London Learning Consortium (LLC) benefits from a highly experienced Board of Non-Executive Directors (NEDs). The role of the Board is to set directions, establish policies, ensure accountability, and provide leadership that enhances developments and supports learners at LLC. The Board draws a clear line between governance and management and operates at a strategic level.
The Board is made up of NEDs, the CEO and executive team and a staff representative. NEDs are appointed for a three-year period (after which they can be re-elected). They collectively bring a rich range of expertise, ensuring an appropriate balance of skills, knowledge and experience provides both support and constructive challenge.
The Board meets formally four times a year. Between meetings, Board members serve on one of the Board’s three committees – Quality Curriculum and Performance, Growth and Business Development or Finance, Audit and Risk. Board members may also be asked to assist with matters on an ad hoc basis.
At meetings, Board members are expected to provide support and constructive challenge based on an impartial assessment of the available facts and hence act and vote according to conscience and judgment. On a less formal basis, Board members support LLC events and functions and are its advocates within the wider community.
Prof. Keith Straughan PhD
Chair of the Board
- Keith has enjoyed a long career in both academia and business.
- He has held senior academic leadership posts at Imperial and Cambridge and led a project to establish a new university in Milton Keynes.
- His early research career focused on diagnostic imaging and he was fortunate to be on the team which commissioned the world’s first clinical MRI scanner.
- His research interests broadened to encompass computerised tissue characterisation using image processing and early artificial intelligence, and into computer visualisation more broadly.
- He span out a number of companies while leading Imperial’s work in diagnostic imaging which marked the beginning of his journey into entrepreneurship.
- Subsequently, Keith has held directorships in a number of companies operating in the EdTech, MedTech, Aviation, Visualisation and Smart Cities verticals.
- Since leaving his university leadership role, Keith has enjoyed pursuing a portfolio of interests blending his academic interests with a consulting practice delivering executive coaching, leadership development and Board advisory services.
- Keith still pursues his academic interests and has Professorships in London, Vienna and Kuala Lumpur.
Elaine James
Vice-Chair of the Board
- A business leader with over 20 years of corporate governance, social sector leadership, and equality, diversity, and inclusion consulting experience.
- CEO of Inclusion charity DABD, Elaine is active in her local community and London through her involvement in several networks and boards including Barking and Dagenham Progress Project, Newham Colleges Social Care Advisory Board, Central London Forward, Institute of Directors Essex region (IOD), British Networking International (BNI).
- She is a founding member of the Barking and Dagenham Collective – a network of networks focussed on creating the environment for social sector organisations to collaborate effectively.
- Elaine’s career has been focused on tackling the root causes of disadvantage, discrimination, and disengagement and is coupled with a drive to improve organisational governance systems and processes and build resilient organisations.
- She is a lifelong learner, and an accredited corporate governance professional (Corporate Governance Institute - CGI), committed to influencing positive board culture through the implementation of effective governance strategies.
John M de C Hoare
Chair of the Finances, Audit & Risk Committee (FARC)
- John is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and a Member of the Institute of Export.
- His rich background includes educational and fine art publishing; international development finance; natural and man-made textile manufacturing in UK and Europe; the oil industry (Arabian Gulf); interior contracting (Middle East and North Africa) and, the supply of agricultural, educational, and emergency aid requirements for projects financed by the World Bank, IFAD, IDA and other aid agencies.
- Company Secretary of a primary trading charity engaged in publishing hard-copy and electronic directories, online subscription funding websites, courses, seminars, training, and research for the charitable and not-for-profit sector.
- Self-employed offering part-time interim financial and commercial management services.
- John’s interests are good company, theatre, cinema, fine art, sculpture, visiting historic houses or sites, classical music, classical ballet, history, geopolitics, and watching Formula 1 motor racing.
Ingrid Blades
Chair of the Quality, Curriculum and Performance Committee (QCAP)
- Ingrid has Board level experience spanning private and not for profit sectors.
- Following an early career in the NHS, successfully transitioned to the commercial world, and has held senior executive roles in a number of sectors, including pharma, IT, and finance.
- Her international career includes being the Global Director for Strategy & Change for Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, USA.
- She served as Amnesty International’s Director of Transformation when they reorganised world operations to build their capabilities in the global south.
- More recently Ingrid has combined these experiences with her professional background in psychology and human behaviour, focussing her work on mental health and wellbeing in organisations and communities.
- She joined LLC inspired by its commitment to link strategic planning and governance to enhance outcomes for all.
Keith Smith
Chair of the Growth and Business Development Committee (GBDC)
- Keith brings over forty years of commercial business experience to LLC.
- As an experienced international business leader, he has successfully launched and grown a number of US technology companies in the UK and Europe, holding positions as Managing Director, VP of EMEA and President of the Board. Extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.
- Managed and grew a multi-million dollar training business as Director of Oracle Education, working on the UK, EMEA and US education management teams. Keith then moved into education technologies launching an early version of a Learning Management System, eLearning platforms and dynamic content creation tools. Keith holds a passion to promote life-long learning and making it easily available to everyone.
- A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, with experience in sales, marketing, operations, and finance.
- In recent years has been working with start-up organisations in Europe and Asia, who are focusing on developing environmental solutions to combat, waste management, pollution, and climate changes.
Sue Campbell
Vice-Chair of the Finances, Audit & Risk Committee (FARC)
- A strategic Business Leader with over 25 years of financial management, operational leadership and consulting experience in professional services, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) & talent acquisition advisory.
- Born and raised in Australia, Sue moved to London in 2000. In 2010, she relocated to Hong Kong for 8 years as Managing Director Asia for Korn Ferry Professional Services. During her time in Asia, she was also a Board Director and Vice-Chair of a charity focussed on delivering legal and counselling services to victims of human trafficking.
- Inspired by creating a solution to plastic pollution, in 2018 she returned to the UK to launch KIND2, a range of solid, plastic-free shampoo and conditioner.
Malcolm Weston
Nominated NED for Safeguarding
- Malcolm is Chairman of the Governing Committee at an Academy; Associate Governor at a maintained High School; and, a Trustee of the Charity Youth Experience in Sports.
- He was former Chairman of British Telecom (BT) Ethnic Minority Network whose aim was to develop a network of successful, positive, self-empowered employees that add value to the business and contribute to the community.
- With an M.Sc. n Business Systems Analysis and Design. Malcolm’s career has spanned various fields from engineering, electronic services, project management development to business systems transformation.
- Charged with a passionate about learning and enabling opportunities for all he started a school mentoring programme for Years 10 and 11 students with the aim of inspiring young people and raise their aspirations by introducing them to business professionals from similar backgrounds.
- Malcolm is interested in all sports: Captain at a rowing club and participant in badminton, golf, and the occasional game of dominoes.
Jermaine Sterling
- Jermaine is an experienced housing specialist plying his trade within Local Authorities and a Housing Association for over 15 years.
- Has extensive experience in leadership and is a Director of Operations within a Housing Association in Kent.
- He has strong interests in mental health, technological innovation, youth engagement and social inequality. Jermaine is a big believer and absolutely committed in ensuring younger people have a voice in their future, and tackling and discussing current issues.
- Jermaine is also a Trustee for the Mary Seacole Trust where he is Chair of their Education Committee.
- He is a big football fan, with a strong love for Motorsport, in particular MotoGP and an avid and experienced skater and skier.
- As a younger Non-Exec Director, Jermaine joined us to continue supporting our LLC Board to better reflect our local communities, stakeholders, and students.
Andy Wilson
- Andy was involved with establishing the London Learning Consortium and was Chair from 2007 to 2016. He brings experience from 16 years of architectural practice encompassing local, regional, and national government and private practice.
- Thanks to a mid-career switch and qualifications in Youth Work and Counselling he also brings extensive experience of working with young people in open, targeted, residential, and training settings.
- From 1997 to 2007, he was Chief Executive of City YMCA which he grew from a one-building project with a turn-over of £700k to a four-building project with a turn-over of £3.5m.
- He gained a wealth of experience, and enthusiasm, in working with the wider not-for-profit sector and moved to be CEO of Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector.
- Now retired, he continues to exercise his passion for the not-for-profit sector through advising on governance issues and organisational development and has various trustee positions with charities, including a YMCA and the London Learning Foundation of which he is Chair.
