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Graham Able served as Deputy Chairman of the Alpha Plus Group from stepping down as its CEO in June 2014 until the sale of the schools to Inspired Education in October 2023. He took over as Group CEO in October 2009 two months after retiring as Master of Dulwich College, having served 40 years in independent schools, the last 21 of which were spent in headships.
Prior to his nearly 13 year tenure at Dulwich, Graham was Head of Hampton School. He has been closely involved in the independent sector in London for over 35 years and remains a governor of two schools in the Inspired Group.
A former Chairman of HMC, which represents the Heads of over 250 leading schools in the UK and overseas, Graham was also President of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition for three years (the first non-American to hold this post).
During his Mastership of Dulwich, Graham was responsible for the development of the Dulwich schools in China and remains Senior Vice-President of Dulwich College International.
Howard Goldsobel is a partner in a City firm of solicitors specialising in company and commercial work. Howard has a lifelong interest in educational affairs and was a Lay Inspector of Schools from 1993 to 2001. Howard holds an MBA and was for 12 years until 2020, a foundation Governor and Chair of Finance at a VA faith school and is today an appointed Governor at Marylebone Boys School.
Howard is also a keen reader, tennis player, and skier.
Cllr Stéphanie Petit has been a resident of London for over 25 years. After graduating from an Ecole d’Ingénieur in France in the late 90s, she dedicated nearly a decade to research at Procter & Gamble before transitioning to executive positions at Sotheby’s and other companies. Recognising the immense impact of community support during challenging times, Stéphanie has been actively involved in various volunteering programs, including assisting local food banks and acting as a liaison with the Independent Advisory Group at the MET.
Stéphanie serves as a Board Governor at the Harris Federation Academy in Battersea and as a non-Executive Governor on the Board of Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust.
Stéphanie is an elected Councillor in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, representing the residents of Norland ward. Within the Council, she holds positions on the Licensing Committee and the Adult Social Care Committee.
Stéphanie, a mother of two boys who attended Wetherby School, supports various schools’ outreach programs and bursaries effort and is passionate about education and community welfare.
Having been involved with the Alpha Plus Group for many years Jane Ritchie has a deep knowledge of both its history and its schools. She was the company’s Director of Early Years and until recently, owned the Minors Nursery School and taught at Wetherby throughout the 80s.
Jane now works in an advisory role for nursery groups, schools and companies. She has been involved with the conception and start-up of nursery projects both in the UK and abroad and also offers information, advice and support to parents negotiating the complexities of the London Independent sector.
She travels widely and her interests include textile design, gardening and music.
Mark has worked in education for 30 years. Prior to joining Inspired as UK Education Director in September 2023, Mark was Headmaster of Wetherby School Notting Hill for 15 years, and Deputy Head for 2. With extensive experience in all aspects of academic, pastoral and co-curricular provision, Mark was also Executive Headmaster of Wetherby School Kensington from September 2022 until April 2023.
Mark also brings to governance his experience as Head of Mathematics at King’s College Junior School, Wimbledon for 5 years and Head of House, at Westminster Under School and Eaton House the Manor.
Nick joined Inspired as Global Education Director in January 2020 and is now the Chief Executive Officer for the UK, based in London. This followed six years as Headteacher at Steyning Grammar School. Nick was elected Chair of the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2019, he was appointed National Leader of Education by the UK Department for Education and he founded the Pavilion and Downs Teaching School Alliance. Following a successful international career in Investment Banking (leading Emerging European Equity teams at US, UK, and European investment banks, including Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and HSBC), Nick began his career in education following his teacher training at Pembroke College, Oxford in 2004. Presently, Nick is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a winning recipient of the 2007 UK National Teaching Award and holds an MA in Education Studies (University of Sussex). Nick is also a board member of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Association.