St Christopher’s is an educational charity and its governors act in a similar way to non-executive directors, serving the school on a voluntary basis.
The composition of the board reflects the wider requirements of the school, with each governor offering skills and expertise in a specific area, reflecting the school’s evolving needs. We are extremely fortunate to have leading educationalists, including the current heads of Godolphin and Latymer and Notting Hill Prep and the former chief executive of the Girls’ Schools Association, as well as governors with financial, legal, psychological and scientific , design and marketing backgrounds. A number of the governors are current or past parents, although the number of current parents is capped for governance purposes.
The governors’ main purpose is to act as guardians for standards at the school and to ensure compliance with governance. They seek to ensure that pupils are given the best possible, broad and creative education in surroundings which are safe, conducive to learning and fit for purpose. In addition, they must safeguard the financial health and wellbeing of the school and, together with the school’s senior leaders, must plan strategically for the future. Governors usually serve for five years and then, if willing and re-elected, can serve one more term before retiring. This ensures balance, continuity and rotation.
Our Chair of Governors, Silvia Fiaccavento may be contacted directly: chairofgovernors@stchristophers.london or via our Bursar and Clerk to the Board of Governors, Stephen Cole : bursar@stchristophers.london
St Christopher’s School, 32 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5AE
We hold regular breakfast meetings where parents can get to know the governors in person.
Chair Of Governors
Silvia is a senior lawyer at the Bank of England where she leads the Bank’s legal work on insurance regulation and is a legal member of one of the Bank’s decision-making committees. She has 30 years’ legal experience across the City, UK government and financial-services regulators. Her experience includes corporate goverance, risk, and strategic, organisational and people leadership. She holds undergraduate degrees in Political Sciences and Law from La Sapienza University, Rome and is qualified as an “avvocato” in Italy and a solicitor in England and Wales. She has focused on lecturing and training throughout her academic life and professional career. Silvia grew up in Italy, lives with her husband near St Christopher’s and has two children, one at university and one recently graduated. She has had a deep love for St Christopher’s since her daughter’s joyful time at the school.
Chair of the Finance Committee
Joe is a founding partner at Trilantic Europe, a pan European private equity firm which was founded in 2009 following a management buyout of the Lehman European Merchant Banking. Previously, he was at Lehman Brothers for 21 years. He is currently a director of Marex Spectron Group Ltd. He has had two daughters at the school.
Kunle Barker
Kunle began his construction career whilst studying for a MA at the University of Leeds. In 2004, Kunle set up Illustrious Homes, an award-winning Construction and Design Management Company delivering residential refurbishments, education and sports centre refits, and countless high-end private renovations.
Kunle is also a property columnist for the Architects Journal and Evening Standard. He regularly contributes to national papers and appears on Times Radio as their property expert.
Kunle also presents property TV shows for Channel 4 and ITV. He is the founder of the architectural practice Barker-Walsh and is the Masterplan Consultant for Related Argent on their £8 Billion scheme, Brent Cross Town.
Kunle has 2 girls at the school Arte in Year4 and Minty in Year1.
Chair of Education Committee
Vivienne has spent all her career in girls’ independent education, working at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, Godolphin and Latymer School for Girls and Guildford High School. She became deputy head of South Hampstead High School in 1997, and from September 2004 until December 2015, she was Head of Francis Holland School Regent’s Park, during which time she oversaw an expansion in the school’s roll and considerable improvements to its site and facilities. After two years as director for a schools’ consultancy, Vivienne was the chief executive of The Girls’ Schools Association from 2017 to 2020. In addition, she has served as an accredited ISI schools’ inspector from 1999 to 2015, and for more than 25 years, Vivienne has been a governor, of day, boarding, prep and co-educational schools. She was awarded “Best Head of a Public School” (Tatler Awards) in September 2014. In January 2021 Vivienne was appointed Chair of the Schools Advisory Panel for the Black Business Institute (BBi).
Marc Hersheson
Marc has spent the last 20 years investing in businesses in the stock market and currently works as a senior adviser on investments for a family office. He has two daughters at St Christopher’s.
Sarah has worked as a child and adolescent psychotherapist for the NHS in a children’s mental health clinic in East London for the past three years. Prior to that she was working in an adolescent in-patient unit and a Montessori nursery school. She has experience of working with children of all different ages, and is passionately committed to promoting good mental health in children and young people. She has had three daughters at St Christopher’s.
Helen has worked in medical science and health policy for 20 years, leading the Academy of Medical Sciences from 2009-19 and most recently chairing the UK’s first national Committee on Research Integrity. She serves as Trustee and Scientific Council member of MQ Mental Health Research, and chairs the external advisory committee of the Maudsley Hospital Biomedical Research Centre.
She is also a Trustee of Doctors of Tomorrow in Zimbabwe (DOTZ), which provides hardship funding to medical students.
She has one son and two daughters – one an alumna of St Christopher’s and one a current pupil.
Frances is currently Head of The Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, and was previously Principal of Queen’s College, Harley Street. She is passionate about combining really high educational standards with warmth, creativity and a focus on personal development. Prior to Queen’s, Frances worked at Westminster School, in a variety of roles including Head of History, running a boarding house, and as academic deputy head. Frances is married with two student-age children, and in her spare time enjoys riding horses.
After more than 15 years in the Energy industry with a strong focus on emerging markets, Marie has returned to academia to study and research security and strategy issues in developing countries.
She volunteers for several UK and overseas charities and has actively supported their fundraising efforts and the expansion of their activities.
Marie has a daughter at St Christopher’s, as well as two teenage sons.
Chair of Partnerships and Bursary Committee
Andrew is an owner of the Academy School, Hampstead and is responsible for all of the curriculum, financial and regulatory aspects of managing the school. He is also an investor in education and healthcare companies, as well as being a passionate promoter of liberal education both here and abroad. Previously, he worked for Kleinwort Benson and Rothschild. He is married to Chloe, head of the Academy School and has two daughters, both of whom are now at university.
Anya was a commissioning editor at Penguin before becoming a freelance editor and writer. She edits an annual schools guide, and mainly writes on schools and education. She is an academic support volunteer for IntoUniversity. She has three children, and her daughter – now at university – was at St Christopher’s.
