Trustees' Biographies

Biographies of the President, Vice-Presidents and

Trustees

School Council

Born and educated in France, Nicole studied at a girls’ boarding school where she benefited from an academic education in an environment free from the distraction of boys. She then studied English with Spanish and French to degree level in France (equivalent to a BA Honours). Nicole’s UK qualifications include PGCE, MBA, and the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPHQ). She is a FRSA.

Nicole’s career started in a mixed, comprehensive school before moving into selective education where she took on academic and pastoral responsibilities.

She worked at a senior level in four girls’ schools where she held the roles of Head of Languages and Deputy Headteacher, before her appointment in 2001 as Headteacher of a girls’ grammar school in Kent. In 2007 she was appointed Headteacher of a high performing girls’ grammar school in Chelmsford until her retirement in 2019. One of her personal achievements at Chelmsford was to lead the expansion from a four to a six-form entry school, having raised close to £10 million in capital grants from the Government.

Nicole was Joint President of the Association of State Girls’ Schools (ASGS) from 2013 to 2015. In that role she forged formal links with the GSA. As a member of the Grammar Schools Heads’ Association (GSHA) Steering Committee she led a coordinated approach to the introduction of entrance tests across a range of grammar schools, aimed at giving a level playing field to children, irrespective of their background.

She has a passion for empowering girls to believe in themselves and be ambitious for their future. As headteacher of a high performing selective school, she articulated the vision of “Developing the Leaders of Tomorrow” in the belief that every single girl has the potential to lead in whichever field she chooses.

Nicole also believes that girls should develop a sense of responsibility towards others and contribute to their local community and beyond, and that it is crucial that their education equips them with the skills and characteristics to prepare them to embrace the challenges ahead of them, in their careers and personal lives.

Nicole retired from headship after 46 years in education, for which she was awarded the Essex County Council Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. She has a vision for education that is closely aligned to that of Roedean, and a deep personal commitment to the education of girls.

Mrs Nicole Chapman MBA NPQH

Spirit de la Mare is an esteemed arts, culture and heritage professional held in high regard by both culture industry professionals and individual artists alike. Her dedication and reputation within the sector have lead to many honours and awards. Spirit is an Arts Scholar via the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars as well as a Freeman of the Company of Entrepreneurs who represents the Guild as an ambassador in the arts, creative and cultural sectors. She became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2018 and has been a Governor of Roedean School since her leaving. Spirit is a trustee of ArtCan, an arts organisation that supports artists through profile raising activities as well as a Trustee of Poetry London and Chair of the Kingsgate Workshops Trust in West Hampstead. Last year, along with her partner and the team at Kenwood House (English Heritage) she became one of the Founding Friends of the new Mansion Cottage Bookshop which sits beside the former stately home. Spirit has worked in culture PR for most of her career across various highprofile campaigns for large institutions, exhibitions and galleries. She is a keen writer, poet and commentator within the arts and offers consultancy to creative and cultural institutions.

Henry Fajemirokun is a Consultant/Company Director who advises and works with a number of UK and foreign companies at board level on risk management, financing, business strategy and organisation. He is currently practicing as CEO of Collingwood British Education Ltd. His career includes a number of departmental MD positions in global investment banks specialising in derivatives and fixed income areas.

After leaving Roedean and becoming a Governor, Frances gained a BSc (Hons) in Operations Engineering from Exeter University. Knowing only 15% of engineering graduates are female, she is keen to illustrate to Roedean girls that no industries are off limits to them.

Her 20-year career has spanned all aspects of Human Resources and she has worked in global financial institutions in the City, specialising in bringing commercial solutions to boards of directors.

Frances is a rare Great Granddaughter of the school. Her grandmother, mother, sister and ten other family members all attended. Frances, is passionate about girls’ (single-sex) education in general, and Roedean in particular.

Dr Henry Fajemirokun BA Hons (Oxon) PhD

Miss Frances Graham BSc PGCE MCIPD (OR)

Miss Spirit de la Mare FRSA (OR)

Following an illustrious executive career, which began in the City, Claire is now a plural Non-Executive Director. She has substantial financial and award-winning communications expertise across a wide-range of organisations, including charities.

Claire was on the management boards of two international FTSE100 companies, heading communications’ functions and responsible for financial and operational performance. For 10 years she also led strategic planning and business development, including financial/investment transactions.

As a NED, Claire was a member of the Audit Committee of another FTSE100 company for six years. Her current roles include: Chair of Amicus (a legal humanrights charity); and member of the UK Advisory Board of Board Apprentice.

Claire’s life-long, widely-recognised commitment to Roedean – which she credits for her professional successes – has led her to want to bring her 33 years of financial, commercial/corporate, communications/marketing and director/trustee experience to the Council of Trustees, to support the School’s future success.

Victoria Jenkins has been an Educational Psychologist for 36 years, and has worked for Birmingham City Council since 1987.

In addition to supporting academic achievements for all abilities, Victoria’s interests include: stress-management and building resilience; anti-bullying and safeguarding work; and the various barriers to effective written literacy, including dyslexia. She has a strong reputation as an advisor/external expert who works with school-staff, so as to empower them to achieve their desired results.

An alumna of Roedean South Africa, Samantha Louis is Vice President of International Advocacy at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. She has worked for the Africa Region of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for 22 years, including as Director, is a Fellow of CIMA and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Samantha is also a registered Accredited Public Relations Practitioner with the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa, and has post-graduate qualifications in public relations and management, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Samantha serves on the Advisory Board of the Australian Institute of Performance Science, and on the City of London Lord Mayor’s Appeal Diversity Senior Leadership Group.

Samantha is an experienced Board director in Executive and non-executive roles at national, continental and global level, including having served for two years on the Roedean South Africa Board of Directors. An enthusiastic OR, she spent many years as Secretary of the South African Old Roedeanian Association.

Miss Claire Jenkins M(Theol) (OR)

Ms Victoria Jenkins MA PGCSE MEd (OR)

Ms Samantha Louis (SAOR)

Karoline Molberg is a Consultant advising financial institutions and companies on the marketing of products and raising capital. After leaving Roedean, she went on to complete a BA Hons in Business Studies at Kingston University, and from there embarked on her career in Financial Services. Karoline is FCA qualified and is currently SMCR accredited.

Her career spans 20+ years where she has held Partner level and Senior Manager positions at leading global Investment Banks, Asset Managers and Hedge Funds. With extensive experience selling and marketing equities, fixed income, derivatives and private markets, Karoline has worked for institutions such as HSBC James Capel, Bankers Trust, Millennium Global and others. She is currently working for leading global Canadian Asset Manager, Fiera Capital, as Head of Marketing (Europe). Karoline looks forward to bringing her professionals skills to support Roedean Council. She was co-opted to Council in September 2020 and is a member of the Finance Committee.

Teresa Outhwaite is passionate about Roedean’s success – having lived locally for many years and maintained contact with Roedean throughout. She is active across a broad local network and is committed to volunteering for local charities. For the last three years she has been Chair for The Friends of Windlesham School, overseeing fundraising initiatives and creating streamlined database systems.

Teresa was an academic scholar at Roedean and on leaving went on to gain a BA in Fashion Textile Design with Business Studies, and a PGDip in Design History at University of Brighton. Following her education she has worked in the fashion industry and education in Brighton and Oxford.

Teresa was elected as a Trustee in June 2016 and sits on the Development & Marketing Group.

Delva Patman qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1969. In 1980, after 16 years in local government and private practice, working in London, Europe and the Middle East, Delva founded Delva Patman Associates, now Delva Patman Redler LLP. Renowned as an expert on rights of light, party wall and neighbourly issues, she has advised on a diverse range of notable commercial, public and private development projects throughout the UK.

Delva was a Vice President of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors from 2003 to 2006 and was the first female Master of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors (1999/2000).

She was formerly Chairman of the University College of Estate Management, is a member of Council of Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham and Governor of Channing School, Highgate, chairing the Estates Committees of both.

Delva is a Trustee of St Clement Danes Church and a Special Lieutenant of Her Majesty’s Commission of Lieutenancy for the City of London, a member of the Board of the City Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and the RFCA Greater London Property Board.

She completed 15 years as Hon Air Commodore 7010 (VR) Photographic Interpretation Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force on 31st October 2017 and retains the rank as a member of 601 City of London Squadron RAuxAF.

Delva is Chair of the Estates Committee and a member of the Strategy Committee.

Ms Delva Patman FRICS ACIArb

Ms Karoline Molberg BA Hons (OR)

Mrs Teresa Outhwaite BA PGDip (OR)

Kim is an Old Roedeanian (OR) Governor who has lived in Brighton for 40 years but has only recently become involved again in the Roedean community. Her retirement has given her more time to reconnect with contemporary ORs, make friends with local ones and attend a number of events at the School. She has seen the impressive recent achievements of staff and pupils and would now like to support the school in continuing as an outstanding all girl’s school while also contributing to the wider community which includes areas of high deprivation. She feels honoured to have been nominated for election to the Council of Governors.

Kim has worked across Sussex as a psychiatrist and in a variety of senior management roles and has a strong track record of non-partisan partnership working across groups with quite different perspectives. She combines strategic vision with the ability to focus on necessary detail and has demonstrated her ability to influence and inspire others in her professional work and in her involvement in emergency food distribution during the pandemic.

She has Board level experience within a large NHS provider organisation and as a Trustee Director of two local charities and has seen a range of ways engaging with different stakeholders including members. She is keen to bring this experience to understand some of the tension that appears to exist between Council and some OR Governors so that nobody feels excluded.

Kim is married with two adult children and lives with her husband who is also retired and enhancing his musical skills. She was playing in a gigging band until lockdown, has some writing projects to finish and was due to run the Brighton Marathon in 2020 but hopes this can be retrieved in April 2022.

Vivien Smiley has a background in PR, public affairs and stakeholder relations. Since leaving Roedean and graduating from the University of Nottingham, she has worked in sport, higher education and the commercial sector. This includes time spent as Head of Communications for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), where she also led bids for inward investment from the public sector.

Vivien has a strong understanding of education policy and the private education market, with three young children at prep school on the Kent/Sussex border where she lives. She is a Trustee Board Member of Freedom Leisure, a not-for-profit trust, and a Governor of an Academy in the maintained sector.

Vivien is a member of the Nominations & Governance Committee.

Ginny was President of the Old Roedeanians’ Association from 2016 to 2020, and also previously on the ORA Committee from 1998 to 2000, when she edited the OR Magazine. She was a member of the Council’s Working Group set up in 2019 to encourage Old Roedeanians to become Governors of the School in accordance with its Royal Charter, the practice having been discontinued in 2004.

Ginny qualified as a Solicitor, having previously been a member of Gray’s Inn while reading for the Bar. She joined a major firm in the city where she specialised in property law. She retired from practice when her husband became a Member of Parliament in 1992. She is currently a Director of Whitelands House (Chelsea) Ltd, and lives in London and Surrey.

Whilst acknowledging the aims of the various Governor groups, Ginny considers that a more professional and unified approach would greatly enhance Roedean’s reputation in a global market. The talents, experience and commitment of Roedean’s alumnae would enable all to work towards the highest standards in a very competitive environment.

Dr Kim Shamash BM (OR)

Mrs Vivien Smiley BA (OR)

Mrs Virginia Stephen (OR)