Oxfordshire Academies Business Managers’ Group Annual Conference 2025

Alison Edgar MBE

Alison is not your average speaker; she's a dynamic yet relatable catalyst for business success. With her captivating presence, Scottish wit and personality, combined with her 25-year experience walking the corridors of corporate organisations, Alison empowers audiences to embrace change, enhance communication, and boost results. Her talks provide real-life implementable takeaways that make an immediate impact, proving her an invaluable addition to any event. Alison was one of the few women to be awarded an MBE on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2020 for her services to entrepreneurship and business. With over a decade of experience as a business champion, she has mentored top industry figures. Alison has also played a pivotal role in advising the government on business legislation, contributing to the growth of the UK economy. As a dyslexic author of two international best-selling books, Alison has mastered the balance of how to enhance readers’ personal and professional development. Her debut book was a WHSmith Top Ten Business Book and named one of the top business books written by a woman in 2019 by The Independent newspaper. Alison is a sought-after media contributor, and recently became a boardroom advisor for a new business TV show, ‘Ready Set StartUP’ on Amazon Prime UK & US.

James Browning

James is the Chief Operating Officer for Lift Schools. James took up the position of Chief Operating Officer in November 2022, after first joining Lift Schools as Chief Information Officer in February 2021. He holds strategic and operational accountability for our trust-wide operations, including technology, data, estates, HR services, marketing, and health and safety. Before joining Lift Schools, James spent 13 years at RM Education in a variety of strategic, operational, sales and product-based roles. James is a board member of Open Education AI, chair of the Queen Street Group EdTech Expert group, a trustee for Abingdon Learning Trust and a primary-school governor.

Jonathan Jones

Jon is a Director at MAC Construction Consultants and leads their education sector business nationally. With a background in strategic consultancy and a former Head of Estates for a Multi Academy Trust, Jon leads the multi-disciplinary teams providing estates and construction management services to schools, academies, and the FE and HE sectors. This knowledge and expertise enables MAC’s clients to manage their estate effectively and Jon advises on Condition and Compliance Surveys; Capital Funding Support; Design and Project Management; and Decarbonisation Advice to support this.

Julia Harnden

Julia worked for HSBC’s corporate banking division before moving to the education sector. Developing a working knowledge of education funding since 2001, Julia has supported school leaders in both the primary and secondary phase, has chaired the finance committee and been vice chair of governors at Harpole Primary School. As a member of the school leadership team she has been responsible for strategic financial planning and monitoring, PFI contract management, academy conversion and leading capital projects. Julia joined ASCL from Caroline Chisholm School where she was Director of Finance.

Lee Herridge

Lee is Director of Professional Development, ISBL. He has been with the Institute for three years and has led the revision of the Professional Standards, self-assessment tool and accreditation processes. Prior to joining ISBL, he worked for 13 years in education, teaching and leading Business and Economics in the secondary and FE sectors. He holds a level 4 Diploma in School Business Management and is currently studying a level 7 Apprenticeship in Senior People Professional Learning & Development.

Mandy Coalter LLB, FCIPD

Mandy is the Founder of ‘Talent Architects’ with a simple mission; helping schools become great places to work. Talent Architects providers consultancy and advisory support to school groups, coaching and mentoring, training and events/conferences. Mandy’s successful book ‘Talent Architects; how to make your school a great place to work’ was published in 2018. From 2012 to 2019 Mandy was Director of People at United Learning, responsible for HR, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Marketing and Communications. United Learning is one of the largest school groups in the UK, running circa 80 schools across State and Independent sectors employing over 8000 staff. Mandy built the group reputation as an employer, taking forward key priorities such as developing leaders, talent management, employee engagement, well-being, recruitment, pay and performance management. The United Learning HR team won the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development ‘HR Team of the Year’ in 2016. HR Magazine listed Mandy in the top 10 ‘HR Most Influential’ in both 2018 and 2019 - where she was ranked the 7th most influential HR Director in the UK. Mandy was also shortlisted for the HR Excellence Awards ‘HR Director of the Year’ 2018. Mandy has previously worked in senior roles in the NHS, Local Government, the Charity sector and with schools. She is also a very experienced Board Director and advisor on aspects of corporate governance. She is a Trustee/Director of E-ACT Trust and the National Teaching Awards Trust. She was a Trustee at the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust for 8 years up to April 2024. She is a graduate in Law, a Fellow of the CIPD, a qualified Executive Coach and an NLP practitioner. Mandy is also the Co-Founder of ‘Trust Inclusion’ – developing inclusive leaders in school Trusts.

Matthew Wolton

Matthew is a Partner in the VWV Commercial Law team. Matthew has worked in the education sector for 17 years, and with academy trusts for over 12 years. His particular expertise is helping multi-academy trusts grow and develop through developing close and long-term relationships with them. This covers everything from day-to-day problem solving through to high-level strategic support. He also has significant experience in public procurement and general commercial law.

Rachel Younger

Rachel is the National President 2024-25 of NAHT. She has worked in schools for over 20 years and is currently the Business Manager at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in Blackpool. She is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leadership and a governor at a local all-through special school for pupils with Autism. Rachel has been an active member of NAHT since 2012, becoming branch secretary for Blackpool in 2015. She was NAHT regional president for the North West in 2018, the first School Business Leader to be elected to that office in any region. Rachel has been a member of NAHT’s National Executive Committee since 2017 and is currently National President: the first school business leader to be elected to this role in the union’s 125 year history.

Shirley Si Ahmed

Shirley is the Chief Finance and Operations Officer at Athena Learning Trust. She has extensive experience managing all aspects of school operations and finance in multi academy trusts and maintained schools. She is well-versed in leading finance, IT, data protection, HR, catering, lettings and governance. As well as being an experienced school business professional, Shirley is well known within the school business manager community as a mentor and coach for support staff leaders focusing on empowerment, leadership and confidence. She understands that the community is a small one but packs a big punch. Through supporting each other and recognising how vital our role is, we are able to develop and progress both in terms of the influence we have and in our own career path.

Stephen Morales

Stephen is the Chief Executive Officer, ISBL. He has a 20-year career history in operations and finance, working at a senior level in the public and private sectors, both in the UK and abroad. Stephen presided over the development and implementation of nationally recognised school business leadership professional standards and led the transition from the National Association of School Business Management to the Institute of School Business Leadership.