Council Changes 2023
13 July 2023
Roedean is delighted to announce the appointment of three new independent trustees, including Guy Perricone, who will take over as Chair of Council, as well as Cornelius Medvei and John Cain. They will work closely with existing trustees and the Head, Mrs Niamh Green, to ensure Roedean is strongly positioned to build on the successes of recent years.
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Council Changes 2023
Roedean School is delighted to announce the appointment of three new independent trustees from 1 September 2023, including Mr Guy Perricone, who will take over as Chair of Council for the forthcoming 2023/24 academic year. Guy Perricone, who has extensive Chief Executive and Chair level experience across a number of organisations, will lead the School through a strategic review process alongside new independent trustees Cornelius Medvei and John Cain as well as existing Members of Council. They will work closely with the Head, Mrs Niamh Green, who took up post in April 2023, to ensure Roedean is strongly positioned to build on the successes of recent years.
Roedean, which was founded in 1885 and moved to its iconic cliff top location 125 years ago, has grown significantly in recent years and in 2022 delivered the strongest set of public examination results in the School’s history.
Mr Perricone said: “Roedean has an impressive track record as a leading girls‘ boarding and day school that delivers an academically rigorous, holistic education alongside outstanding pastoral care. I am delighted to be joining Roedean’s Council and look forward to working with fellow Trustees and the School’s Senior Team to develop plans for its future. Mr Perricone has an investment banking background, having worked at major financial institutions including Salomon Brothers, SG Warburg and ABN AMRO after starting his career as a solicitor at Linklaters & Paines. More recently, Guy was the Chief Executive of The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple and prior to that of the Associated Boards of the Royal School of Music (ABRSM). He has held a number of board level positions within the arts and education sectors, including as former Chair of Christ’s Hospital School Foundation in West Sussex and the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Mr Perricone is currently Chair of the Northern Ballet in Leeds.
Cornelius Medvei is a real estate lawyer who has had a distinguished career in major law firms, including over 25 years as a partner in Eversheds, where his roles included Head of Real Estate, London Managing Partner and London Senior Partner. He was subsequently a partner and Head of Clients at King & Wood Mallesons, General Counsel at Fenwick Limited and a consultant at DLA Piper. He has been a Governor of Southbank Centre and held roles as both a member and as Chair of various Arts and professional boards and is currently Chair of homelessness charity, the Mitheridge Foundation.
John Cain is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant with a particular focus on risk, governance and compliance. He had a successful career at KPMG where his roles included Head of Global Quality and Compliance for KPMG International; Head of the Global Japanese practice and international lead audit partner, KPMG UK. He has extensive experience of working across different cultures and organisation types and a strong interest both in stakeholder engagement and the impact of education.
We are also delighted to announce the recent appointment of Mr Anthony Millard as an independent trustee. Anthony Millard is a former Headmaster with lengthy experience of education both in the UK and internationally. After his time in schools, he was managing director of the school’s division of a leading educational business, before setting up his own educational consultancy. He is an experienced governor, including ten years as chair of a prominent international school.
Vivien Smiley, the current interim Chair of Council, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Guy as independent Chair of Council. With his deep understanding and experience of charity governance, board leadership and education, he will add huge value to Roedean over the coming months.”
To ensure a smooth transition for Council and the School, Roedean’s Council also re-appointed current Vice-Chair Delva Patman to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of Polly McGivern. Delva chairs the Estates Committee and is a Chartered Surveyor who founded a successful UK practice. She has significant experience of and commitment to education, having served on the Boards of Christ’s Hospital and Channing School, and as the Chair of the University College of Estate Management. She is also a senior member of the RAF Reserves; a trustee of St Clement Danes Church and a Director of Pennycrest Consultancy Ltd and Modulex Modular Buildings Plc.
Vivien Smiley, added: “I am confident that these appointments will add significant value to Roedean Council and the School. Alongside Guy, both Cornelius and John bringing a huge depth and breadth of experience and fresh, independent thinking to the Board. They have the skills to take on leadership positions within Council and to drive Roedean forward, and I am very excited to be working with them over coming months. We are also very pleased that Delva has agreed to stay on Council for a further year to support Roedean in this transitional period.”
