Nicola Harper - Chair of Trustees 
(2023)

Audit and Finance Committee 

I am a CIMA qualified Government Finance professional, currently working in Central Government leading corporate services, business intelligence, business change and transformation. I have 15 years' experience across four Government Departments; working within justice, international trade, education and the Cabinet Office. This experience means I am focused on delivering value for money through critical challenge, ensuring the right outcomes for society and the successful delivery of public services.  I joined in 2019 as a Trustee and am passionate about supporting the Trust to ensure effective governance to deliver maximum value for everyone within the school communities.

Dave Lancaster - Vice Chair

Pay Committee (Chair)

Having left school at sixteen to become an Apprentice Electrical Engineer, I found inspiration and a love of learning at work and day release at college. I achieved A Level Human Biology and an HNC in Electrical engineering whilst an apprentice. This gave me the confidence to follow my dream of being a PE teacher.

I now have thirty-three years’ experience within education. The last ten as Headteacher/Executive Headteacher/Trust Leader. I have a clear track record of strategically and sustainably improving people, students and, ultimately, schools. I build teams with a clear vision and culture. This creates sustainable improvement.

I am now retired and work for my company, Garibaldi Education. I offer leadership support for trust/schools, executive leadership coaching and mentoring and an on the ground capacity. Recently I have gained experience in system leadership working alongside a newly appointed CEO, recruitment and strategic growth support for Trusts and Free School bid writing. I also coach several senior leaders, voluntarily, as I commenced my Level 7 Coaching course with the ILM this summer.

Bob Roberts

Pay Committee

Bob is a communications specialist and board member with extensive experience in the City of London and Westminster.

Bob has run major communications departments in two high-profile organisations, giving strategic guidance and working with elected representatives, including the Lord Mayor of London and the Leader of the Opposition. He has driven significant service improvements and cultural change.
He also offers a rare expertise in reputation management, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement.

Bob has expertise in article and speech writing, media training and building a media operation from scratch.
He previously worked for the City of London Corporation, overseeing the Corporate Affairs Team responsible for external affairs and engagement with business leaders, trade associations, government departments and politicians of all parties.

He is now working with Sadiq Khan supporting the communication function for the Mayor of London.

Mumtaz Ansari

Mumtaz is an accomplished finance and assurance professional with over two decades of experience spanning financial services, information services, public, consulting firms and corporate sectors. His career includes leadership roles in both first-line finance functions and third-line assurance, equipping him with a comprehensive understanding of financial management, corporate governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Mumtaz’s professional background includes leading assurance strategies, driving strategic financial and operational initiatives, integrating data-driven insights, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes—all while fostering continuous improvement and operational excellence. At an executive level, he has extensive experience collaborating with Boards, Audit Committees, Risk Committees, and senior stakeholders. He excels at identifying key focus areas, risks, and root causes, delivering value-adding insights to support informed decision-making.

As Trustee (Finance) at Illuminate Minds Academy Trust, Mumtaz brings his expertise to ensure sound financial stewardship and robust governance frameworks, advancing the trust’s mission to deliver exceptional education.

Mumtaz is a qualified Chartered Accountant with advanced certifications in technology and information security audits. He also holds a Master’s degree (MSc) in Applied Data Science, showcasing his passion for education and lifelong learning.

Malcolm Stevens

Malcolm Stevens is a leading Independent Consultant (criminal justice, correctional services, secure care and children’s services).
He is a Trustee of The ExPat Foundation and Executive Producer with the UK Film School.

He provides expert evidence to civil, criminal and coroner’s courts, courts of appeal and similar tribunals in respect of critical incidents, deaths in custody, negligent/abusive practice and miscarriages of justice.
He is a former senior civil servant, HM Inspector, CEO and Director of private and public sector criminal justice, care and custodial services.

He was the first UK Commissioner to the International Juvenile Justice Observatory in Brussels, Deputy Chair of the (all party) London Gangs Forum, and a former adviser/co-author with the Centre for Social Justice.

As a senior civil servant and HMI for 11 years, Malcolm was responsible for children's services and youth justice policy, as well as being responsible for children detained ‘During Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.
During this time he received commendations for his handling of the Bulger case, for advising Nelson Mandela (during secondment to the South African Govt), for the UK’s feasibility study of USA Boot Camps and for certain high profile investigations into institutional abuse.

He has chaired and written independent assessments and investigations in high profile gang-related murders, cases of child sexual exploitation and in cases of institutional and professional malpractice in mental health settings, immigration detention centres, custodial and residential care settings.

Brenda McHugh

Pay Committee

Brenda is a Consultant Psychotherapist and Family Mediator at NHS and has worked in the North London Family Therapy Practice, supporting schools and delivering training in developing Family Group Therapy to increase the chances of sustainable change for children through the engagement of parents / carers in the process.

Brenda McHugh worked with her colleague, Neil Dawson, from the Anna Freud Centre to establish a unique and ground-breaking free school - The Pears Family School was founded and is sponsored by the Anna Freud Centre,
The Pears Family School, co-located with the Anna Freud Centre, is a school for children who have been excluded from mainstream education, and successfully returns children to the most appropriate full-time education.

The Pears Family School puts families at the heart of all its work. Parents, carers and pupils learn together. Parents and carers receive training and guidance to support their own learning and that of their children. The Pears Family School has continued its ground-breaking work during coronavirus, where looking after vulnerable children and their families has been crucial.

Jon Wiltshire

Jon has 30 years of experience in PLC, Private Equity and Privately owned businesses across many retail and business-to-business sectors, having worked at Comet, Universal Electronics, Argos, Sainsbury's, WHSmith, Brand Partnership Group and most recently as Chief Commercial officer at DD Group (a Private Equity backed Dental and Aesthetics distributor). Jon has spent time within multiple functions including Commercial, Supply-Chain, Sales, Marketing, E-Commerce and Strategy, with most of the last 15 years spent at ExCo/Board level. In addition to his corporate experience, alongside his wife, Jon has built a successful property portfolio and lettings business. As a values led and people focussed individual, Jon is passionate about personal growth and development, both at work and at home.

Jon was brought up in the South-West of the UK but has spent most of his life living in Surrey after studying at Surrey University where he attained a B-Eng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering & Business Management. Jon is married to Johanna and has 3 children; Jacob, Jasmin and James who are at varying stages of leaving home. Outside of work and spending time with family and friends, Jon enjoys various forms of exercise and is a big rugby union fan, being an ex-player and children’s coach.

Jon is currently building a portfolio of business interests and roles, within this, Jon has an has an appetite to include organisations where there is an opportunity to support others, using his existing skills and experience, whilst benefiting personally from the intellectual stimulation which comes with operating in new sectors and situations; becoming a board trustee at Illuminate Minds Trust would be an opportunity for Jon to support the trust whilst achieving his own objectives.

Arti Kashyap-Aynsley 

Arti is a strategic business leader with over 15 years of experience spanning professional services, technology, and organisational transformation. A Chartered Accountant by training, she began her career in audit and consulting at PwC and Deloitte, where she advised Fortune 500 clients on finance, operations, and large-scale transformation. Over time, Arti evolved into a people-focused strategist—blending commercial acumen with deep expertise in inclusion, wellbeing, and purpose-led leadership. Known for her ability to navigate complexity, influence at board level, and drive cross-functional impact, she has held senior roles across Europe and North America. Today, she operates at the intersection of strategy, people, and performance—advising executive teams and shaping enterprise-wide agendas that unlock growth and resilience.

"Education has always been woven into the fabric of my life. Coming from a family deeply rooted in the education system, I’ve long carried a desire to contribute meaningfully to the sector—but had yet to find the right avenue. As a strategic leader with a background in business, finance, wellbeing, and inclusion, I now recognise the opportunity to bring these strengths to bear in service of an area that deeply matters to me.

Becoming a trustee allows me to apply over 15 years of experience in strategy, transformation, and purpose-led leadership to help shape a stronger, more equitable education system. It’s about more than governance—it’s about ensuring young people, including my own children, have access to safe, inspiring environments where they can dream, grow, and thrive. For me, this is a way to make a tangible impact on tomorrow, today."

Ms Jo. Southby - Chief Executive Officer, Illuminate Minds Trust

Audit and Finance Committee