The Olive Academies (OA) Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) Board voted unanimously at their meeting on 16th October 2017 to appoint Philip Whall as the new Chair of the OA MAT Board.
After four successful years in post, John West-Burnham shared his decision to step down as Chair of the OA MAT Board. Olive Academies is delighted that he will continue to offer his much valued expertise, advice, challenge and support as an OA Board member. The Board also appointed Rosemary Leeke as Vice-Chair of the OA MAT Board. Rosemary will also continue her work as the Board’s Safeguarding Lead.
The OA MAT Board is ultimately responsible and accountable for decisions relating to how each of our academies is run, from the curriculum to staffing. The Board take responsibility for leadership across the trust and take accountability for trust outcomes. Board members bring a wealth of experience from different professional backgrounds, such as business, finance and education.
Philip Whall said, “It is an honour and a privilege to have been appointed as Chair of Olive Academies (OA). I first became involved with OA a number of years ago when it was a fledgling concept. Since then I have been consistently impressed and inspired by the organisation’s leaders and academies – their depth of knowledge of the education sector and their level of commitment to improving young people’s lives. We are a young trust and operate in sometimes challenging circumstances. I am convinced that with our efforts and the hard work of our pupils, more and more young people will be able to say that as a result of their contact with Olive Academies they are in a materially better position to succeed in their lives.”
Philip was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University and worked for a brief time in publishing, before qualifying as a solicitor specialising in intellectual property law. He moved in 1999 to AOL and became general counsel, vice president, responsible for AOL, CompuServe, and Netscape branded Internet services in the UK. Philip subsequently spent ten years as the chief executive officer of a company providing qualitative and quantitative analytical data in relation to sports events. He spent several years as a director of Brentford Football Club, and remains an associate director.
Mark Vickers, Chief Executive, Olive Academies said, “Philip brings a significant and impressive range of strategic leadership and business experience to the post of Chair of the OA MAT Board. I look forward to working with him and know that he shares my determination to further develop enriching opportunities for the children and young people in our academies.”
To contact Philip Whall, Chair of the Olive Academies Multi-Academy Trust please email info@oliveacademies.org.uk
