Meet our Governors

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS

Appointed: June 2013

Committees: Finance & Property, Health & Safety, Remuneration (Chair), Governance, Nominations

Working Parties: Marketing, Financial Scrutiny Working Party

John Redman was born in Belfast and educated at Campbell College, Belfast and Aston University, Birmingham.

He has held various HR and general management posts with Glaxo, Fisons, Booker, Novo Nordisk and Merck prior to relocating to Hull in 2010 as Group Managing Director of Merck Consumer Healthcare and Managing Director of Seven Seas Ltd.

John had 18 years’ experience as a Governor of a Church of England Primary School in East Sussex and 8 years as a Governor of Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School in Kent with an interest in finance, facilities and Health & Safety.

He is married to Val with three grown up children.

CHAIR DESIGNATE

Appointed: June 2024

Committees: Governance, Health & Safety, Nominations, Remuneration

John Kittmer was educated at Hymers College, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and King’s College London. He has degrees in Classics and Modern Greek.

His professional career was in the civil and diplomatic services. At various times, he worked for the Department for Education and Employment, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign Office. He had postings in Brussels and Athens, where he was the British Ambassador to Greece (2013-2016). From 2018-2024, John was a director of Okeanis Eco Tankers Corporation. In 2021, he received an honours award from the Greek state.

John has substantial experience in the voluntary sector. He spent four years as the chair of the Gilbert Murray Trust and is currently chair of the Anglo-Hellenic League.

He lives in Scarborough, where he sings, walks and is writing several books about Modern Greek literature.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: February 2008

Committees: Governance, Nominations

Adrian Beecroft was educated at Hymers College, the University of Oxford (Physics) and Harvard Business School. He worked initially in the computer industry and then in strategy consulting, becoming Vice President of the Boston Consulting Group. In the early 1980s he helped to found Apax Partners, which was initially a venture capital investor but more recently has focused on private equity transactions. He retired from his position as Senior Managing Partner of Apax.

Adrian is the joint sponsor of an Academy school in Oxford and is the sponsor of the Beecroft Institute of Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at the University of Oxford, where he is an Honorary Fellow of Queen's College. For six years he was the Chairman of Chance to Shine, a charity aimed at bringing cricket back to state schools, and is now a Trustee of the MCC.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: December 2012

Committee: Education (Chair)

Lead Responsibility: Careers Link Governor

Glenn Burgess was educated at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and the University of Cambridge.

His academic career for over 30 years has included various posts as University Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of the University of Hull. He is currently Professor of Early Modern History.

Glenn has experience in strategic planning, financial management and budgeting and was a member of the University Council. Glenn sat on the Hull UK City of Culture 2017 Board, and is also a board member of Hull Truck Theatre and Hull City of Sanctuary.

His son attended Hymers College.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: July 2021

Committee: Education

Andrew Chicken was born in Northumberland and educated at Dame Allan’s School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He studied at the University of London, Westminster College, Oxford, and completed an MEd at the University of Manchester.

He retired as Headmaster of Stockport Grammar School in August 2018 after 13 years in post. He had previously been Head of Colfe’s School, London.

Andrew served for many years as a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate and was Chairman of the North West Division of HMC. He remains involved in the induction and appraisal of Heads and senior staff in the independent sector. In addition to his membership of the Board at Hymers, he is a Governor of a leading independent school and Vice-Chair of Trustees of an inner city academy, both in Greater Manchester. He also sits on the Board of a large independent school in the North East. Andrew has considerable experience of working with livery companies in educational and charitable projects and is a Freeman of the City of London.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: December 2016  

Committee: Finance & Property  

Lead Responsibility: IT / Digital Technology  

John Connolly was born in Beverley and educated at Hymers College, Dundee University, and Newcastle University where he studied Computer Science. He has over 20 years' experience growing technology businesses - some he's started and lead, others he's helped along their way. He is Co-Founder and Managing Director of C4DI (The Centre for Digital Innovation) based in Hull. C4DI is a privately funded technology incubator helping technology companies grow and traditional businesses innovate. Alongside this, he sits on the boards of a number of technology businesses and acts as a non-exec director for a couple of charities.

He is married to Kathryn and has two sons; one attends Hymers and one starts in September 2023.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: March 2024

Committee: Education

Elizabeth Garton is an Old Hymerian who was part of the first cohort of girls to be educated all the way through the school.

After leaving Hymers in 1999, she continued her education at Trinity College, Dublin, UCLA and the University of Birmingham before gaining her chartered accountancy accreditation at KPMG.

Elizabeth now works in the family business, alongside her two Old Hymerian brothers, as Finance Director of Yorkare Homes.

Elizabeth enjoys visiting new places, watching thriller series, walks with her dog Molly and has started to learn Spanish.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: December 2010

Committees: Finance & Property

Lead Responsibility: Property

Born in Hull, Dominic Gibbons attended Hymers College between 1979 and 1989. After completing his degree in Estate Management in 1992, he qualified as a Chartered Surveyor whilst working for a National firm of Surveyors based in London.

He joined the Hull based Wykeland Group in late 1996, became a Director of its main subsidiary in 1999, joined the Board of the Group in 2004 and became Group Managing Director in July 2009. Wykeland is a property development investment company based in Hull but with a commercial property portfolio stretching from Grimsby to Glasgow. The main operational area is the Yorkshire and Humber region, where the business has a £500M development programme.

Dominic also Chairs the Arts Council funded Hull & East Yorkshire Cultural Compact called HEY Creative, sits on the Hull & East Yorkshire Business Engagement Board and is a Trustee of Holy Trinity Church Developments Limited.

Dominic is married to Alex and has two children who both attend Hymers. Pastimes other than family are skiing, road cycling and a long suffering season pass holder for Hull City.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: February 2008

Committees: Health & Safety, Finance & Property

Lead Responsibility: Health & Safety

Martin Hall was educated at Hymers College. He joined the British Army in 1975 and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1976. He left the Army in the rank of Captain in 1987, his last posting being in Oman. Prior to this he saw service in a variety of roles in Kenya, Germany, Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Brunei.

He studied Civil Engineering at The Royal Military College of Science and joined his family’s construction business based in Hull. He now owns and Chairs a Joinery Manufacturing business and is a Trustee of various charities.

He is a great advocate of review, adapt and monitor to ensure businesses and organisations stay at the head of their game and are best placed to be able to deal with the challenges put in their way.

He has three grown up children, two of whom have also benefited from a Hymers education. He continues to be involved with The Old Hymerians’ Association and was its President in 2008/9.

His hobbies include long distance running/walking/hobbling, skiing, motorbike touring and field sports.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: July 2016

Committees: Finance & Property

Lead Responsibilities: Marketing, Ambassador Link Governor

Jonathan Leafe was born in Beverley and attended Hymers College. After leaving school he was a professional musician for four years before working for the family firm.

Following a posting overseas to Spain, he changed work direction and on his return to the UK joined an Advertising

Agency. Three further years in Southern Spain followed and on his final return to the UK in 1989 he set up his own Marketing Agency. He finally exited the business, Strawberry, in 2017 and is now pursuing a third career as a consultant to other Marketing Agencies around the UK and Ireland.

He became involved with Hymers in 2006 as a Business Advisor to their Young Enterprise programme with some success and is now Chair of the Old Hymerians’ Association.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: June 2017

Committee: Education, Governance, Nominations

Lead Responsibility: SEN Link Governor

Elizabeth Maliakal was born and educated in Hull. She attended the University of Newcastle upon Tyne to study Law and then completed the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, York. She returned to Hull to train as a Solicitor qualifying in 1998. Having worked in the North East of England and as an in-house Solicitor in Leeds, she now works in private practice in East Yorkshire specialising in medical litigation.

Outside work, as well as being a governor at Hymers College, she is a trustee of a local charity and is a regular volunteer for a charity providing free legal advice.

Elizabeth is married to Paul and has two children; both are former Hymers pupils.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: March 2023 

Committee: Education

Born in Hull, Anjon was a pupil at Hymers College from 1982 to 1992. After completing his degree in Law, he qualified as a solicitor in 1998.

Anjon is a partner in the international law firm Hill Dickinson LLP and specialises in all aspects of construction and engineering law. He acts for a number of main contractors and developers across the north of England.

Anjon lives in Ilkley with his wife, Helen, and their two sons Will and Charlie. He plays golf most weekends and is a member of the Airedale Symphony Orchestra.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: November 2019

Committee: Finance & Property, Governance, Nominations

Working Party: Financial Scrutiny Working Party

Dan was born in Beverley and has lived in Hull and East Yorkshire for most of his life. He has two sons currently at Hymers. He attended Wolfreton School and studied Biochemistry with Biotechnology at the University of Birmingham, before joining the accountants Price Waterhouse in 1997 after a gap year.

Dan is a Chartered Accountant and Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP, having joined the firm in 2016. He currently leads the Transaction Advisory Services business in the UK, with teams specialising in Mergers & Acquisitions and IPOs.

Prior to joining Grant Thornton, he spent close to 10 years with PWC and 10 years in banking, working in a variety of roles.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: July 2016

Committee: Finance & Property (Chair)

Working Party: Financial Scrutiny Working Party

Nicki is a Chartered Accountant and equity partner in a local independent accountancy firm, Smailes Goldie. She has worked there for the last 21 years having trained and qualified with the firm after completing her A Levels at Hull Grammar School.

Nicki is a keen horse-rider and netballer.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: March 2024

Committee: Finance & Property

Adam, Yorkshire born, originally trained and practised as a lawyer in London. He moved into the retail and property sectors, and now holds a senior position at Yorkshire & Humber based Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP, where his role is to identify and explore new opportunities and to strengthen the firm’s relationships in Yorkshire, the Humber, Lincolnshire and internationally.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: March 2023 

Committee: Education

Tab was born and educated in Bolton attending Turton High School. She went on to study Medicine at the University of Liverpool. After completing her GP training she spent two years working in Western Australia with her husband Noel and two young children. They moved back to the UK in 2001 living in South Cave with their family now incorporating three young children.

She has worked at the Ridings Medical Group in its various forms over the last 20 years seeing it grow and develop through changes driven both internally and externally. She is a partner actively involved in the strategic development of the practice and takes a lead partner role in both staff management and support.

Her three children have all been fortunate to have attended Hymers College in the senior school and this has faired them well as they journey on through their careers.

Personally, family time is her greatest priority and alongside this she enjoys cycling and running.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: December 2015

Committee: Finance & Property

Gemma Vickerman (nee Edwardson) is an Old Hymerian who attended the school from 1997 until 2003.  

Gemma studied Land Management at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and continued as a Graduate with Savills, qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor in 2006. She specialises in Planning having completed a Masters in Town Planning at Newcastle University and is a Licentiate Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Gemma is a Director of the family business, Edwardson Associates, and runs a small team of Planners, Architects and Chartered Surveyors.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: December 2006

Committees: Governance, Nominations (Chair), Remuneration

Jamie Wheldon was educated at Hymers College between 1975 and 1985. He is a Chartered Surveyor with experience at leading global firms. He also has 10 years’ experience in commercial real estate finance. He now owns a boutique firm of Chartered Surveyors specialising in capital allowances. Jamie brings broad experience of business, property and finance to his role as a Governor.

Jamie’s leisure interests include walking his Border Terriers and alpine skiing. He has previously volunteered for the charity Pets as Therapy with his Rottweiler, Perdy.

GOVERNOR

Appointed: November 2020

Committee: Education, Governance

Lead Responsibilities: Designated Safeguarding Governor, Junior School & Hymers Hessle Mount Link Governor

Elizabeth was born and educated in the East Riding before going to London to study for a joint degree with Trent Park College of Education and the Guildhall School of Music.

She taught in Hull and the East Riding for 38 years, holding senior management positions for 23 years, 16 as Headteacher in three primary schools. She has been a lead educational assessment manager, Ofsted inspector, safeguarding trainer and National Leader of Governance.

In addition to her role on the board at Hymers College, she is also a member of an inner city academy trust. In her spare time, she is the musical director of three choirs and teaches singing privately.