Governance Board

Paul has worked in the education sector for over 12 years and has been responsible for the oversight and scrutiny of multiple funding streams, including adult 19+ adult education, higher education, 16 – 19 full-time study programmes and apprenticeships provision.

Prior to entering the education sector, Paul’s background covered such diverse sectors as finance, telecommunications and vehicle leasing, which has provided him with a sound understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented within the commercial sector.

Paul is passionate believer in the ability of education to enhance the lives of both individuals and the wider community and together with CECOS College he is committed to improving lifelong learning for all.

Chris has worked in Further and Higher Education for over 30 years, with particular interest in lifelong learning and continuing education and their role in social mobility. He has a long history of engagement with the widening participation agenda and is passionate about opening opportunity for all who wish to participate in learning.

He held a number of roles through his career, as a lecturer, curriculum manger and manager of business support services. He has more than 15 years’ experience on college senior leadership teams. Chris retired from his role as College Principal at Milton Keynes College in 2020.

Professor Mabey has spent the past 30 years working in the UK Higher Education sector. He initially worked as a medical microbiologist lecturing at Manchester Polytechnic and then at the University of Wolverhampton as Head of Applied Biology. He then moved for 6 years as Assistant Director of Higher Education at KPMG leading national and international consultancy assignments. For 7 years, he was the Director of Educational Partnerships at De Montfort University. Most recently, he was the Principal of a large Alternative Provider HE Institution in Central London forming a partnership with the University of Derby growing from 250 FTE to 1700 in 2017. During this period he was appointed by the QAA as a Review Coordinator for seven years.

Dr Mudassir Tanveer has worked in a diverse range of senior roles in the business and public sectors. Committed to making a positive difference to the lives of others, he has worked nationally and regionally, led the integration of public services and worked closely with the commercial and third sectors and with local politicians. Dr Tanveer is also a serving board member of a medical charity which helps thousands of underprivileged individuals. He obtained his MBBS from Khyber Medical College in Pakistan before going on to achieve an MSc in Public Health from Queen Mary and City University in London. He has been the Managing Director of CECOS College London since 2003. In addition, he is the owner of several childcare establishments and day nurseries as well as a part of CECOS University overseas, the university is proud to have 35,000 plus alumni of which many now work in leading firms across the globe.

Mr Hariss Pervez is a senior leader who has 15 years experience in the further education sector, currently responsible for managing a variety of programmes at CECOS. Over the past few years Hariss has been instrumental in growing CECOS College’s joined up services of Further Education, Apprenticeships and Employability. With past experience of managing contracts within the Further Education industry and alongside his in-depth knowledge of the Further education sector, Adult and Higher Education, Hariss has overall responsibility of FE Operations within CECOS. Hariss has previously led on numerous ESF projects including Skills Support for the Workforce which involved working directly with the GLA in 2016 and showcasing his work to the Mayor’s team. More recently Hariss has been advising social enterprise organizations in growing their employability and skills arm.

Twenty years ago, Victoria Sylvester was a nurse working on the ward in North Staffs Hospital. Since then, she has launched, led and grown a successful company, which now employs 90 people, while raising her four children (aged 13, 11, 10 and 6). In 2019 she became the first woman on the board of a multinational corporation, MBH.

Victoria set up Acacia Training, which delivers high quality, Ofsted-registered training across a number of sectors, in 2000 with her mum because they wanted to provide courses that genuinely met employer needs. Both were working in the care sector and had experienced first-hand the struggle to recruit and retain quality staff. They set up their family-owned care home as a training centre and grew the business from there.

Acacia Training delivers nationally but is committed to supporting people locally to find jobs and progress in their careers. It works with local Jobcentres to help unemployed people get the qualifications they need for jobs in nursing, childcare and social care.

In 2017 Acacia Training merged with a PLC, now known as MBH Corporation, allowing it to swap private shares for public shares but to continue to run the business as before. In May 2019, Victoria was voted on to MBH’s Board as an Executive Director. In her role as Principal’s Representative she acts as a bridge between the group and its companies to ensure there is strong, positive, two-way communication.

In her spare time, Victoria is on the Chair of Governors at All Saints CE First School, in Standon.

Previously owner of a leading training provider, arguably the most successful ESF provider in London who won contracts every year since 2009 and grew his company more than ten-fold from £500k to £6 million turnover in less than 10 years. Martin has been in the Education and Recruitment business for over 30 years and been part of various advisory boards.

Fatima has extensive experience of working in a higher education institution (HEI) in the UK for over a decade. She has developed institutional systems, policies and procedures; achieved accreditations, led and maintained quality review audits and has remained key personnel in liaising with external stakeholders, government bodies and awarding organisations. She has led policy developments that improve institutional systems and processes.

Fatima creates and actively promotes institutional strategic plans and policies to implement best practices in supporting learning, recognising impact and achievements. She aims to receive excellence in broader institutional and professional practices and promotes strategic initiatives and projects across the institution. Moreover, she actively supports strategic developments that acknowledge individual and institutional diversity and positively impact their experience. She promotes a strategic approach to policy implementation that informs her leadership style. Through her contribution to the HEI developments, she brings informed and influential perspective to the organisation she is associated with.

Alia Khan – Student Governor