Helen Clements

Community Investment Advisor, Morgan Sindall | Construction

Chair

Helen has worked in the construction industry for over 10 years. Helen’s role at Morgan Sindall Construction is about delivering social value for its public-sector clients. A large proportion of this is linked to skills. Helen is a Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) Ambassador and attends various skills meetings across East Anglia. Helen is also an Enterprise Advisor currently with two schools, as well as being a STEM Ambassador.

Jeremy Kerswell

Principal, Plumpton College | Vice Chair of SAG and FE

Vice Chair

Jeremy has worked across the country in the Further Education and Higher Education sectors over the last 20 years, and in that time has either been involved in or witnessed world-class practice in ensuring skills development is fully aligned to local, regional and national business and economic development. He is Principal of one of only 13 specialist land-based colleges nationally, as well as sitting on the Board of Landex and the National Land-based College. Jeremy is also Chair of the Training and Education group for WineGB, the national representative body for the wine industry.

Angela O'Donoghue

Principal and Chief Executive, South Essex College | Chair of SAG and FE

Vice Chair

Angela has worked in further education for 37 years, having previously held lecturer, assistant principal, vice principal and acting principal roles at Liverpool Community College and Wigan and Leigh College. After setting up a new college in Hackney and spending five successful years there, Angela became principal at Sunderland College before taking up her current role at South Essex College in 2012. In 2013, Angela was awarded a CBE for services to education.

Jane Thomas

BT Group

Bio to follow

Holly Aquilina

Employability and Skills Strategy Manager, East Sussex County Council | Local Authorities

Holly has worked in the skills and employability sector for over 20 years with leadership roles in the public sector (Local Authorities, the European Commission and the Learning and Skills Council), community sector and private sector. Holly has managed skills funding programmes (overseeing European Social Funding for the Learning and Skills Council), led training organisations and provided consultancy support to universities, colleges and community organisations around their training development and delivery. In her current role, she established and now facilitates the highly effective ‘Skills East Sussex’ employment and skills board, and its six sector-focused business-led task groups.

Liz Austin

HR Director, Stansted Airport | Airports and Tourism

Liz has worked at London Stansted Airport for over 10 years and in that time helped manage the transfer from BAA to Manchester Airport Group at a time of exceptional and sustained period of growth. Having originally started as an HR Business Partner, Liz was appointed HR Director in early 2016. Before joining MAG, Liz started her career in the health industry, specifically criminal psychology, before changing direction to work in HR roles. Liz held a number of senior people roles at Asda and, prior to that, HR roles in the rail and construction industry. Outside of work, Liz is a school governor and plays an active role in driving educational standards.

Andrea Cunningham

Metal | LEP Board Member

Bio to follow

Ana Christie

Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Ana’s career began in aviation in ground operations working both at Gatwick and Heathrow airports before progressing into hospitality in London at Marble Arch Marriott hotel, and subsequently working on the construction and development of the London Marriott hotel at County Hall. Managing the London Aquarium as General Manager was her first management role. Ana was Executive Vice President of an executive recruitment and human resources consultancy in the Philippines before working for the British Deputy High Commission in India in entry clearance (visas and immigration). On her return to Britain, Ana joined Fisher Clinical Services before becoming Chief Executive of the Sussex Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

Samantha Desforges

Head of Human Resources, Berry Gardens | Food Production

Sam has worked at Berry Gardens Limited, the UK’s leading soft fruit provider, for over 12 years and in that time has seen the business grow significantly. Starting originally as a HR Manager, Sam was appointed Head of HR in early 2016. She was awarded the coveted award of Manager of the Year in 2019 by the Fresh Produce Consortium. Before joining Berry Gardens, Sam started her career within the accountancy and medical communications industries. During her spare time, Sam is an active Trustee for the Japanese Akita Welfare Trust.

Viki Faulkner

Head of Apprenticeships, University of Brighton

With a strong background in work-based learning, vocational education and training, Viki has worked in further and higher education for over twenty years and been involved in apprenticeships since the early 1990’s. She demonstrates a strong track record on partnership working, employer engagement, the development of higher level skills and a commitment to the progression of vocational learners. 

After spells leading activity in two Lifelong Learning Networks, as Project director of a HEFCE funded regional employer engagement project and establishing the University of Brighton’s Training and Development Unit, she is now responsible for developing the strategy to introduce Degree Apprenticeships across the University and delivering our Technical Education agenda. ​

Diana Garnham

Consultant, RDBInsight | Chair of Skills East Sussex

Diana has been engaged in the skills agenda, and specifically STEM skills, for many years and has a good understanding of both national and local issues. As Chief Executive of the Science Council, Diana led work on innovative workforce skills analysis, careers awareness and information, developed professional qualifications in science including Chartered and Registered Scientist and Registered Science Technician and introduced a programme of work on diversity in science. She chaired the BIS Science for Careers Expert Group in 2010-12.

Diana is currently an independent member of the Construction Industry Training Board and also works with Kings College London and the University of Brighton in developing ways of improving undergraduate work readiness. She was on the board of Sussex Coast College and more recently East Sussex College Group.

Iain Hawthorn

Regional Food & Drink Director - South & East Region, HSBC | Finance

Iain has held a wide number of management and leadership roles over 35 years in retail & corporate banking. He hopes to guide more young people into his profession by helping them understand the pathways available to them, the skills required and the highly rewarding personal development they can achieve. Iain is a voluntary member of the Retail & Commercial Banking Graduate & Intern Assessment Panel and an Enterprise Adviser for the Careers & Enterprise Company, as well as being Chair of the Finance & Professional Services Guild for Kent, Chair of the Advisory Board to Canterbury Christ Church University Business School and Member of the Business Advisory Board to Kent County Council.

Trevor Hutchinson

DP World London Gateway | Logistics

Trevor has 20 years of experience from both private and public sector perspectives in the Essex and wider South East area. As a planning and transport consultant for the past 12 years, Trevor has worked with a number of clients and has a broad experience of issues. He previously spent eight years as a strategic planning and transportation officer at Thurrock Council, and was formerly Vice Chair of the Essex Employment and Skills Board, as well as spending two years as Chairperson of the Essex Employment and Skills Board’s logistics sector action group.

Lynne Matthews

Workforce Development Strategist, EDF Energy | Nuclear Energy

Lynne started off her career in BBC sport and joined the nuclear industry to set up the British Energy supply business which went on to be market leader. Now with over 20 years experience in the nuclear industry Lynne leads on the planning and implementation of workforce strategy for nuclear new build. Having successfully achieved approval and investment for Hinkley Point C in Somerset, she is currently doing the same for Sizewell C in Suffolk and is the Lead for Bradwell B in Essex.

Jo Nolan

Managing Director, Screen South | Digital and Creative

Jo Nolan has exec-produced over 250 digital projects across Film, Arts and Heritage including award-winning features, shorts, music promos, live shows and gallery-based work. She is the Lead Producer for New Creatives South East, the recently launched BBC Arts new talent scheme. She also leads the Create Converge Skills & Talent strand, a European cross sector Immersive and Interactive project. She has successfully produced 72 shorts for C4 Random Acts and supports Screen South’s Accentuate Programme across a range of projects. Jo is a voting member of BAFTA, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is Chair of the Kent and Medway Skills Guild for Creative, Media and Digital.

Vanessa Potter

Executive Director, Sussex Council of Training Providers

With extensive experience of working within both the private and third sector, Vanessa has overseen a broad range of government funded programmes including Public Health, CCG, ESFA, DWP and ESF initiatives. A passionate advocate for education, she has witnessed first hand, the transformational impact that skills investment can have on individuals, communities, businesses, and the wider economy.  Alongside previous leadership and management roles, Vanessa was a board member of the Sussex Council of Training Providers for 5 years, before taking on the post of Executive Director in 2018.​

Dr Ajay Sharman

Regional Network Lead, STEM Learning Ltd - South East | STEM/Digital Skills Partnership

Dr Ajay Sharman is the Regional Network Lead for STEM Learning Ltd across the South East. Dr Sharman was previously Technical Director at University of Kent spin-out company Viridian, before joining Reckitt Benckiser as Global Technology Manager followed by a commercial role at the University of Oxford’s Begbroke Science Park. Dr Sharman has been a Chair of Governors at Parkside Community School in Canterbury for over eight years, as well as Chair and Vice Chair of Governors at The Whitstable School. He is currently a trustee at Dartford Science & Technology College and on the pool of Governors for Kent County Council.

Rebecca Smith

Deputy CEO, SEK Group | Voluntary and Community

As Deputy CEO of Social Enterprise Kent, Rebecca Smith has been supporting the Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector for over 15 years.   She is passionate about social enterprise, communities and empowering people.  With a MA in HR Business Partnership, a postgraduate diploma in management, and an adult teaching qualification, Rebecca loves leading the Kent VCSE bimonthly networking, delivering workshops, and supporting social enterprises and charities to help them grow and develop. ​

Paul Winter

Non-Executive Chairman, Wire Belt Company Ltd | Chair, Kent & Medway Skills Commission

Paul completed a Higher Apprenticeship and then qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant while working for the Lucas Group in the 1970s. He was CEO of the Wire Belt Company for almost 40 years, having established the strategy of recruiting from full time education, especially for apprenticeships. Now as Non- Executive Chairman, time has been released for other skills-related activities such as being an Apprentice Ambassador and chairing the Kent & Medway Skills Commission. Paul is also a member of the Kent & Medway Economic Partnership.