Executive Council

Philip is the Managing Director of Staedtler UK Ltd. Staedtler have always seen their role as going beyond that of pure resource supply and wish to engage with the Education sector on as many levels as possible.

With children’s education having been disrupted arguably more in the last few years than has ever happened before in peace times – he believes passionately in having the strongest possible Executive Council to help steer us through future challenges.

He has been Managing Director of Staedtler (UK) Limited since October 2016 and has been fully engaged with the education sector and its key suppliers at all levels, for all of that time. Whilst a Board member for Staedtler UK, his CPD qualifications have included the Institute of Directors’ Certificate in Company Direction, the Diploma in Company Direction (Academic Level 7 / Masters qualification), and an MBA from Henley Business School. These courses have helped Philip develop the skills and tools to be an effective Board / Council member ensuring that his contributions produce effective board performance.

Philip is committed to utilising his skills & knowledge along with real time experience to further the success of BESA for all stakeholders including those accessing education and members.

Matt is the Founding CEO of Learning Ladders Education, an award-winning EdTech platform that improves school assessment data management and parental involvement in learning for International Schools across Early Years, Primary and Lower Secondary.

He is a former teacher, education author, speaker, Trustee at the charity School Home Support, and is also Chair of Governors at his local school.

Matt has been a member of the Executive Council since 2017, and served as Chair of the EdTech Special Interest Group for 5 years. He was voted by BESA members to be Vice Chair in 2024.

Stuart has over 30 years experience in helping, running and growing businesses that supply the education sector.

With a long career in Edtech, from the world’s largest multinational education company to the smallest start up and almost everywhere in between, Stuart has experience in almost all aspects of the commercial world supplying the education sector.

As Director and Co-Founder of The Wisdom Partnership, he’s learnt about the opportunities and challenges faced by EdTech providers, and, as a long-standing supporter of BESA, he believes our trade association is more important than ever.

Stuart provides valuable insight to a couple of LA controlled primary schools on the governing board and as Chair of Finance. A longstanding member of the Executive Council with a number of years served as Treasurer, Stuart is a valued member of the board.

Al is the CEO of the EdTech company NetSupport, with more than 30 years’ experience in educational technology and digital safeguarding. With a passion for education and, in particular, educational technology, governance and raising organisational performance, he has undertaken many roles outside of his NetSupport duties, including being Chair of a Multi-Academy Trust and an AP Academy, sitting on the Regional Schools Director’s Advisory Board for the East of England, and being Chair of the county SEND Board. With 20+ years of governance experience, he is also a FED Council member, Chair of the BESA EdTech Group and his regional Business Board.

Al the author of My Secret #EdTech Diary, My School Governance Handbook and My School & Multi Academy Trust Growth Guide (all published with Hodder Education) and a co-author of A Guide to Creating a Digital Strategy in Education. He continues to support schools with consulting and mentoring – as well as writing for the wider education community, supporting vendors and regularly speaking at education conferences and events.

Al was the winner of the 2022 EdTech Digest Author/Speaker of the Year award, Edufuturist of the Year award 2023, winner of the BESA 2023 award for Inspirational Leader, and winner of the 2023 ERA award for Outstanding Achievement.

Becky Unitt is Head of Product Strategy and Marketing at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). NFER’s mission for 75 years has been to improve outcomes for future generations everywhere and to support positive change across education systems.

With over 15 years of experience in the education sector at both UK and global levels, Becky is a strategic marketing leader dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for all. She has deep expertise in developing go-to-market strategies and driving cross-functional collaboration, leads product development and has spearheaded major online product launches for Coursera and NFER. This expertise is combined with an understanding of the realities of school life gained through her role as a primary school governor.

Passionate about UK education and EdTech, Becky is aligned with BESA’s mission to drive innovation and growth within the sector, and advocates for research, policy, and practice to positively impact education organisations nationwide.

Chris is passionate about education and proud to represent Findel Education as their MD. One of the largest suppliers to the market both UK and internationally, Findel’s supplier reputation has grown significantly, positioning them as a strong and sustainable partner. The business includes a number of respected brands such as GLS, Hope Education, A-Z, WNW, Philip Harris, Davies Sports and LDA covering every aspect of Education supplies.

Through his 12 years tenure, Chris as gained invaluable insight into what success looks like for the education resources market. Chris’s experience covers every aspect of education and he has pioneered customer experience programmes that lead the market with independent recognition and accolade.

Dawn Hallybone brings a wealth of expertise to BESA’s Executive Council. As Chief Operations Officer at 2Simple, she leads strategic initiatives that support primary and secondary schools in the UK and internationally, ensuring digital tools enhance learning outcomes and reduce teacher workload. Dawn is passionate about the transformative potential of technology to enrich the curriculum, foster creativity, and engage learners.

In her role as Chair of BESA’s Curriculum Special Interest Group, Dawn collaborates with industry leaders to address key curriculum challenges and opportunities. Her 24 years in primary education, spanning classroom and senior leadership roles, give her deep insight into the needs of schools, teachers, and learners. Her broad experience, strategic insight, and commitment to improving education make her an invaluable asset to the BESA board.

Gary is the Business Development Director at ESPO, one of the largest publicly owned professional buying organisations (PBO) in the country. ESPO is a key supplier to the Education sector with a vast range of 27,000 products covering Early Years, Primary and Secondary as well as a portfolio of procurement service solutions accounting for over £3.5bn spend annually.

Gary has a huge amount of experience and knowledge of the Education sector, having worked in various roles at ESPO over the last 26 years including roles in Commercial, Procurement and Compliance, Product and Supply Chain. Gary is a member of the ESPO Leadership Team and oversees all sales and marketing activity including the production of digital and printed catalogues, product management and supply chain as well as sales to international schools. Gary has also previously been on the governing board of a local primary school.

Ian Koxvold brings over 25 years of experience in consulting and industry. Ian is Partner at Cairneagle, where he previously worked from 2007 to 2015 and co-founded the education practice alongside Rupert Barclay.

Since then, Ian has led Education Strategy at PwC (2015–2021) and served as Head of Education, Strategy and Corporate Development at Supporting Education Group (2021–2025).

Jane has worked in the educational sector for nearly three decades, advising on, implementing and managing programmes of system-level change and improvement, across diverse contexts, including Education in Emergencies. She has worked with ministries of education, government agencies, non-governmental organisations, donor agencies and educational organisations to support large-scale system transformation through to targeted specific interventions.

Jane has also worked outside the education sector, advising and consulting on regulatory frameworks, trade publishing strategy, communications and process redesign. Jane has been a speaker at events such as the Education World Forum, London Book Fair, Transforming Education Summit (UNGA77), Global Online Learning Alliance and the Global Education Summit. She is a Governing Body Fellow of Hughes Hall (University of Cambridge), a member of the Centre for the Study of Global Human Movement (University of Cambridge) and a Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow.

Katie has over 20 years’ experience in educational publishing and is passionate about collaborating with experts to create and deliver high-quality, accessible and representative educational resources. Katie has published award-winning and innovative products across all stages and ages. As Secondary & Revision Publisher at Collins she is committed to improving life chances for learners and advocating that education equips young people with the skills necessary for success in work and life.

Beyond publishing, Katie brings broader leadership experience as a former governor and Chair of Teaching and Learning at a primary school and is currently a Trustee of the English Association. Passionate about continuous learning, and championing the work of teachers, Katie believes that connecting people and organisations and working in partnership is the best way to navigate the ever- changing educational landscape. As Chair of the STEM SIG, Katie amplifies the voices of members at Executive Council.

Murray Hudson is the Managing Director of Gratnells Ltd, a UK based manufacturer which exports its world famous school tray and storage systems all over the world. Murray has been working in the education sector for more than twenty years and has spent time on both BESA Executive Council the furniture manufacturers special interest group.

Murray is also the co-author of the best selling book on maximising the school environment, Planning Learning Spaces. In his spare time, he is either on his bike or at a motor racing track.

Martin Armytage has 35 years of experience in the education sector. In his early career, he managed YPO’s publications department, becoming one of the organisation’s youngest senior managers at 21. As Head of Education Business, Martin oversees the entire education offering. He continues demonstrating his passion for the sector he loves, saying his role is more than a job; it’s a part of him.

Martin’s well-respected career in education has seen him champion and achieve many significant milestones, including developing and deploying YPO’s CPD programme, which annually brought 3,000+ teachers to YPO’s teacher centre. He also introduced the Institute of Customer Service into YPO and has managed a successful partnership with the ICS for nearly a decade.

A well-liked and well-renowned staff member at YPO, Martin is an adept professional and a great character who lights up the room when he walks in. His wealth of knowledge, drive to innovate and personable character position him as an invaluable member of staff at YPO, well-liked and respected both internally and within the wider sector.

Ravi Patel is the Managing Director and Founder of GreatFind Recruitment, a specialist recruitment agency serving the EdTech and technology sectors since 2015. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, across a variety of roles including significant work in EdTech, Ravi has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the education technology landscape.

A proud BESA member for over four years, Ravi brings a wealth of expertise gained from working across both private and public sectors, engaging with senior leaders of educational institutions, IT organisations, and candidates. His strategic insight aligns talent with organisations, fostering cultural and operational success. Ravi is committed to utilising his knowledge and network to support the Executive Council’s mission of advancing education.

As Vice President of Marketing and Customer Engagement at Pearson, Claire has significant leadership and commercial experience, with a strong track record of shaping strategy, driving innovation, and delivering growth. She works directly with schools and colleges to understand their needs and ensure that Pearson’s products and services equip teachers to deliver outstanding learning and assessment experiences.

She leads large teams with responsibility for marketing strategy, brand positioning, revenue growth, customer engagement, communications, and service transformation. This combination of commercial and customer-facing responsibilities gives her deep insight into both the opportunities and challenges facing educators and suppliers.

She also champions innovation, particularly in digital and AI-enabled transformation, ensuring that services remain future-focused and aligned to the evolving needs of schools. She shares BESA’s commitment to raising standards, supporting suppliers, and ensuring educators have the tools they need.

Richard is Global Director, Sales, English Language Teaching, Oxford University Press. He has over 30 years’ experience in education software, publishing, and technology and multiple BESA and BETT awards. He envisions a world where barriers such as language are removed so that all young people can access the curriculum, and have opportunities at college, work and in life.

He believes the BESA community plays a critical role in developing strong partnerships between schools and suppliers. BESA members can create space and time for brilliant educators to focus on what they do best and meet each leaner at their point of need. As an elected BESA Executive Board member, he commits to ethical leadership, continuous learning, and driving measurable social impact. His leadership philosophy is rooted in innovation and a dedication to positive change in the education sector.

Simon Winfield is the Managing Director of Red Monkey Play, a leading provider of outdoor play and learning equipment for the Nursery and Primary Education sectors in the UK. Since founding the business in 2012, Simon has focused on enhancing children’s opportunities to learn through play, collaborating with education professionals to promote physical activity, fitness, and development.

Before Red Monkey, Simon held senior roles in the banking sector, bringing extensive leadership skills to his mission of improving early education experiences. Simon is deeply engaged in his community, serving as Chairman of the Leicester Riders Foundation, promoting social inclusion through sport, and the Furnley House Foundation, dedicated to improving lives in Leicester. He is also a Trustee of Steps Conductive Education Centre. As an Executive Member of the British Educational Suppliers Association, Simon works to support the education sector and its members to help shape a brighter future for children, who are tomorrow’s leaders. Find him here: (3) Simon Winfield | LinkedIn

Educator, international keynote speaker panellist, podcaster and Head of Education at Everway (formally the Texthelp Group) – the world's largest specialist assistive technology company. Paddy is a passionate, expert advocate of inclusion, accessibility and universal design through policy, culture and practice. With a specialism in SEND, Paddy lives by the phrase “Education for Everyone”. Paddy leads the Everway business teams across EMEA and is known for delivering keynotes, workshop sessions and policy guidance that leverage technology and AI to deliver meaningful and sustainable impact and change. Through BESA’s SEN Working Group and Edtech SiG, Paddy is recognised as a strong advocate and supporter for the key role BESA members play in SEND policy, practice and export markets.

Paddy has received the UK Digital Leader 100 award, an Honorary Fellowship of the University of Ulster (School of Education) and is a member of a number of AI and SEND advisory boards.