Movers and makers

From ingenious start-ups and important social campaigns to world-class sporting wins, these independent-school alumni are achieving great things

MARIELLA SATOW FRASER RAMSEYER

FRASER RAMSEYER, 28

CEO and Founder of Storr Capital

Lathallan School, Angus

After graduating from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University with first-class honours in International Business, I moved to the USA to chase my ambitions, joining a start-up in Texas within the veterinary industry. There, I led M&A, corporate development and strategy and, in four years, we went from four people working above an animal hospital to 450 hospitals in 41 states and more than $1bn of revenue. Following the sale of the business, I launched my own investment firm and applied a similar business model to the home services sector. I now have more 600 employees across four states. My school community made an important contribution, creating a safe and happy place for me to grow as a person, and building the foundations that have helped me excel in my business career: competitiveness, a desire to succeed, discipline, the ability to grind through tough environments, work ethic, focus, and a winning mindset that says anything is possible.

MARIELLA SATOW, 18

Chief Executive of SignUp

Rugby School, Warwickshire

I launched SignUp which provides sign language videos alongside Disney+ films for children who are deaf, during the pandemic at home in New York, where I was learning remotely. The videos of interpreters signing along to the films gives children, who are too young for subtitles or who struggle to read them fast enough, access to them.

I finished my A-levels in maths, English literature, economics and Spanish back at Rugby in the summer and have been o ered a place at Stanford to take a double major in English literature and computer science. However, I’ve deferred it for a year to appoint a strong management team to help run SignUp while I am studying.

I employ 100 interpreters and am in the process of seeking $1m from investors to expand and grow the business. I o er four Disney+ movies, including my own favourites, and release one film a week thereafter, with 12,000 weekly users currently.

WILL HOOLEY

LAUREN PEREIRA-GREENE

FREYA ANDERSON

WILL HOOLEY, 28

Professional international rugby player

The Leys, Cambridge

I had the most incredible foundations and support from The Leys before going on to play professional rugby across the world. Never would I have thought that I’d now be living in Southern California with my wife, playing for San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby and still representing the USA, aiming to go to my second Rugby World Cup in 2023.

I look fondly back on my career to date, having played for some of the best teams in England, being part of Premiership winning squads with Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs. More recently, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bedford Blues and Saracens both on and o the field, achieving a first-class degree in sports writing and journalism. I have gone on to write for many publications including The Guardian, and have released my own podcast, The Next Game, focusing on players’ lives outside of rugby.

LAUREN PEREIRA-GREENE, 21

Medical student and Co-Founder of DIMA (Diversity in Medical Academia)

King’s College School Wimbledon

I’m a medical student at University College London (UCL), currently undertaking an intercalated BSc in medical anthropology. King’s pushed me to be fearless of the unknown and encouraged a constant critique of the world around me. During my first year of university, I noticed the lack of diversity at medical conferences and decided to create a widening participation group, aiming to encourage those from underrepresented backgrounds to engage with medical research and academia. Additionally, I’m working on a Decolonising the Medical Curriculum campaign, aiming to promote cultural safety, epistemic pluralism and open critique in relation to the current teaching materials used by medical schools. My goal is to ensure optimal patient outcomes and improved accessibility for everyone, regardless of their identity or background.

FREYA ANDERSON MBE, 21

Commonwealth Games 2022 swimming medallist

Ellesmere College, Shropshire

I won four medals at the games last month in Birmingham, winning two bronze medals and two silver medals. It was my school days at Ellesmere that certainly helped me get to championship standard.

I was awarded a scholarship to Ellesmere College at 14 years old to nurture my talents and I was fortunate in that I could make use of their state-of-the-art facilities and coaching. I boarded weekdays and looking back, I’m impressed with how I trained at that young age. I did as well as I could in my exams because the teachers made sure I caught up with anything I missed while away swimming.

The teachers understood that we had a big commitment in the pool and the coaches understood that I had a big commitment with my schoolwork. It was perfectly balanced, we had all the help we needed, I couldn’t have asked for more. I feel very lucky to have been able to combine my swimming and studies in the same place, and get the support that I did.

WE CAN

make a difference & change the world

MAYA, 8, FUTURE EPIDEMIOLOGIST

TURNING ‘CAN WE?’ INTO ‘WE CAN!’

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