Governors

Governor
Col Mark Ballard is a consultant radiologist and the Military Clinical Director at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. Prior to this he was the Defence Consultant Advisor in Radiology to the Surgeon General - the lead radiologist to the MOD.

An expatriate as a child, he boarded at independent schools in the UK, later spending time as a ‘gap’ student at a preparatory school - experiences he feels lend him some understanding of that which pupils at Bromsgrove may encounter.

Mark is a parent of two day pupils at Bromsgrove and enjoys the opportunity governorship affords to help where he can within the School.

Governor
Charles Cameron is a Chartered Accountant with a successful career in business, including over twenty-five years as CF0 in Listed and Private Equity backed companies, latterly in residential healthcare where he had an excellent track record in improving operational performance. He and both his children went to boarding school. Charles was Deputy Chair of Governors at Winterfold and took a leading role in the merger of the two schools. He chairs the Strategy and Risk subcommittee and has responsibility for Boarding and BIST (Thailand). He is also a member of the Investment and Finance and Property sub-committees.

Governor
John Campion is the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia. As Commissioner he has the responsibility for the totality of policing in Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin. He sets the policing priorities, appoints and holds the Chief Constable to account for operational policing, and oversees the deployment of the £270m police fund. Johns focus has been ensuring victims services improve, crime reduces, police resources are spent more efficiently and that communities feel safe.

John has previously served as a Wyre Forest District and Worcestershire County Council Councillor where he served in several senior governance roles, including Leader of Wyre Forest District Council. John has nearly two decades experience in elected governance and oversight roles.

John is an old Bromsgrovian (1989-94) when he was a member of Elmshurst House.

Governor
Anne Cleary was, until her recent retirement, the Deputy Head in charge of Prep and Early Years for twenty-eight years at Priory School in Edgbaston. She has almost forty years teaching experience and was a governor at Winterfold for twenty years.

Governor
Dr Debbie Cunningham is a lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She began her scientific career in the pharmaceutical industry before moving to the University of Birmingham almost twenty years ago. Her field of research has a focus on understanding abnormal events which occur within human cells and can cause cancer. Debbie is Deputy Director of Education for the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University, with responsibilities for the development and delivery of the College’s education strategy, with a particular focus on quality assurance and enhancement of the students’ educational experience. She is also a Senior Tutor, providing guidance and leadership to Personal Tutors and acting as the academic lead for liaison with student wellbeing services. Dr Cunningham is a current parent at Bromsgrove School.

Governor
Dr Annette Daly is the Chief Executive Officer of YMCA Worcestershire. Annette began her career as a primary school teacher in Belfast before being drawn back to further study. After achieving a PhD she spent the next fifteen years in the higher education sector as senior lecturer and as a programme director. Annette then took up a new challenge with the role of Diocesan Director of Education (DDE) in the Diocese of Monmouth with responsibility for supporting and developing fifteen church schools. Her collaborative work with head teachers, local authorities, Estyn (Welsh equivalent of Ofsted), the Education Workforce Council and other DDEs helped to improve and enhance the Christian ethos, leadership and performance in these schools.

Annette’s passion for working with, and supporting, young people is a common thread through her career to date and, as the Bishop of Worcester’s nominated governor, continues in her wish to support Bromsgrove School in its ongoing growth and development.

Vice Chair of Governors
Dr Clare Lidbury has many years’ experience in Higher Education, including roles as a member of senior management teams, head of department, admissions tutor and personal tutor. She has led curriculum development in dance, drama and music, overseen research across the performing arts and continues to work as a dance academic and practitioner. Dr Lidbury is the parent of two Old Bromsgrovians.

Governor
Jenny Loynton (LLB Hons) is the founder of Loynton and Co, one of the biggest Chinese law firms in the West Midlands. Jenny has over twenty-five years commercial law experience, specialising in cases of business acquisition and restructuring, property investment, commercial disputes and foreign investment and financing. She represents British enterprises. Jenny is a member of the Law Society and was previously a member of Birmingham City University’s Board of Directors and an adviser to the Wing Yip Brothers Group, the largest UK based Chinese owned company. Mrs Loynton is one of the youngest Deputy Lords Lieutenant for the West Midlands and sits on the Board of the famous Ikon Gallery.

Chair of Governors
Michael Luckman recently retired from the UK Board of an international law firm based in Birmingham, the City and eight other locations worldwide. He now works as the firm’s chief relationship manager with the Government and led the firm’s team to deliver the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. He also sits on the firm’s Paris Board. All three of Michael’s children attended Bromsgrove through each section of the School. He says of his appointment to the Board, “I was delighted to become a Governor of Bromsgrove School. I wanted to repay Bromsgrove for all it gives our children and hope my experiences can support its valuable work”.

Governor
David Morton is Headmaster of The King’s School, Gloucester, having previously worked at Bedford School, Kingston Grammar School, Alleyn’s School and King Henry VIII School. He trained as a Geography teacher and has also coached sport, led World Challenge expeditions and run the Duke of Edinburgh Award during his teaching career. David counts himself fortunate to have received an assisted place to attend an independent school in Worcestershire and has always been committed to supporting initiatives to broaden access to independent schools as well as partnerships with the local community.

Governor
Bill Roden is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Albert E Sharp, a leading investment management and stockbroking firm in the Midlands. He has over twenty years of investment management experience and worked for a number of years in the City for AXA, one of the world’s largest investment managers. In 2002 he was nominated for Investment Manager of the Year by Investment Week for the performance of a flagship Emerging Market fund. Bill is a Chartered Financial Analyst, the highest industry qualification, and an Associate of the Institute of Investment Management and Research. Bill’s primary role is to provide commercial advice and to overseas the investment management of the School’s portfolio. Bill is an Old Bromsgrovian, Lyttelton 1978 - 89.

Company Secretary and Clerk to the Governors & Foundation Trustees
James Sommerville is Head of Litigation and Employment Department of Star Legal Solicitors (formerly Thomas Horton LLP) who have a continuous association with the School since 1816. As solicitor in private practice for more than forty years, James brings a commercial yet human perspective to his work as Clerk to the Governors. James has family links to the School.

Governor
Ian is a Principal and past Midlands Regional Managing Director of a leading international firm of commercial real estate consultants. He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors with over 40 years experience in property and the built environment. Ian’s primary role is to oversee the consistent annual investment in the School’s buildings, grounds and facilities with the aim of continually improving quality and standards, and helping to drive sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives. Both of Ian’s children are ex pupils at Winterfold (2003-2010) and his daughter at Bromsgrove (2008- 2013).

Governors
Chris Thompson is an experienced M&A and insurance professional whose previous roles include corporate finance advisory as well as corporate development and strategy roles at an international insurance company. Chris founded a specialist transaction liability insurance business that is now one of the largest players in Europe, having underwritten more than £25bn of insurance cover to M&A transactions. Chris is a director of several regulated insurance companies across Europe and holds professional qualifications in accounting, banking and insurance. Chris has three children at Bromsgrove School and has previously been a governor of two local authority schools.

Governor
Deborah Waltier is a Partner with St James’s Place, the FTSE 100 Wealth Management Business, and has many years of experience in providing investment and financial advice to Companies and Private Clients. As the mother to two Old Bromsgrovians she says, “with close ties to the School as a former parent, it is an honour to be able to contribute to the future growth and direction of this great School, building on the core values it fosters in its pupils”.

Governor
Alastair is a former pupil of Bromsgrove School. He read French and Hispanic Studies at the University of Liverpool before embarking upon a law conversion course to qualify as a solicitor. He spent the early years of his career in private practice specialising in employment law before moving to the Solicitors Regulation Authority where he is a senior manager in the Legal and Enforcement Department. He is fluent in French and Spanish and in 2021 was awarded the DELE C2 by the Instituto Cervantes, on behalf of the Spanish government. He is delighted to have been appointed a governor of Bromsgrove and is very much looking forward to working with his fellow colleagues on the governing body.