Corporation Members

• Lord Austin of Dudley

  

  Ian was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2020. He was the Member of Parliament for Dudley North from 2005 until 2019 and was appointed to the House of Lords in 2020 as Lord Austin of Dudley. He was brought up in Dudley where he attended local schools. He served on Dudley Council from 1991 to 1995. In Parliament he served as a government whip, Minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government and Minister for the West Midlands. He took a close interest in education and foreign policy issues and sat on both the Educations and Foreign Affairs select committees. (Image: "Lord Austin of Dudley" by members.parliament.uk, used under CC BY 3.0 / white background themed.)

• Mr Liam Butler

  

  Liam was appointed as a member of the Corporation in February 2020. He currently holds the position of Senior Manager - Treasury and Financial reporting at Secure Trust Bank. Prior to this he was Head of Financial Reporting at Lovell Partnerships and Head of Finance at Dudley Building Society. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and also holds a degree from Coventry University in Accounting & Finance. He serves on the Corporation’s Audit Committee and Search Committee.

• Mrs Wendy Davies

  Wendy was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2020. Wendy is head of audit and compliance at CKCA Limited, a firm of Chartered Accountants based in Dudley. She has experience of the not for profit and education sector. She graduated from Birmingham City University with a degree in Accountancy and Finance and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is a trustee of Get Ahead Charitable Trust and a director of Leukaemia Care. She serves on the Corporation’s Audit Committee.

• Mr Nirmal Gupta

  

  Nirmal was appointed as a member of the Corporation in July 2021. Nirmal is an independent management consultant director working from his home office in Birmingham. He graduated in mechanical engineering and has a post-graduate diploma in business administration. He has worked in manufacturing, marketing/sales, training and business management in large engineering companies in construction equipment, auto-components and in renewable energy in the UK, The Netherlands and India. He serves on the Corporation's Audit Committee.

• Mrs Charlie Harvey

  

  Charlie was appointed to the Corporation in December 2014 and currently works in the Finance function of a large insurance firm. She has previous experience in audit, forensic accounting and financial control within various financial and professional services organisations. She graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in economics. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is Chair of the Corporation’s Audit Committee. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mollie-Amelia Hehir

  

  Mollie was appointed as a member of the Corporation in July 2021 after her successful campaign to be voted as the next Dudley Students’ Union president. She has previously completed a health and social care level 2 qualification and has future ambitions to become a paramedic. She is passionate about women’s safety, lgbtqia+ inclusion, mental health and wellbeing. These issues were prominent in her winning manifesto statement. Mollie is passionate about the outdoors, connecting with nature and being active, this is reflected in her hobbies which include being a corporal in the army cadets and young leader in the scouts. Mollie has completed the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award and is now undertaking the silver level. She serves on the Corporation’s Standards Committee.

• Professor Alison Hodge MBE

  

  Alison was appointed to the Corporation in October 2015 and was employed as a Professor of Engineering Leadership at Aston University until August 2018.  She has also worked in the Defence Industry and as a Government research physicist and manager.  Alison has a BSc and PhD in Physics from Reading University and is a Chartered Engineer.  She is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a Fellow of the Women in Engineering Society, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a member of Women in Science and Engineering.  She was awarded an MBE for services to the Institute of Physics in 2002.  She serves on the Corporation’s Finance & Estates Committee.  She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Ms Valerie Little

  

  Valerie was appointed to the Corporation in December 2016. Valerie’s background is as a Public Health Specialist. She has served as a Board Executive Director of health authorities for 18 years, latterly as Director of Public Health in Dudley from 2002 to 2014. She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust. She holds a BSc (Hons) from Bristol University, a DipSocAdmin from London School of Economics, a MSocSci and MPH from Birmingham University. She is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Faculty of Public Health. Valerie was born and went to school in Dudley and currently lives in the Borough. She serves on the Corporation’s Finance and Estates Committee and Search Committee. She is also a Member of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Professor Sukhninder Panesar

  

  Professor Sukhninder Panesar has substantial teaching, research and management experience in Higher Education. He has over 30 years teaching experience in the areas of Equity and Trusts, Property Law and International Business. He is currently Head of Wolverhampton University Law School having led at other law schools in the sector. As well as teaching in the UK, he has taught in many different countries including India, Mauritius, Middle East and Africa. He has published widely in legal journals and is the author of two books in the field of Equity and Trusts and Property Law. In addition to his management and teaching roles, Sukhninder leads on Equality and Diversity and Inclusivity at the University of Wolverhampton. He serves on the Corporation’s Standards Committee.

• Mr Jason Parker

  

  Jason was appointed as a member of the Corporation in February 2020. Jason is Managing Director of Thomas Dudley Limited, a group of local manufacturing businesses. He is a Chartered Management Accountant and also holds a MBA from Wolverhampton University. Jason is also a Director of the BMA (Bathroom Manufacturers Association). He serves on the Corporation’s Finance & Estates Committee and Remuneration Committee.

• Miss Liz Sithole

  

  Liz was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2019. She is a Certified Chartered Accountant and currently works as an accounting/ project consultant on projects within the finance for various clients. She has a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University. She is a fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, has previous experience in audit, corporate governance and financial control. She serves on the Corporation’s Finance and Estates Committee and also serves as link Governor and as Safeguarding lead for a local primary academy.

• Mr Neil Thomas

  

  As Chief Executive & Principal, Neil is responsible for the development and delivery of outstanding provision for college apprentices, full time learners aged 16-18 years, full time A level learners aged 16-18 years, full time and part time adult education learners and higher skills learners. Working closely with colleagues, the Chief Executive & Principal will foster a culture of innovation in respect of teaching and learning and curriculum development in all curriculum areas. The Chief Executive & Principal will oversee the day to day operations of the Dudley learning quarter, the Brierley Hill learning quarter and University Park, Dudley. Working closely with the Chief Finance Officer, Vice Principals, Assistant Principals and managers across the college, the Chief Executive & Principal will lead on the development and implementation of cross college quality and business improvement strategies. Working alongside the Corporation and senior colleagues, the Chief Executive & Principal will play a pivotal role in the determination and oversight of the strategic development of Dudley College of Technology, its subsidiaries and associated organisations (including the Dudley Academies Trust). The Chief Executive & Principal will lead on developing and maintaining productive relationships with key stakeholders and will play a significant role in representing the college externally. The Chief Executive & Principal will provide inspirational leadership to the staff and students of Dudley College of Technology.  He serves on the Corporation’s Standards Committee, Search Committee and Finance & Estates Committee.

• Mr Tom Westley

  

  Tom was appointed as a member of the Corporation in November 2017. Tom is Chairman of Westley Group Ltd (a foundry group of companies) and Chairman of Westley Plastics Ltd (a specialist nylon casting business). He graduated from Imperial College with a degree in Metallurgy and is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. Tom sits on the board of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and is a board member of The Cast Metals Federation, which is the trade association for the UK foundry industry. Tom is a liveryman within The Worshipful Company of Founders and was Chairman of Castings Technology International Ltd (based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Rotherham) until its sale to the University of Sheffield in July 2013. He is also on the board of the West Midlands Combined Authority Growth Company Ltd and was recently appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands. He is a Trustee of Dudley Academies Trust.

• Mr David Whatton (Chair of the Corporation)

  

  David was appointed to the Corporation in March 2015. David retired in June 2014 as the Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary. He previously served with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Police. He has been the Chair of the Cheshire Local Criminal Justice Board, the Chair of a children's charity and a trustee of another charity. He has an M.Sc in Public Sector Management from Aston University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology from Cambridge University. He works as a foster carer and volunteers with the National Trust. He is Chair of the Corporation’s Standards Committee, and is a member of the Finance and Estates Committee, Remuneration Committee and Search Committee.

• Mr Andrew Woodford

  

  Andrew was appointed to the Corporation in September 2020. He studied Business and Finance at the University of Central England and is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Andrew has worked in various finance roles within FE in the Black Country since 2003 and has most recently taken up the post of Head of Finance at the college, where he has worked since 2005. He works closely with the management team of Dudley Academies Trust. He serves on the Corporation’s Standards Committee.