Roland Roberts serves as the Chair of the Cadmus Family of Schools, bringing over two decades of senior legal, business, and governance expertise to his leadership.

A nationally recognised consultant in educational governance and an experienced commercial paralegal, Roland uniquely bridges the gap between robust corporate compliance and effective school leadership. His extensive professional background includes serving as Company Secretary for BCRS Business Loans Ltd the UK's largest cooperative-values CDFI and driving local regeneration through the Darlaston Plan Board.

Whether guiding boards through rigorous OFSTED preparation, providing cost-effective commercial dispute resolution, or supporting community enterprise, his work is defined by a commitment to delivering top-tier governance and creating genuine, lasting opportunities for young people.

Bernadette Radcliffe

Bernadette is a dedicated educational governor whose academic research focuses on supporting schools navigating complex challenges, particularly those categorised as in Special Measures. Through her BELMAS-sponsored research, she champions community-driven, democratic governance and challenges the trend toward detached, corporate governing boards.

Her governance philosophy centres on:

Empowering Local Voices: Ensuring educators, parents, and community members remain central to the strategic direction and improvement of their local schools.

Communities of Practice: Fostering collaborative, peer-to-peer learning among governors to navigate complex decisions and share vital corporate knowledge.

Capacity Building: Transforming governing boards from passive compliance bodies into dynamic, confident teams that drive genuine institutional change.

Deb Rajania brings decades of strategic leadership, operational management, and engineering expertise to his role as a governor. Currently serving as the Director of Operations and Resources for Walsall College, Deb has spent the last 19 years overseeing the college's Estates, Health and Safety, IT, and Human Resources. Notably, he led the development and completion of two transformational building projects for the college: the Wisemore Campus and The Hub.

His executive career in the education sector is built on a strong technical and corporate foundation. Deb holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aston University and a Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Central England. Before joining Walsall College in 2006, he enjoyed a highly successful 33-year tenure with BT and Royal Mail, working his way up from an apprentice in 1972 to ultimately serving as Head of Automation for the Royal Mail Division.

Driven by a core belief in the value of hard work and the life-changing impact of a strong education, he has consistently supported local schools throughout his career as a Governor, Federation Board member, and Academy Trustee. Deb leverages his vast commercial and operational experience to ensure the next generation receives the same high-quality educational opportunities that paved the way for his own secure and rewarding life.

Tom Nener brings exceptional legal expertise, commercial acumen, and strategic insight to his role as a governor. He currently serves as the Partner and Global Head of Intellectual Property at Pinsent Masons, a leading multinational law firm.

With extensive experience advising high-profile clients across diverse sectors including technology, financial services, healthcare, and retail—Tom specialises in the enforcement, defence, and strategic management of complex intellectual property rights globally. He is consistently recognised by prestigious legal directories, such as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, where he is highly regarded for his deep legal knowledge, approachability, and proactive counsel.

Crucially for his governance role, Tom is celebrated as "an expert at making the most complicated issue seem simple," consistently delivering "clear, concise, and well-thought-out advice." This unique ability to cut through jargon makes him an invaluable asset to the board, allowing him to effectively translate complex legal, risk, and compliance matters into actionable strategies. His robust professional background ensures strong oversight, informed decision-making, and a forward-thinking perspective that supports the organisation's long-term success.

Ike Ihenacho brings global strategic vision, robust commercial acumen, and extensive operational leadership to his role as a governor. Currently serving as the Director of Global Travel, Expense Management, Meetings & Events, and Fleet (TEMF) at Kimberly-Clark, Ike specialises in designing and implementing innovative, cost-effective corporate solutions within their Global Business Services organisation. His impressive career spans key leadership positions across a diverse roster of multinational powerhouses, including Mondelēz, Boston Consulting Group, Nokia, JPMorgan Chase, and Siemens.

Beyond his corporate operational expertise, Ike brings direct governance and strategic oversight experience to the table, having served a highly successful six-year tenure as a Buyer Director on the ITM Board. This practical board-level insight is underpinned by outstanding academic and professional credentials, including an MBA from Oklahoma City University, a Master’s in International Procurement from Kedge Business School, and an MCIPS from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply. Ike’s ability to navigate complex global business services, combined with his dedication to driving organisational efficiency and delivering value, makes him a highly effective and strategic asset to the board.

Jasmine Samra brings a powerful blend of higher education leadership and cross-sector commercial expertise to the Cadmus governing board. Her background uniquely positions her to balance the federation’s overarching strategic goals with the localized needs of its eight distinct schools.

Strategic Governance Expertise:

• Multi-Site Strategy: Drawing on her experience managing 40+ international university partnerships, Jasmine expertly unifies diverse educational entities under a cohesive strategy while preserving local school autonomy.

• Financial Oversight: She applies proven models for balancing commercial viability with rigorous academic quality, ensuring shared federation budgets are optimised to drive student outcomes.

• Commercial Acumen: Early-career experience in finance and marketing equips the board with high-level expertise in risk management, stakeholder engagement, and institutional brand building.

• Talent Development: A recognised leader of diverse global teams, Jasmine supports Cadmus’s executive headteachers in cultivating talent and sharing best practices across the network.

• Complex Partnerships: Accustomed to high-stakes stakeholder management, she effectively navigates relationships with Ofsted, local authorities, and communities to drive continuous improvement across the Cadmus family.

Gurpal Panglil brings over 20 years of commercial and strategic leadership experience to his role as a governor. Currently, a Marketing Portfolio Manager at Pfizer UK, he specialises in translating overarching strategy into measurable, real-world execution, making him highly effective at driving organisational focus and operational excellence on governing boards.

Strategic Governance Expertise:

• Public Sector Navigation: Through extensive partnerships with the NHS, local authorities, and community health networks, Gurpal intimately understands how to navigate complex, publicly funded ecosystems and align institutional strategy with community value.

• Strategic Planning & Execution: He excels at end-to-end planning, aligning diverse stakeholders, and ensuring that high-level board goals translate directly into clear, actionable tactics on the ground.

• Financial & Commercial Oversight: With deep expertise in planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cross-functional leadership, Gurpal provides robust analytical oversight to ensure efficient resource allocation and rigorous risk management.

• Talent & Capability Building: Drawing on his background as a performance coach, he is highly skilled at developing competency frameworks, coaching leadership teams, and driving a culture of high performance and continuous improvement

Fran Cattell is a Deputy Headteacher and Inclusion Lead, bringing extensive educational leadership and SEND expertise to the governing board. Dedicated to a pupil-centered vision, she excels at ensuring statutory compliance and strategically directing resources to remove barriers for all learners, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Recognised for her "strong standard" of inclusion and highly effective pastoral care, Fran champions both student and staff wellbeing. By building strong community relationships and leveraging federation-wide collaboration, she provides the vital balance of robust support and effective challenge necessary to maintain an ambitious, caring, and inclusive learning environment for every child.

Max Vlahakis (Chief Operating Officer)
Max Vlahakis is a highly distinguished and deeply experienced leader within the education sector, whose career spans significant contributions to school improvement and oversight. For over 15 years, he has served with distinction as a Lead Ofsted Inspector, a role that has provided him with unparalleled insight into educational standards, quality assurance, and compliance across a diverse range of institutions. His expertise is further underscored by his recognition as a National Leader of Education (NLE), a prestigious designation that reflects his proven capacity to support schools in challenging circumstances and drive widespread improvement. Complementing these roles, Max has dedicated nearly two decades as the Chair of the Schools Forum, demonstrating his enduring commitment to strategic financial planning and resource allocation within the educational landscape. Throughout his extensive career, he has spearheaded numerous system-wide improvement initiatives, consistently bringing a sharp and unwavering focus to ensuring quality, upholding rigorous compliance, and fostering sustainable growth across the entire federation he serves.