NTI East Midlands

John White M.B.A, F.C.I.O.B, CCMI

Chairman

John is Group Non Executive Chairman of The Clegg Group, a privately owned construction, property and engineering group established since 1918 and based in Nottingham. John’s career in the construction industry spans over 40 years. Working at senior levels in the industry, he has taken the lead role on many high profile building and civil engineering projects. His public and private sector posts include Chairman and Non Executive Director of the Erewash Partnership, Chairman and Non Executive Director of Business Link Nottingham, Regional Chairman of The Institute of Directors, CBI Regional Council Member, Non Executive Director of Nottinghamshire Construction Forum and Non Executive Director of Connexions Nottinghamshire. John is a past Chairman and committee member of The Chartered Institute of Management. 

Dr Vicky Vass, De Montfort University

Deputy Chairman

Dr Vicky Vass was appointed as a Pro Vice Chancellor and De Montfort University in November 2008.

Originally from Glasgow, Dr Vass studied as a mature student achieving both an honours degree and a PhD in Psychology whilst maintaining a full-time post in administration. She was previously the Dean of the Business, Law and Psychology School at the University of Sunderland and has held a number of senior academic posts in the Scottish university sector. Her research activities include the psychology of decision making in the retail sector.

She has experience of a number of external boards including The Scottish Council for Development in Industry, The Aberdeen Foyer – a charity for supporting youths who are homeless – Leemac Holistic Health Clinic, Aberdeen and Grampian area tourism strategy group, the University of the Highlands and Islands and the Sunderland branch of the North East Chamber of Commerce.

Dr Vass is heavily involved with local, national and international businesses and has conducted consultancies for major companies including Shell, National Air Traffic Service, Institute of Directors and Baxters Foods. Dr Vass was also a governor of East Durham Community College.

Geoffrey Hall, New College Nottingham

Geoff hails from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. He graduated in politics from Liverpool University. Geoff began his career as a lecturer at South Trafford College of Further Education, Manchester. He entered education administration with Northants County Council, was assistant chief education officer in Birmingham and then Director of Education for Bexley London Borough.

He joined the Further Education Funding Council in February 1993 as Director of Education Programmes. He was appointed Director of Funding and Strategy from 1 September 1997. Following a period as Interim Director of Operations, Geoff took up post as Director of Learning Programmes at the Learning and Skills Council.

In early February 2002, Geoff joined New College Nottingham as Deputy Chief Executive. Following national competition, Geoff succeeded Dame Pat Morgan-Webb as Principal and Chief Executive from January 2004.

David Walker, Chief Executive of East Midlands Centre for constructing the Built Environment (EMCBE)

David went to UMIST in 1967 to read Civil Engineering (Hons). During his time at UMIST, David continued to work all vacations with Bovis (A E Farr) as a Site Engineer (Structures) on M3 and M5 Motorway Sections. After graduating from UMIST in 1970, he joined Allott & Lomax as a Design Engineer, during which period he gave the ICE Graduate Address to Sir Barnes Wallis.

From 1972 to 1980 with Bowmer & Kirkland, David progressed from Site Engineer to Contracts Manager on a variety of projects, including a £21 million process plant for The Boots Company as Contracts Manager.

In 1980 David left to join Lane Brothers (Mansfield) as Contracts Director, until that Company was taken over by Tilbury Douglas (Interserve) in 1982. In 1982 David re-joined Bowmer & Kirkland as Project Director.

Appointed as a Main Board Director in 1987, David has worked closely with the Group Chairman and the Board to structure the company’s operational capability from a £6 million business in 1972 to a £608 million business in 2005. David left Bowmer & Kirkland in 2008.

EMCBE work to improve the social, economic and environmental performance of the East Midlands construction industry.

Jane Taylor, Owen Taylor & Sons Ltd

Jane trained as a microbiologist and has worked both in the NHS and in industry. She has a HNC in Medical Laboratory Sciences from Sheffield Polytechnic and a degree in Biological Sciences from Nottingham Trent University.

Ten years ago Jane made a career change to join her husband in his family business of 85 years, Owen Taylor & Sons Ltd. The business is a catering butchers who supply meat and meat products across the East Midlands predominantly. Her role is running the technical side of the business as Food Safety Manager and secondly supporting her husband in his role as Managing Director.   

Jim Mutton, Loughborough College

Having obtained an Economics degree from the London School of Economics and worked in London for the (then) Midland Bank, Jim changed careers and moved in to further and higher education economics teaching.

Following lectureships in the west and east Midlands and a period as a college Director of Business Development, Jim took on the role of Principal at Loughborough College in 1993.

Jim has been a West Midlands County Councilor, a member of the East Midlands Regional Assembly and a non executive Board member of the Centre for Enterprise Ltd, EMFEC Ltd and Leicestershire Careers and Guidance Service Ltd. Currently, he is a member of the Council of Loughborough University, a Governor of the RNIB College, Loughborough, a member of the Association of Colleges Higher Education and East Midlands committees and a national FE representative on the FE/HE 2012 group.

Qualifications : M.Ed; B.Sc. (Economics); Cert. Ed.

David Nelson, Management Consultant

David has a strong interest in economic development, business and enterprise. With a BA Honours in Industrial Economics from Nottingham University, David first became a management consultant working with a range of American multinational clients in the pharmaceutical and oil industries. Thereafter, following a brief period as an economist at Avon County Council, David joined the Department of Trade and Industry and embarked on a Civil Service career that would span 3 separate Government departments and bring him back to the East Midlands as Head of Lord Young’s Regional Enterprise Unit.

In 1990, with the creation of the Training and Enterprise Councils, David became the Chief Executive of Leicestershire Training and Enterprise Council, successfully leading its development throughout its10 year existence. Subsequently, following national competition, David was appointed as the first Executive Director of the Leicestershire Learning and Skills Council, a position which he held until 2006. David now runs his own thriving management consultancy focused on economic development and regeneration. David is also a fellow at the University of Leicester, assisting with the development of their work with employers and on the wider economic agenda.

Jennie Gardiner, EMFEC

Jennie Gardiner is Chief Executive of EMFEC and Regional Director, AoC East Midlands. Jennie has a life long commitment to the benefits of learning for individuals, businesses and communities. In her role at EMFEC she aims to ensure that the company’s mission and strategy support providers of learning in ways that best meet their needs and those of their learner groups.

She joined EMFEC in late 1998 since when she has worked with an excellent team of staff and managers to extend the Company’s services, to increase turnover by over 75% and to develop EMFEC into a highly regarded learning and skills support organisation.

Jennie represents East Midland colleges on the Regional Assembly and its Policy Board, the Regional Employment Skills and Productivity Partnership (ESP) and HEFCE Regional Advisory Groups, all working to support the success and development of the East Midlands region. Jennie is also a member of the LSC Regional Council.

Jennie’s interests outside of work are travel, trying to learn a little Greek with limited success, watching cricket and indulging her addiction to chocolate.

Jenny Kenning, East Midlands University Association

Jenny Kenning is Executive Director of the East Midlands University Association (EMUA). She has been with EMUA since its inception in 1999. Her role includes representing the ten Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the East Midlands, facilitating co-operation, and promoting the role of the HEIs in the economic, social and cultural development of the region. Jenny leads on EMUA's links with key stakeholders, including emda, and represents HE on several regional bodies and committees.

Jenny holds a BSc Hons Degree in Psychology, a PGCE (S) in Biology, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management. Her early graduate career was in the Oil Industry, followed by a period of teaching both abroad and in the UK. She pursued her interest in education by working for the Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce leading on several school/industry partnerships. Following this she worked at Loughborough University School of Art and Design, developing their CPD portfolio, before joining EMUA.

Prof. Yvonne Barnett, Nottingham Trent University

Further details to follow

Prof. Andrew Atherton, University of Lincoln

Further details to follow

Scott Knowles, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce

Further details to follow

Hilary Whaley, East Midlands NTI Ltd

Executive Director

Hilary has enjoyed a successful and wide ranging business career prior to her work in the public sector. Senior management roles have included export sales, group training manager and commercial director to consultancy with Nottingham University and Training and Enterprise Councils. In 1998 Hilary moved into the public sector as Director, Derby City of Learning (consortium of Derby City Council, University of Derby, Wilmorton College, Mackworth College and Rolls-Royce plc). Three years later she became Head of Regional Enterprise and Development, University of Derby, with the specific remit to strengthen links between the University and the business community, particularly small and medium enterprises.