Mark Taylor

Chair

Mark Taylor is a Governor at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and Folkestone Academy. Having worked in the City, Mark's career as a Bursar started in 1993 at Cranbrook School, appointed to Dulwich Prep School, Cranbrook in 1996, Bedales Schools in 2003 and the King’s School, Canterbury in 2010. Mark was elected ISBA Chairman from 2013 – 2016.  

Richard Harman

Chief Executive

Richard Harman was educated at The King’s School, Worcester, followed by Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read English.  Having spent two years working for an academic publisher, he decided his real vocation was in teaching.  After five years at Marlborough College teaching English and Drama, during which time he also completed his PGCE at Exeter University, he spent 12 years at Eastbourne College.  Progressing from Head of English to Housemaster of a Sixth Form girls’ house to member of the Senior Management Team, he then became Headmaster of Aldenham in September 2000 and thence to Uppingham in 2006. After a decade leading Uppingham and 32 years overall in teaching, he embarked on a third career as Chief Executive of AGBIS. Richard is much enjoying the challenges at AGBIS, having been Chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association for 2011-12 and Chairman of HMC for 2014-15.

The Lord Black of Brentwood

Lord Black of Brentwood (Guy Black) has been a Conservative member of the House of Lords since 2010. Educated at Brentwood School and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated in history, Guy has spent his career in the media and politics. He has worked at the Telegraph Media Group since 2005, as Deputy Chairman since 2018. Previously, he had been Director of the Press Complaints Commission and Director of Communications for the Conservative Party under Michael Howard. Guy has been a Governor of Brentwood School since 2013, and Chairman of Governors since 2024. He is President of the Boarding Schools Association and the Institute of Boarding. Guy has been a longstanding campaigner on education issues, including music education: he has been on the Council of the Royal College of Music since 2009, and its Chairman since 2017. He speaks in the House of Lords on a range of issues including education, music, osteoporosis and bone health, animal welfare and media freedom

Johan Jensen

Director, All-in Education

A seasoned diversity and inclusion expert, with a wealth of experience across various global sectors, including finance and pharmaceuticals, but most significantly in the education sector. His expertise encompasses EDI change management, inclusive leadership development, strategic communications and stakeholder management.

In 2018 he founded All-in Education. All-in Education helps education institutions globally to become inclusive work and learning places - making recruitment more effective, ensuring talent stays for longer, helping staff fulfil their potential and ensuring the curriculum and learning environment is inclusive.

Before establishing himself as an EDI consultant he was a Director at Ambition Institute, a pioneer in developing leadership in schools to significantly improve outcomes for children.

With his passion for equity and inclusion Johan led stakeholder management at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) between 2009-2012. Johan started his career in campaigning across equality and children’s rights issues, developing national campaigns for Citizens Advice. He built an innovative campaign to tackle child poverty and produced the This Is Child Poverty report (Citizens Advice, 2008). At Stonewall, he spearheaded the Education for All campaign, notably launching the impactful Some people are gay. Get over it! campaign.

Johan holds a first-class honours degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Birmingham, complemented by an MA in Research Methods. Born and brought up in Sweden, he arrived in Britain on a scholarship to study at UWC Atlantic College, where his commitment to equality and human rights issues flourished.

Debbie Innes-Turnill

Chair of Governors, The King’s School, Gloucester

Debbie Innes-Turnill (MSc) runs her own freelance Safeguarding Consultancy, which complemented by her school experiences, advises schools, organisations, charities & social groups about safeguarding for both adults and children. She has been a Teacher and School Leader for 30 years.

She completed her Masters in ‘Advanced Child Protection Studies’ in 2020 and currently works part time lecturing on the degree which enables her to stay up to date with safeguarding research. She is also studying for a PhD focussing on defining safeguarding culture in education.

Debbie is actively involved in promoting equality diversity and inclusion both in her safeguarding work and through the conversations she has with professionals to support allyship and anti-racism. She feels this is particularly important in schools where our future adults are being taught how to behave.

As a former ruby referee, Debbie is no stranger to difficult scenarios and uses this experience, as well as her academic background, to think strategically in dynamic situations. She uses her experiences to provide space for both reflection and challenge whilst ensuring a relational approach by all, which is vital for keeping children and adults safe.

Lorraine Davidson

Chief Executive, Scottish Council of Independent Schools

Lorraine Davidson is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools. She was previously a Director at Gordonstoun school in Elgin and went on to be Vice Chair of the  Gordonstoun Board.

Lorraine began her career as a journalist covering major news stories including the Piper Alpha disaster, the Lockerbie crash and the Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crash, before becoming a political correspondent for both STV and the BBC at Westminster.  Lorraine was Labour’s Director of Communications in the run up to the first Scottish Parliament elections and she went on to become the Daily Mirror’s Europe correspondent, based in Brussels.

She spent more than a decade in the civil service where she held roles including Head of Communications at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Head of European Engagement at the Scottish Government in the run up to Brexit, and Head of Vaccine Oversight during the Covid pandemic.

Prior to her current role, Lorraine was Head of Education strategy at the Scottish Government where she was responsible for convening a National Discussion on the future of Scottish education. 

Vanessa Ward

Chief Executive-Chief Inspector, ISI

Vanessa joined ISI in February 2021 in this newly merged role.

After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with MA (Hons) in English Literature, Vanessa attended the College of Law in London and Guildford before qualifying as a solicitor with first class honours. She practised for a number of years in London, specialising in commercial and media law. Having retrained as a teacher, her career in education leadership includes the headship of one of the highest performing state schools in the UK. While a headteacher, Vanessa was a member and elected vice-chair of the local authority schools forum.

Vanessa joined Ofsted as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors Education (HMI), where she led inspections in both the state and independent sectors. Vanessa was seconded to the newly-formed Unregistered Schools Taskforce, which conducted criminal investigations into illegal educational provision. Vanessa also has commercial experience building a successful education consultancy practice supporting school improvement. She has combined this with her work as a School Improvement Partner (SIP) for Achieving for Children in Richmond and Kingston local authorities, while continuing her work with Ofsted as an Ofsted Inspector.

Vanessa has also served on a school governing body as both foundation and parent governor, including chairing the governors’ personnel committee.