Adam joined Bradford College in 2022 and is studying on our Education Studies Course. After completing the first year, Adam then put himself forward for the role of HE Educational & Welfare Officer. Since starting the role of Student Governor in July of 2023, he is really enjoying working with the students in his role and the experiences that this brings.

Adam is a member of the Q&S Committee and also sits on the Board as a member of the Corporation. Engagement with students is a high priority for Adam in his role as both a Student Governor and as the HE Educational & Welfare Officer, Adam hopes to unite HE students from the many HE courses to create a more inclusive experience. He wants to use the skills he is currently developing to progress in to a career in teaching.

Adam completed the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award by completing the 3 peaks, Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike and Snowden!

The majority of Adams time is spent volunteering at his local youth club, running the play scheme, hosting various events like pass the mic, the mental health barber shop and a boxing academy.

Barbara is a qualified accountant and a highly skilled Internal Audit Manager with almost 30 years experience in providing independent risk and assurance services to boards of directors and senior management within regulated industries, including financial service.

She has spent 25 years within internal audit at the Kelda Group, parent company of Yorkshire Water Ltd, developing her skills and expertise across a variety of roles including operational and finance audits, risk management, compliance, transformation, programme assurance, quality systems and fraud investigation.

Barbara believes that young people have the right to feel heard and to be empowered to help them make positive changes.

“Education and training is pivotal to helping them gain the knowledge and skills they need to become more confident and to broaden their horizons. This in turn helps them understand more about others and creates a better society for everyone. To quote Confucius, ‘Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.’”

Billy Khokhar is an educational professional and holds Masters degrees in Education and in Computing as well as a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Billy has a deep-seated lifelong commitment to education especially for those disengaged, disenfranchised learners who may not have previously been able to take the opportunities available in Higher and Further education. His career has been framed by involvement, commitment, and support of lifelong learning and education.

Billy is particularly engaged in widening and enabling educational participation and pursuing educational equity. Furthermore, Billy has extensive experience of Chairing Institution Accreditation panels and their subsequent re-approval. He also Chairs curriculum and programme validation panels in the UK and internationally.

His research interests include the study and impact of educational technologies in enabling learning for students from all backgrounds and abilities.

He has also worked as a youth worker enabling and empowering young people to make informed choices and decisions and life choices.

Bulbul is a Non Executive Director at The Global Smaller Companies Trust, a FTSE 250 listed investment company. She was formerly CEO of DBS Vickers Securities Ltd, the UK brokerage arm of DBS Bank, the leading Singaporean bank. She has over 30 years’ experience in Financial Markets across firms such as Goldman Sachs, HSBC, UBS and ANZ.

Bulbul was born in India and grew up and attended schools in both Yorkshire and India, before graduating from Oxford University. She is multilingual, speaking Hindi and German, as well as English, and has experience working across several countries and cultures. Her own diverse background has led her to champion diversity and inclusion for many years.

She is passionate about education and the opportunities it can provide to improve and enrich students’ lives and broaden their horizons. Her mother was a lecturer at Bradford and Shipley College, and she herself worked as a language teacher in the UK and Germany. She recently completed a second degree in complementary health, which is one of her interests, along with gardening, foraging and enjoying walks in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.

Chief Executive Officer
Chris joined Bradford College from Barnsley College, in March 2019.
He has more than 20 years’ experience in the education sector, having also spent time as Deputy Principal at South Thames College and Director of School at Newcastle College.
Graduating from Canterbury Christ Church College University with a degree in IT and Sport Science, Chris began his teaching career in 1997 with a part-time role at Bedford College teaching and coaching footballers. From there he went to City of Westminster College to become a full-time lecturer then onwards to Braintree College as a Curriculum Leader. His next move was to Hereford College where he was a Head of Department before going on to Newcastle College where he was Curriculum and Pastoral Manager for the sixth form and later promoted to Director of School for Business and Care.
He left the North East to take up the role of Deputy Principal at South Thames College before moving to Barnsley College in March 2011 as Vice Principal for Quality and Development. Two years later he became Deputy Principal Finance and Development before taking the Principal and CEO role in 2015.

David has worked in a variety of sectors as a Human Resources professional over the last 25 years ranging from local government, health, media, charity and education. He is currently the HR Director for Bradford Academy where he has worked over 7 years. Having worked in his current role, and with his previous role with the children’s charity Barnardo’s, David has a strong belief that supporting every child throughout their education will build a pathway to social mobility and success.

Every day is a learning opportunity and David is passionate about continuous staff development to achieve high performance for both themselves and the learners around them.

In his spare time David likes walking his dog, cycling and watching his son play for the local football team.

David spent over a decade as a strategy consultant working across a wide range of industries, issues and clients before taking on senior executive strategy and risk roles over fifteen years for a FTSE 100 banking group.  Most recently David was the Group Chief Strategy Officer, and spent four years as Group Risk Director with responsibility for all aspects of corporate strategy and risk management.  As an advisor and an executive, David has worked closely with, and as part of, senior management teams and boards developing skills in strategic decision making, developing and implementing growth plans, governance, oversight, culture and change management.  David has strong strategy, finance and risk management expertise, with experience in highly regulated sectors and complex situations.

David is passionate about the potential for high quality education and training to transform lives through broadening opportunities and creating a better future for individuals, their families and their communities. He is particularly keen to help ensure everyone has access to education and training that meets their needs, in a form that suits their circumstances.

David now works part-time as a Non-Executive Director, and Chairs an Audit, Risk & Finance Committee at a growing Multi-Academy Trust.  He spends two days a week as a volunteer gardener at Harlow Carr and Fountains Abbey, and enjoys running in the Yorkshire countryside, podcasts and video gaming.

An early introduction to work with the Inland Revenue in her home town of Solihull led Fiona to seek refuge at the University of Birmingham, as a mature student, in the mid-eighties. With a degree in Theology under her belt she found a new career at Yorkshire Television and her new life in Yorkshire in 1987. After a number of years as a programme maker, predominantly in religious programming and current affairs, Fiona took up the challenge of part-time lecturing at Trinity and All Saints (now Leeds Trinity University). Combining telly, biblical studies and lecturing was the perfect combination for Fiona as she progressed through the University structures, moved to York St John University, and eventually retired in January 2019 as Deputy Vice Chancellor after 25 years of service to the academic community and to many thousands of graduates. Her biblical studies continued with a Masters and a PhD through the University of Leeds.

In 2011, Fiona decided this was not sufficient and undertook an MA in Radio and Television Scriptwriting at the University of Salford. She has stopped taking further academic qualifications…for now.

Fiona has been a reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency since 2010, has been a Governor at York College and is delighted to be continuing her passion for, and involvement in, education in her role as a Governor at Bradford College in her home city.

Fiona continues her work with the TV community through her role with the Royal Television Society Yorkshire Committee. She also volunteers for the Cinnamon Trust (an animal charity that seeks to help people retain their pets at home during times of illness or crisis) and with the Royal Voluntary Service via their NHS Good Sam App.

In her spare time Fiona likes reading, writing, golf, and music – she is in two LGBT identified choirs and she also plays the ukulele badly. Fiona also likes nothing more than spending time with her partner, Rachel, and their two cats…whilst plotting for the day when they can have dachshunds again. Fiona is also the proud author of a very niche book based on her PhD. Entitled ‘The Text of the Synoptic Gospels in the Writings of Origen’, it was published in 2023 and Fiona looks forward to the time she can live exclusively from the royalties.

Gavin Hamilton is a Head of Commercial Finance with a wealth of experience across diverse sectors, having previously worked for companies such as HSBC, Wm Morrisons Plc, the NHS and the University of Leeds. His strategic financial insights have helped organisations navigate complex financial landscapes and promote stability and growth. With specialisms in pricing, project accounting, regulated audit and P&L management, his skills will be of great benefit to the board.

As a previous student of Bradford College he knows first hand the transformative impact this institution can have on people’s lives, with the qualifications gained during his time here leading him to further academic achievements and culminating in qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2010. He is hopeful that his own academic journey can inspire the current generation of students to follow a similar path.

Gavin moved to Bradford in 1990 when his parents moved back to the city of their birth having spent 11 years in Germany. Now living in Leeds with his wife and children, he has spent over 30 years in the Yorkshire region and is a strong advocate of this great County. He spends his free time with his family, walking his dog, and being a DIY enthusiast.

Following a 38-year career in the finance industry working for major UK banks, culminating as Head of Lloyds Bank’s Education, Community and Government team in the North of England, John has pursued his interest in the voluntary and not for profit sectors. He is currently a board member of a housing association in North Yorkshire, trustee of an almshouse and educational charity in Hull, and Chair of Governors at Bradford College.

John’s particular interests are in how we can improve an individual’s life chances and the communities and surroundings that they live in, specifically through education and housing.

John was born in Yorkshire but has lived and worked throughout the country. In his spare time he is involved in motorsport as an official and organiser. He is also a keen walker, particularly in the North Yorkshire Moors countryside where he currently lives.

Kimberley is an experienced Procurement professional with over 13 years of experience. She graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Law.

She has a breadth of experience across multiple sectors, working for many household names that we know and love. Kimberley has a wealth of knowledge, and has spent time gaining experience in both the public and private sectors.

Kimberley has developed and maintained a love of education and has continued with professional development over the years. She has gained certificates in data protection, social value, ISO’s, commercial contract writing and process improvement.

Kimberley gained her first directorship at age 27, and has continued volunteering her time since. She is a firm believer in giving back to the communities you live & work in, and has held multiple directorships over the past 10 years as well as volunteering where she can in community initiatives and projects with her children.

Kimberley tries to encourage positive change and trained with Go Teach to coach newly qualified teachers. Her aptitude to drive a better experience is apparent in the work she produces and her appetite to transfer her skills across the dynamic stakeholders she works with.

Lendy Ho is Head of Procurement for The Calico Group which offers a range of social, community and housing provisions. She has 20 years of experience across a plethora of private and third sector organisations: From retail, e-commerce, utilities, charities to housing incorporating project experience from construction, corporate to property compliance.

Lendy grew up to the backdrop of the de-industrialisation of North-East England to first generation Chinese parents in a port-side town called Hartlepool. She is passionate to promote social mobility through better education prospects and supported life experiences. Her commitment remains aligned to Bradford College’s values and aspirations. She is proud to support Bradford College to deliver future state-of-art estates to promote the student experience and transform lives.

Lynette is an experienced serving Vice Principal at in FE college with responsibility for Curriculum and Skills. She has 15 years’ experience in the sector and has held multiple roles across the college during her career.

Lynette is a firm advocate for social inclusion, she is passionate about education and training, and is connected to skills needs and economic development. She believes that stakeholder collaboration locally, regionally and on a national scale, will serve to address the specialist technical skills gaps and emerging skills trends we see in FE, and that such challenges can be supported through a ‘grass roots’ approach to education, training, and wider skills development.

Over the years she has developed a particular interested in how non-technical skills, specifically core and character education influence the advancement and prospects for FE students and as such believes qualifications alone are not enough.

Aligned to this she believes that the wider curriculum experience is equally important in bringing about positive change, enabling young people and adults to flourish in life and work. Lynette is an AoC research further scholar, investigating the role of core and character education in context of narrowing the non-technical skill gap and tackling socio-economic inequalities in education outcomes for FE students.

Lynette holds a master’s degree in educational leadership along with other non-executive roles including Trustee at the ETF, Board of Advisors for the Humber TechWeek, and Co-Chair for the Hull and East Yorkshire LEP Skills Network.

Maqadas joined Bradford College in 2022 and studied our Level 3 Health and Social Care Course. After completing the course, Maqadas then put herself forward for the role of Student Union President. Since starting the role of Student Union President in July of 2024, she is really enjoying working with the students and the experiences that this brings. Maqadas is a member of the Q&S Committee and also sits on the Board as a member of the Corporation. Maqadas is passionate about being a voice for the students of Bradford College and making change happen. She would like to use the skills she is developing to become a social worker in the future.

Maqadas completed the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and aspires to complete the Silver and Gold Awards in the future.

Maqadas has spent time volunteering at a play scheme for children and young people in the school holidays. Maqadas loves boxing and has competed in a number of competitions.

Paul Birtles is the Operations Director for Produmax Limited, an aerospace components manufacturer based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Paul is Bradford born and bred and has been in manufacturing since 1981.

He is a time served engineer completing his apprenticeship in 1985 at Renold Gears in Bradford while attending Bradford College on day release, being one of the first apprentices in the UK to complete the CNC programming modules.

He has led teams in the textile and medical design fields achieving his first directorship in 2005 before moving to the aerospace industry with Produmax in 2012.

His principal interests include business transformation, culture change and lean manufacturing. Produmax has recently undergone many changes working with Sharing in Growth and making significant local investments allowing products to be transferred from off shore to UK manufacture.

Being an active champion of youth engagement, Paul chairs the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering board for the ICE program and is also on the district board of the CTE. He is also vice chair of governors for Bradford College, believing that young people are the key to the future.   Paul takes a holistic view of problem solving leading to innovative solutions involving many areas of the business. He has been involved in developing true partnerships with key customers enabling Produmax to grow in reputation and size.

Shahnaz brings with her a considerable number of years’ experience in the education sector specialising in school administration, outstanding organisational leadership, building strong cohesive and highly effective teams and galvanising staff to achieve the highest standards to ensure excellent outcomes for all learners.  She has had ample opportunities to refine education and curriculum policies for students and has a proven track record of guiding and implementing new educational strategies and managing change; in at times challenging circumstances.

Her proven track record of school improvement has led her to establish an outstanding school as a Principal and then as an Executive Principal.

Shahnaz has had the honour of serving as a National Leader of Education for the past 10 years. She has engaged and collaborated nationally with other outstanding educational institutions and leaders to share best practice and contribute to school improvement through empowering leaders and developing strategies to improve pedagogy.

She is resilient, visionary, reliable and has high expectations of herself and others in all that she does. With a good sense of humor and humility she is able to contribute strategically and is looking forward to champion the work of Bradford College which was pivotal in the development of her own career.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Shahnaz enjoys reading, quizzes and travelling in her spare time. She is a befriender and supports and volunteers in a community center.

Sharon’s professional background is as a lead Governance Professional (company secretarial) to public sector, charitable and not for profit organisations including Colleges,  Academy Trusts, Housing Associations and a national membership organisation. She is semi-retired.

Sharon is a strong believer that ‘every day is a learning day’ and that everyone should have access to education, housing and healthcare in order to enable them to achieve the best of their potential.

“My involvement with Further Education has shown me that whenever individuals are given the chance to learn and develop, that they can achieve great things”.

Originally from Bermondsey (London), Sharon has lived and worked in Yorkshire for over 20 years. She is currently based in York and is a member and Secretary of a Community Co-operative, Trustee of a local charity and a Director of the management company for the development where she lives.

Tony brings over 20 years of senior-level experience in financial services, specialising in regulatory compliance and championing fair customer treatment. He has served as an Executive Director and chairs the risk committee of a local charity, roles that have equipped him with a deep understanding of governance, strategic planning, and decision-making.

Tony lives in Huddersfield with his wife, an educational teaching assistant for children with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. He has two children in college and university and a dog named Fudge, who he walks daily to stay fit and enjoy the countryside.

Tony is a Fellow of the International Compliance Association and the Chief Risk Officer of a UK-based financial services company.

Umar is passionate about the role education plays in people’s lives and, having been born and bred in Bradford, knows the important impact the College has on the many diverse communities within the City.

Umar has both been a student and member of staff at the College since 2010 as well as serving as Vice-President of Bradford College Students’ Union, as a student governor, been a representative on various committees and boards, and worked with young people and adults as a Progress Coach and Intervention Officer.

He is currently the Team Leader for Personal Development at Bradford college and has experience in areas such as leadership, strategic oversight, finance and project management.

He has previously contributed to College governance on a number of issues including the appointment of senior leadership positions such as the CEO, Ofsted inspections, developing the College strategy and much more.

Umar’s experience and position at the College has given him the opportunity to build relationships with both curriculum and business support staff, meaning he has a sound understanding of what happens in and outside of the classroom and the challenges that our students, staff, community and the College face.

Umar helps to influence positive change and ensure student and staff voice is embedded at every level of decision-making processes. He believes that the College has made significant progress over the last 4 years and has now achieved an OFSTED rating of ‘Good’ and he looks forward to playing my part in the Colleges journey to achieving ‘outstanding’.