Overview
The White Horse Federation is a multi-academy trust (MAT). Its Certificate of Incorporation as a Private Limited Company (8075785) was issued on 18th May 2012.
Governance of The White Horse Federation falls within the responsibility of Members and the Board of Trustees
Members
The primary function of the Members is to oversee the proper and effective operation of the Board of Trustees.
The Members meet at least annually and by invitation of the Board may attend one of the Board of Trustees meetings annually in a non-voting capacity.
Trustees
Trustees, who are also Directors are responsible for:
- Setting the vision and values, ethos, and strategic direction of the MAT.
- The effective management of the Schools and other associated settings;
- Financial, educational and academic performance and monitoring of all settings within TWHF;
- Developing and implementing a risk management strategy and making major decisions about TWHF including its funding applications, capital initiatives and key contracts.
- Ensuring the reputation of the MAT is continually strengthened and is not compromised.
- Identifying terms of reference for the Board’s committees and the Local Governance Committees, and ensuring these are reviewed.
Board of Trustees
Ninna Gibson
After reading economics at Cambridge, Ninna worked for Mercury Asset Management. She became a magistrate in 1998 and sat as Chair in the Adult criminal court for over 25 years. She currently Chairs in the Family Court sitting in Swindon and Salisbury. She is a Director and Company Secretary of a financial investment company and a partner in a farm breeding pedigree Hereford cattle. Ninna was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire in July 2020. From 2011-2018 Ninna was Chair of Governors at Springfields Academy in Calne, a day and residential school for young people with autism and complex emotional issues. Ninna became a Trustee of The White Horse Federation in December 2017 and was appointed Chair of the Trust Board in September 2019.
Simon Cleverly
Simon is a corporate lawyer and corporate affairs professional with over 35 years’ experience, initially in private legal practice in a leading city law firm and, subsequently, as an in-house lawyer and as Group Head of Corporate Affairs at a FTSE top 10 global FMCG company. Recently retired, he is now pleased to be able to devote more time to his other interests. He is currently a Trustee of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation and a Trustee of the Country Food Trust, a national food poverty alleviation charity. Simon is Vice-Chair of the Trust Board.
Dr. Moira Laffey
Moira holds a PhD in Chemistry and undertook research at London and Cambridge universities. After a career in the Civil Service followed by family commitments, she has held a variety of posts in the independent education world including as a Maths teacher and Headteacher. After retirement, she worked on various projects for a well-known consultancy including being the independent chair of complaint and discipline panels for numerous senior and junior schools. Moira is Chair of the IAB at Melksham Oak Community School, Chair of Governors Larkhill Primary School and a White Horse Federation Trustee. Her particular interest is in the teaching of numeracy to those who find the subject daunting.
Hugh Graham
Hugh is an experienced Finance and Risk professional with forty years of experience working in financial. He was responsible for capital management and treasury at Barclays, AMP, Zurich Financial & AIA, as well as organising the capital restructure of Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley post-nationalisation. He was Chief Risk Officer of AIA and latterly advises the Swire group of companies on risk. Hugh is currently a Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Risk Committee of London Metal Exchange Clearing, a Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of China Taiping UK Ltd. and was a Director of a subsidiary of the HKSE from 2013 – 2022.
Mark McVeigh
Mark is an Education Consultant and has advised on the opening of international schools and headship appointments. He was brought up in Belfast and graduated from Bristol University. Mark achieved a PGCE and taught at Lancing College, West Sussex. He moved to Marlborough College in Wiltshire as Head of Department, then boarding Housemaster, and acquired an MA in Education Management. A role in strategic international liaison led to his appointment as Head of the Senior School at the new Marlborough College Malaysia. He was then Principal of Denla British School, a premium start-up British curriculum school in Bangkok.
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Anthony Simler
Anthony Simler is a long-term CFO, who specialises in working for family offices, mergers and acquisition, and acting as a turnaround consultant. Brought up in London and graduating from Exeter University in Economics, he subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant, before becoming a professional investor with a US private equity firm, then making the switch to becoming a CFO. Anthony has served on many boards and has considerable experience of the debt markets, raising equity, streamlining company operations and integrating acquisitions.
Gordon Montgomery
Having qualified as a chartered accountant, Gordon has started, grown, turned around, and sold companies all his adult life. In the public company and private company arenas, he has variously been Chairman, CEO, CFO or COO of a venture capital investor, corporate finance and M&A broker, turnaround consultancy, furniture manufacturer, ground maintenance business, TV production company, and many more. Most recently; a technology start-up, which he co-founded in 2009 and sold in 2018, grew to dominate its market sector in the UK. He is also non-executive director of a chain of farm shops. He feels passionate about education as a fundamental conduit for providing the world with a next generation that are kind, capable, healthy, responsible citizens - able to stand on their own two feet; stand up for what is right; exercise tolerance and common-sense; and produce those qualities and capabilities in the next generation beyond them.
Gaelle De Sola
Gaelle De Sola is Head of Risk at Jupiter AM, overseeing enterprise risk, investment risk and business resilience, but before joining Jupiter, she was at Janus Henderson Investors, managing the global Risk Team, also covering investment, operational risk and business resilience. Prior to joining Janus Henderson, Gaelle was chief risk officer at Invesco EMEA and before that, she covered a number of head of roles having started her career in 1997 with Ernst & Young. Gaelle holds a BA degree (Hons) in economics and politics from Warwick University. In April 2024 Gaelle became a Trustee of The White Horse Federation who also sits on the Risk and Audit Committee.
Deepak Gupta
Having completed his medical degree in India in 1982, Deepak subsequently had further training in India, USA, and the UK. Since 2000, he has practised as a Consultant ENT Surgeon in the UK. He retired from The Great Western Hospital NHS Trust, Swindon in 2022 but continues to work at the Ridgeway Hospital, Swindon and The Tetbury Hospital. Apart from his clinical work, he has been involved in teaching, training, research and the introduction of several innovative, patient-friendly and efficiency initiatives. In addition, Mr. Gupta has been in senior leadership positions, having served as the founder member of the NHS Southwest Clinical Senate and as the Director of Medical Education at the GWH (2009-2017). He is also the Founder-Director of the Health Economics, Leadership and Management programme (HELM). He has been closely involved in the Swindon and Wiltshire community and initiated the Swindon Indian Association in 2008. Since 2018, he has been a deputy lord lieutenant of Wiltshire.
Matt Beer
Matt is the Deputy Director for Schools in the North East at the Department for Education (DfE). In this role, he provides strategic leadership and oversight of education policy implementation and school improvement initiatives across the North East of England. With a deep commitment to raising educational standards and ensuring equitable access to high-quality education, Matt works closely with school leaders, local authorities, academy trusts, and other stakeholders to drive improvements in pupil outcomes and support effective school governance. He brings extensive experience in the education sector, including prior roles within government and school leadership, and has a strong track record of delivering improvements. Passionate about education Matt is dedicated to building a school system that nurtures potential and supports communities.
Dr Roy Awbery
Roy is a Chartered Chemist and senior research scientist at AWE Nuclear Security Technologies, where he has led nationally significant programmes in nuclear science, materials chemistry, and strategic innovation. He brings to the Trust Board extensive experience in scientific governance, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term strategic planning within complex, high-stakes environments. He has over eight years of experience in school governance, the majority as Chair of Governors at John Madejski Academy. During his tenure, he provided calm, focused leadership through a period of substantial challenge and change. Roy is passionate about educational equity and committed to helping schools ensure all pupils have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background. Roy is also the founder and former chair of NuFor — the UK’s leading nuclear forensics conference. Uniquely, NuFor brings together scientists, policy-makers, and senior leaders working on national nuclear security, while also being designed to inspire and engage students aged 14 and up. Its inclusive format is deliberately built to foster curiosity and encourage young people to explore STEM careers in one of the most exciting and globally important scientific fields. A lifelong advocate for science education and future talent development, Roy continues to support outreach and mentoring initiatives across the UK. He is also a published children’s author and illustrator, and abstract artist, and lives near Reading.
Trustee Register 2023-2024
Roles & Responsibilities
| Trustee | Role | Committee membership |
| Ninna Gibson | Chair of Trust Board | Finance, Capital and Resources Committee; Teaching, Learning and Standards Committee |
| Simon Cleverly | Vice Chair of Trust Board |
Risk and Audit Committee; Finance, Capital and Resources Committee; Lead Trustee for Governance
|
| Hugh Graham | Chair of Risk and Audit Committee, Lead Trustee for Whistleblowing | |
| Moira Laffey | Lead Trustee for SEND | Chair of Chairs Trustee. |
|
Jilly Norton |
Chair of Teaching, Learning and Standards Committee; Lead Trustee for: Safeguarding, Pupil Premium, Looked After Children and Church School Distinctiveness. |
Teaching, Learning and Standards. Finance, Capital and Resources; |
| Gaelle De Sola |
Green & Sustainability |
|
| Anthony Simler | Chair of Finance, Capital and Resources Committee |
Members
Richard Marsh
Chair of members. Salisbury Diocese Board of Education Foundation Member
Dan Roberts
Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education Corporate Member
Maria Sullivan
Foundation Member
Rahima Khatun-Malik
Member appointed Member
Charlotte Macleod
Member appointed Member
Each school has its own Local Governance Committee (LGC).
The Board of Trustees has clearly identified the areas of responsibility it delegates to LGCs. Although not in any way legally responsible, and not itself accountable for statutory functions, the LGC has an important role to play in assisting the school to operate effectively in line with the wishes of Board of Trustees.
One of the LGC chairs is elected by fellow Chairs and then co-opted by Trustees onto the Board.