Academy Ambassadors

Academy Ambassadors describes itself as 'a non-profit organisation', which was set up to place more business people on the governance boards of multi-academy trusts, as trustees / non-executive directors.

It is part of the New Schools Network, which was established by Michael Gove to support the creation of more independently-run, state-funded 'free schools' in England.

It claims to have placed over 200 senior business leaders on trust boards.

Partners

Charity partners

• Education and Employers charity
• Future Leaders Trust, set up by Ark in 2006 to train school leaders to be 'changemakers' in schools the UK.
• Inspiring Governors, a partnership between the Department of Education and the National Governors’ Association, with the involvement of Education and Employers, CBI and others
• National Governors’ Association
• SGOSS, Governors for Schools organisation

Corporate partners

• BT
• Teach First
• McKinsey & Co
• PwC
• EY
• KPMG
• Slaughter and May, law firm
• Mishcon de Reya, law firm
• HSBC
• Lloyds
• Barclays
• UHY Hacker Young, accountancy firm
• Rolls Royce
• Dairy Crest
• Women on Boards
• CBI

People

• Kirsty Watt, head of AA

Patrons

These are Academy Ambassadors' most senior supporters

• Michael Rake, chair of BT, ex-President of the CBI, ex-Chairman of KPMG.
• Paul Marshall, chair of Ark and chair of hedge fund Marshall Wace
• David Ross, sponsor of David Ross Education Trust; co-founded The Carphone Warehouse
• Tom Attwood, Chairman of Hg Capital; Non-Executive Director at the Department for Education. Tom is also founder and chairman of the Attwood Academies Trust
• Barbara Judge, Chair of the Institute of Directors
• Andrew Adonis, former education minister – he was a key architect of Tony Blair's public service reforms in education; Trustee of Teach First
• Rod Aldridge, founder of the Capita Group
• David Meller, joint chairman of his family business, the Meller Group (luxury home and beauty suppliers).
• Susie Cummings, founded Nurole, a digital platform that aims to match the right people with the right boards.
• Nikki King, former MD and honorary Chairman of Isuzu Truck UK
• Nora Senior, Executive Chair UK Regions and Ireland at Weber Shandwick; President of British Chambers of Commerce
• Phil Jones, President and Chief Executive of Northern Powergrid.

Contact

• Website: www.academyambassadors.org
• Address: Academy Ambassadors, New Schools Network, 8th floor, Westminster Tower, 3 Albert Embankment, SE1 7SP