relationships with the education sector in the UK and overseas. Was seconded by Marconi to UK Trade and Investment as their first export promoter in the education and training sector.  For three years was chairman of UK Trade and Investment’s working group on education and training for Iraq, and is a trustee of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce Foundation and of the Dakhleh Trust.

Susan Maingay

Freelance writer and consultant in English Language and Education.  Has a first degree in Modern Languages, and Masters degrees in Applied Linguistics.  From 1970-1984 worked as English teacher, teacher-trainer and text-book writer in France, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mexico and China.  From 1984-1991, Editorial Director of Longman ELT dictionaries.  Joined the British Council in 1991, initially in the post of EL adviser in London, then as Country Director in the Baltic States, Sri Lanka and Poland.  Currently engaged in PhD research at the University of Liverpool.

John Robinson

Managing Director of The Bee Clothing & Supply Co. Ltd  (suppliers of unsecured consumer credit) 1988-date.  Self-employed Consultant providing business support services 1998-date.  Vice President & Executive Director Corporate Services, Addison Wesley Longman (now called Pearson Education) 1973-1997; Articled Clerk, Audit Senior & Trainer of Articled Clerks, Price Waterhouse, 1966-1973.

Ron White

Freelance ELT consultant and adjunct professor (School for International Training, Vermont) and visiting lecturer (University of Queensland).  From 1977, taught at the Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Reading (Director from 1992 to Sept 2000); Chairman of IATEFL 1987-89; extensive experience of teaching in universities, in the private sector in Japan and of ELT internationally; is author of the ELT Curriculum, and co-author of  book on management in ELT.