The full list of Governors for the Sherborne Schools Group is shown below, as well as a small number of co-opted members of individual committees. The Governor responsible for Safeguarding at Sherborne School is Max Jonas.
Christopher Samler
Executive Chair
In 2024, Christopher was appointed as Executive Chair of the Sherborne Schools Group and sits on the Governance & Nominations, Finance and Remuneration Committees. Christopher is a business leader and entrepreneur. He has experience as both CEO and Chair of quoted and private companies in the education, healthcare, and technology sectors in the US, Europe and emerging economies. Christopher started his career in the British Army before joining The Boston Consulting Group. After a variety of senior management positions at Baxter International, the US-based healthcare multinational, he was CEO of several fast-growing venture capital backed healthcare businesses before co-founding Iceni Capital LLP in 2004, a venture capital firm focused on providing capital and operational support to entrepreneurial UK companies in the services sector. He was Chair of TQ Education & Training, which he sold to Pearson plc, one of the world's largest education companies and a component of the FTSE-100. Until 2015, he led Pearson's businesses in the ‘emerging’ economies. Christopher has been a Governor of a small rural primary school as well as the Defence Sixth Form College (Welbeck). Christopher is also an Old Shirburnian, (a, ‘75) and holds an MA from the University of Oxford and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
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Juliet Blanch
Governor
Ms Juliet Blanch is a member of the Governance & Nominations Committee. She is a former parent. She is a solicitor and full-time international arbitrator having chaired the international dispute resolution practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges from 2010 to 2016 and before that the international dispute resolution practice at McDermott, Will & Emery and the international arbitration practice at Norton Rose Fulbright. Juliet is a Vice President of the ICC’s International Court of Arbitration, a former Director of the London Court of International Arbitration, a Director of the International Dispute Resolution Centre and chairs the review committee of the Energy Arbitrators List. She frequently gives lectures on a variety of subjects, sits on the editorial board of Dispute Resolution International, is a member of the FDI Moot Advisory Board and is also on the Fundraising Sub-Committee of The Worshipful Company of Grocers. Juliet provides consultancy for female lawyers and in particular for junior women partners.
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Dr David Cole BSc, MSc, PhD
Chief Operating Officer
David assumed the role of Bursar in January 2021 having previously held a number of senior roles within both the private and public sectors. On completion of the the merger with the Sherborne Girls School group his role was extended to become COO for the Group.
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Sally Craig-McFeely
Governor
Mrs Sally Craig-McFeely (Dr S A Hayes MB BS MRCGP DRCOG) is Chair of the Hanford Committee and a member of the Pastoral and SPS Committees. She is also the governor with oversight of the boarding provision.
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Canon Nicki Edwards
Governor
Canon Nicki Edwards recently retired as Head Teacher of The Gryphon School, a Church of England Academy part of Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust (SAST). Nicki led the development of the school’s innovative Chaplaincy model and, recently, in partnership with the Diocese, she is establishing a local Community Hub in Sherborne as well as a new model for the vision of “Church Schools Flourishing”. Nicki acts as a Bishops’ Adviser in the national Shared Discernment Process and is Churchwarden in her home parish. Nicki was made a Lay Canon of Salisbury Cathedral in May 2022. A Dorset girl, Nicki grew up in Sturminster Newton before studying at Imperial College London and Oxford University; she began her teaching career in Surrey. Nicki is Chair of the Pastoral Committee and a member of the Hanford and Education Committees, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to her post.
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Louise Hall
Governor
Mrs Louise Hall is a member of the Governance and Nominations Committee and the Finance Committee. Louise is a former pupil of the School and former parent at both Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School. She spent over 30 years as an investment manager at Investec Wealth and Investment, mainly looking after charities including a number of schools. Towards the end of her career, Louise looked after Investec Wealth’s largest office and sat on the Board as an Executive Director where, amongst other things, she was responsible for reporting on Conduct Risk. The career development of younger colleagues and the improvement of diversity across investment teams was a key focus. Recently, Louise took on a role as non-executive director at JM Finn and she also sits on the Investment Committee of Save the Children.
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Amanda Harris
Governor
Mrs Amanda Harris (FCA) is a member of the Governance and Nominations Committee and the Finance Committee. She is a Director of Mulliner Trading (Sherborne) Ltd. and Sherborne Sports and Leisure Ltd., and is also a former pupil. Amanda is a qualified Chartered Accountant and works as an advisor and auditor within the non profit group specialising in the education sector, which includes independent schools. She regularly attends events and presents within the industry.
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Amanda Hughes
Governor
Mrs Amanda Hughes (BSc (Jnt Hons), ACA) is Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Estates, Hanford, and SPS Committees. With a degree in Chemistry and Management Economics, she qualified as a chartered accountant in UK, with Coopers & Lybrand, before spending two years as Business Advice Manager in Russia, also with Coopers & Lybrand. She then spent 10 years in the commercial world before becoming a Bursar. Sixteen years at boarding schools, mostly locally, provides a good insight to the challenges facing independent schools and brings a wealth of experience to Sherborne Girls.
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Nick Isaac
Governor
Nick was educated at Sherborne (School House 1974 to 1978) and Durham University, from where he graduated with a BA Hons in English. A qualified Chartered Management Accountant, he is a retired Finance Director, having spent his career working in the manufacturing industry, both in FTSE 100 companies and smaller privately owned businesses. He studied for an MBA at Cranfield and had spells overseas including Japan and S.E Asia. He is a member of the Finance and Commercial Committees.
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Nigel Jones BSc FRICS ACIArb
Governor
Nigel is Chair of the Estates Committee and a member of the Commercial Committee. He is a Chartered Surveyor and has been practising primarily in commercial property and development land matters in the area for 35 years. He is a specialist in property disputes, acting as an expert witness or arbitrator in contentious matters throughout southern England. He lives in Cattistock and has a daughter, who attended Sherborne Prep. Nigel is a sports fan with a particular interest in rugby and cricket, and is also a syndicate member in a racehorse!
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Angela Lane
Governor
Angela is non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of 4 quoted investment companies Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust plc, Pacific Horizon Investment Trust plc, Blackrock Throgmorton Investment Trust plc and Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc. After graduating with a BA (Hons) in English Literature from Bristol University, she trained as a chartered accountant at PWC and then spent 18 years as a private equity investor working for 3i plc. She has been on the Board and Chairman of a number of private companies in a variety of sectors including healthcare, medical marketing and outsourced resourcing. Angela lives in Dorset with her OS husband David Lane (m 1980) and they have three grown-up children: Toby who attended Sherborne School (m 2011), Hettie and Georgie. In her spare time, she enjoys playing golf, attending live sports matches, the theatre and horse racing as well as going on adventurous holidays. Angela became a Trustee of Sherborne School Foundation in 2007 and has been a Governor since November 2015. She is Chair of the Investments Committee and a member of the Finance and Governance and Nominations Committees. She is currently non-executive director of Sherborne Schools Trading and Leisure companies.
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Robin Leach
Governor
Mr Robin Leach is Chair of the SPS Committee and a member of the Pastoral and Commercial Committees.
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Lieutenant General David Leakey CMG, CVO, CBE
Governor
A Cambridge law graduate. After retiring as a Lieutenant General from an Army career of command and operational, MOD, NATO, EU and UN appointments, David served as Black Rod in the Houses of Parliament for seven years. Since 2017 he has held senior executive and advisory positions in a variety of commercial enterprises in the Industrial Chemicals and Gas industry, the Business Systems Software sector and a Phone App developer. He has been chairman of the National Childrens Orchestras of Great Britain and is a trustee or chairman of a number of charitable, sporting and military organisations. David has strong links to Sherborne. From 1965 to 1970 he was a member of Abbey House, becoming Head of School and a member of the First XI. His two sons are also Old Shirburnians. In 2017, David was elected to Sherborne School’s Board of Governors and is a member of the Governance and Nominations Committee.
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The Reverend Fr Martin Lee
Governor
Martin moved to Sherborne in 2021, as Team Rector of Sherborne Abbey. Having spent 13 years as the incumbent of a large parish in Newcastle upon Tyne. Before that he spent eight years in a rural parish in Somerset. A background in Music and Education before training for Ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, he has used his keen interest in Education to serve on several Governing bodies with over 20 years’ experience as a Chair. He has also served as Chair of Appeal and Exclusion panels for local authorities. He is a member of the Pastoral and Hanford Committees. In his spare time, he is a Beekeeper, enjoys Music, and now is delighted to add to the list of enjoyment the role of a Grandad. He is married to Sue, and they have three sons.
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George Marsh
Governor
George started his career at the Dragon School before spending eleven years working in two comprehensive schools. He then became Assistant Director of Studies at Millfield School before being appointed Head of Millfield Prep School. He completed his career as Headmaster of Dulwich Prep London for eighteen years. He is currently also a Governor of Caldicott Prep School. He is Chairman of Wilton’s Music Hall. George has been a Governor of Sherborne School since 2009 and is a member of the Education, Hanford, and SPS Committees. He is also one of the School’s Designated Safeguarding Governors.
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Jo Massey
Governor
Mrs Jo Massey MA (Cantab), CEng, MI StructE graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Engineering, where she also won a blue in Modern Pentathlon. She is a member of the Estates and Education Committees and brings with her valuable experience from a career in the construction sector as a Chartered Structural Engineer. Jo is an active STEM ambassador, championing the choice of technical subjects for pupils, and girls in particular, in the independent and state sectors. She is on the education committee of the Institution of Structural Engineers and has a special interest in sustainability in the sector. A former parent at Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School, she has also lived and worked in senior and prep level boarding schools.
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Anthony Pralle
Governor
Anthony (g 1972-76) read Modern History at St. John’s College Oxford, and then joined the London office of The Boston Consulting Group. He opened the firm’s Madrid office and has lived in Spain for over 30 years, working for clients across Europe, mainly in the consumer and retail sectors. Since retiring from BCG he continues to support the firm as a Senior Advisor, in addition to holding several board roles at both established companies as well as start-ups. He is on the Advisory Board of Fremman Capital and supports a regenerative agriculture and landscape restoration programme in Europe’s largest almond producing region. Anthony became a trustee of the Sherborne School Foundation in 2005 and a Governor in 2023. He is Chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. Two of his sons were at Sherborne: Jos (g 2008-12) and Hugo (a 2014-18), continuing a family tradition started by their late grandfather Peter (g 1945-49).
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Mark Spearing
Governor
Mark Spearing is Chair of the Education Committee and member of the Estates Committee. He is a Professor of Engineering Materials and Vice-President for Research and Enterprise at the University of Southampton. After leaving Sherborne (h) in 1982 he studied Engineering at Cambridge and completed a Ph.D at the same University in 1989. He then undertook postdoctoral research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Mark worked for BP in Cleveland Ohio from 1992-1994. He then moved to the Aeronautics and Astronautics department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, leaving as a Full Professor in 2004 to join Southampton. His research and teaching focuses on the use of advanced materials, particularly composites, in engineering systems. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Mark is married with three children, two of whom attend schools in the Winchester area and the eldest is in her first year at university.
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Matthew Taylor
Governor
Mr Matthew Taylor is a member of the Finance and Investment Committees. He graduated from Trinity College, Oxford with a degree in Modern History and spent his career in equity research at leading global investment banks including UBS, where he was a Managing Director. Matthew manages a local sporting club and was previously a Dorset Business Mentor.
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Dr Paul Williams
Governor
Dr Paul Williams is a member of the Education and Commercial Committees. He is a Professor of Marketing and brings over 30 years’ experience to the School from working in international education. Paul is a former Dean, and Head of Department and is currently employed as an education consultant, providing advice to governments, universities and schools on: student recruitment; strategic marketing; and international accreditation. He is also a published scholar and has presented his work at many international conferences. Paul lives in Sherborne and is former parent at Sherborne School.
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Michael Wilson
Governor
Michael Wilson joined the Sherborne Board in April 2017 and is a member of the Education, SPS, and Commercial Committees.
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- Aubrey Capel co-opted to Estates
- Guy Hayward-Cole co-opted to Investments
- Guy Hudson co-opted to Investments
- Max Jonas co-opted to Pastoral
- Ruth Newman co-opted to Sherborne Prep
- Kate Saker co-opted to Hanford
- Gilly Staley co-opted as Advisor (Health & Safety)
- Maria Wingfield-Digby co-opted to Commercial
- Nicholas Wordie co-opted to Estates