Our Board
The Careers & Enterprise Company is led by our Chief Executive Oli de Botton. He works closely with our board of directors, who hold collective responsibility for the overall control and strategic direction of the organisation. All our board members are volunteers passionate about our mission to ensure every young person can find their best next step.
Our Chief Executive – Oli de Botton
Oli is the CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company – the national body for careers education. Prior to this he was a Headteacher at a school which pioneered new ways of working with employers - including the introduction of extended work placements for all Year 10s and 12s. He also co-founded the national charity Voice 21 which works with schools to promote and develop the skill of speaking in young people. Oli was one of the first cohort of Teach First teachers in 2003 and has extensive teaching experience in a range of roles. He has also worked in education policy and strategy as a government education advisor.
He says the most important thing he learnt about inspiring young people about the world of work is “when you give young people high quality experiences, they rise to the challenge – they grow in confidence and find their voice.”
Our chairperson - Baroness Nicky Morgan
Baroness Morgan is the former Secretary of State for Education. She was also Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Minister for Women and Equalities and Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in the House of Commons. She now sits in the House of Lords and has a portfolio career mainly focused on financial services.
Dame Julia Cleverdon
Julia is the former Chief Executive of Business in the Community, former Chair of Teach First and has been a government advisor working on the Prime Minister's Talent and Enterprise Taskforce Advisory Group.
Mo Isap
Mo is Founder and CEO of IN4 Group and Founding Director, Trustee and Vice Chair of STAR Academies, a Multi Academy and Free Schools Trust, operating over 30 schools across the country. He was previously Co-Chair of the Greater Manchester LEP and is also Founder of Skills City, one the country’s leading technology bootcamps operators.
David Baldwin
David Baldwin recently stepped down as Headteacher of Churchill Community College in North Tyneside having held the role 20 years. The school was one of the first in the country to secure all 8 of the Gatsby Benchmarks. He is now Education Strategic Lead for North Tyneside Learning Trust.
John Yarham
John has been The Careers & Enterprise Company’s Deputy Chief Executive since April 2019, also fulfilling the role of Interim Chief Executive from October 2019 to February 2021. John was previously CEO of the Futures Group and has over twenty years’ experience in a range of education, skills, economic development and careers guidance roles.
Ashwin Mistry OBE ACII
Ashwin has over 40 years experience in general insurance and broking. He led a management buy-out pf BHL group in 2009, which earlier this year joined forces with the Clear Insurance Group.
He was a member of the National Skills Task Force 1997-2000, under the then Secretary of State, Rt Hon David Blunkett, examining skill shortages in the UK and in 2000 was awarded an OBE for his contribution to Careers Education. In 2014-15, he was National President of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Ashwin has a real passion for speaking out on issues impacting all aspects of the ever-changing economic and education landscape and championing issue affecting young people and communities today.
Neil McLean
Neil was regional managing partner at global law firm DLA Piper and the inaugural chair of Leeds City College - one of the UK’s largest FE Colleges - White Rose Academies Trust and the Leeds City Region LEP. He was also a member of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
He subsequently chaired the award winning Ahead Partnership Limited and was a non-executive director of the Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust and chair of Northern Consortium UK an international education provider owned by ten UK universities. He is also trustee of an environmental charity and committee member of a community benefit society.
Fiona Millar
Fiona Millar is a writer and journalist specialising in education policy. Before that she worked as a reporter, feature writer and political correspondent on several national newspapers and as a special adviser at 10 Downing Street between 1997 and 2003.
Fiona has been a governor at three schools in North London. Between 2003 and 2010 she was chair of trustees of the Family and Parenting Institute and recently completed her second term as chair of trustees of the Young Camden Foundation, which supports the youth sector in her home borough.
Fiona has written several books; By Faith and Daring. Interviews with Remarkable Woman; The Secret World of the Working Mother, and The Best for My Child. Did the schools market deliver?
Mohammed Samir
Mohammed is currently a Graduate Software Developer and also a Project Advisory Board Member for the Young Foundation. He is passionate about youth issues and raising the aspirations of young people and would love to bring his experiences as a young person to the board.
Ife Awotunbo
Ife works in investment banking and is also part of the Youth Advisory Board at The Careers & Enterprise Company. He is passionate about social mobility and aspires to contribute significantly to an informed and diverse society, where every young person feels empowered to take their best next step.
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Christine Hodgson, Chair (2015-2022)