Case study: OCN London | Two rounds of Trustee recruitment

Founded in 1993, OCN London is a national not for profit awarding organisation dedicated to fostering a fairer society where everyone can benefit from learning and realise their full potential. Supporting over 40,000 learners annually, OCN London offers a broad portfolio of regulated qualifications, Access to Higher Education Diplomas and customised accreditation solutions for organisations, including microcredentials. Its core purpose is to support individuals—particularly those who may have been disadvantaged or underrepresented in traditional education settings—in accessing and progressing through further and higher education, training and employment.

Context.

In 2022, OCN London embarked on a journey to strengthen its governance and strategic direction, partnering with Peridot Partners for two distinct trustee recruitment initiatives. The initial engagement aimed to enhance the board’s expertise in key areas. Following the success of the first round, OCN London sought Peridot’s expertise again in early 2024 to further diversify and strengthen its board with highly specialised skills.

2022 recruitment brief.

OCN London approached Peridot with a clear mission: to achieve financial stability and drive growth within the challenging awarding bodies market. An internal skills audit revealed four critical areas for enhancement on their existing board:

1. Finance and accounting: A qualified finance professional was needed to provide strategic guidance on investments for sustainable growth and understanding of not for profit financial management and regulations.
2. Human resources: A qualified senior HR professional from the corporate sector, ideally London-based, was sought to offer insights into future and current workplace trends.
3. Further education: A senior leader from a London-based college was required to provide insights into curriculum delivery and learner experience from their main customer base.
4. Awarding body regulation: An expert in awarding body regulation was essential to ensure OCN London maintained Ofqual compliance and offered strategic direction.

OCN London was open to both experienced and first-time trustees, valuing the blend of seasoned wisdom and fresh perspectives.

2022 recruitment outcome.

The first recruitment drive attracted 26 candidates, representing a rich pool of knowledge across charity finance, corporate HR, workforce development, further education and awarding regulation. After 11 interviews conducted over two days, Peridot successfully appointed five diverse candidates, exceeding the initial brief of four. The appointees included:

• Paul Ghuman: An experienced Chartered Accountant and a trustee, with extensive experience in financial strategy and policies within the health, charity and retail sectors.
• Natalie Garner: Vice Principal of Croydon College, specialising in curriculum development and strategic development for higher education and adults. She also has previous governance experience and a deep understanding of further education, including college policies and quality assurance.
• James Stockdale: Chair of an Awarding Bodies Association and an experienced CEO, Director and Responsible Officer within awarding organisations, bringing over 25 years of leadership experience in the professional and awarding body sector.
• Kate Holt: Partner People Consulting – KPMG, a UK professional tax and audit provider, with 25 years of HR experience covering employment law, learning and development and skills training.
• Kurt Hintz: Former Executive Principal at Capital City College Group, currently Interim Principal and CEO at PETROC. He has over 20 years of expertise in curriculum innovation, funding of further education and responsibility for Quality as the Ofsted nominee. Kurt also held several other Trustee roles, including at Ambitious College and Ark All Saints Academy, and has since been elected as Chair of OCN London’s board within his first term.

The success of this round was underscored by positive feedback.

Carlos Cubillo-Barsi, CEO of OCN London, commented:

“The entire process was effectively and efficiently managed. Kristina was a pleasure to work with, very professional and knowledgeable in her field. The quality of candidates was excellent, and we are delighted with the Trustees that we were able to appoint.”

One of the successful trustees noted:

“My experience with using the services of Peridot has been excellent. The consultant I worked with was extremely knowledgeable about the role I applied for and clearly knew her clients well. Feedback was given in the time outlined, it was a very professional service.”

2024 recruitment brief.

Building on the foundation laid in 2022, OCN London recognised the evolving landscape of education and employment and sought to bring in highly specific expertise for their next phase of growth. They aimed to recruit two additional trustees with distinct profiles:

1. Higher education (HE) expert: Someone with current experience and knowledge of areas such as the Lifelong Loan Entitlement, funding, entrepreneurship, widening participation and up-skilling within the HE sector. This was crucial for navigating the evolving policy and funding environment.
2. Local authorities / employer body representative: Given OCN London’s long-term delivery partnerships with those involved in the London Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) and their close work with London employers and educational organisations, a candidate with experience in local authorities or employer bodies was sought. This would ensure alignment with local skills needs and employer demands.

2024 recruitment outcome.

For the second round of recruitment, Peridot Partners received nine applications and interviewed five highly qualified candidates. The search yielded exceptional results, with OCN London appointing three high-profile trustees instead of the targeted two – a testament to the quality of candidates presented and the strong alignment with OCN London’s strategic vision. These appointments significantly bolstered the board’s capabilities in key areas crucial for OCN London’s future. The appointed trustees were:

• Charles Tennant: Vice Principal at London School of Science and Technology, where he leads on student outcomes, employability and widening participation. With extensive experience in higher and further education, he also serves as Vice-Chair of Governors at a College. His work primarily focused on supporting non-traditional learners and promoting social mobility.
• Alison May: Assistant Director, Skills and Employment at the London Borough of Lambeth, and an accomplished senior leader in skills and employment. Alison has over 12 years of experience spanning private training providers, higher education, further education and local government. She brings expertise in strategy, policy and delivery, particularly in tackling youth unemployment, widening participation and building inclusive employment systems. Formerly Director of Apprenticeships at the London South Bank University and Co-Chair of the GLA’s Skills and Employment Group.
• Ann-Marie Soyinka: Assistant Director for Skills and Employment Policy at the Greater London Authority, she is a senior leader in skills policy and economic inclusion. Ann-Marie brings deep strategic insight into London’s future skills needs, having overseen major regional programmes including the Adult Education Budget and Skills Bootcamps. She has been a key contributor to the Mayor of London’s Industrial Strategy, championing social mobility, lifelong learning and inclusive growth.

Impact.

The comprehensive recruitment efforts have had a profound impact on OCN London’s governance and strategic capabilities. The board now benefits from a richer blend of experience and perspectives, directly contributing to OCN London’s mission. The success of these recruitment rounds is clearly articulated by OCN London’s leadership and the newly appointed trustees.

Kurt Hintz, Chair of OCN London, expressed immense satisfaction:

“I’m really, really pleased with what Peridot did for us, and the fact that we went out again says it all. We were pleased with the quality of the candidates that were presented, and the whole process was managed really well. They understand the sector, so they’re talking to people who understand what an awarding body does and what kind of candidates would fit into that space. Peridot really helped us to narrow down the roles and then to find the right people for them. It meant that the actual work for us was very straightforward, we just had to choose. They just know the right people and they’re really connected, and they just manage the process brilliantly.”

Carlos Cubillo-Barsi, CEO of OCN London, emphasised the positive shift in board dynamics:

“The quality of candidates has improved and the way we’ve been able to bring in a breadth of skills that we didn’t have before is great. The board feels more impactful, it feels like it’s driving decisions in a way that perhaps it wasn’t able to before because it has more confidence. Peridot understood our needs, they understood the sector, they understood what we were looking for. And they were able to bring forward candidates that really met the brief.”

Dixa Patel, Company Secretary, commended the smooth process and candidate quality:

“The process was seamless and the quality of the candidates has been impressive. They were able to deliver a wide range of different skills sets that we’re looking for, and we now have a much more diverse board in terms of skill sets, but also in terms of background. I think Peridot are the right people to help organisations recruit, especially when it comes to boards and trustees because they really understand the importance of making sure that you have a diverse board and that you have all the skill sets that you need.”

Kate Holt, Trustee appointed in 2022, shared her positive candidate experience:

“I found the process very supportive and very comprehensive. It really felt like Peridot wanted to ensure that it was a good fit for both the organisation and myself. The briefing I received about the role and the organisation was excellent. It gave me a really good understanding of OCN London, its mission and what they were looking for in a trustee.”

Julie Farmer, a trustee who has served the board for two terms shared:

“I think Peridot Partners are incredibly good at what they do. I was very impressed with their professionalism and the way they handled every process.”

Survey insights.

The positive impact of the enhanced governance is also reflected in the survey responses from both board members and staff.

Board member survey responses:

• Skill set diversity: 100% of board members agreed that the board now possesses a diverse range of skills and experiences relevant to OCN London’s strategic objectives. This is a significant increase from pre-recruitment assessments.
• Strategic contribution: 90% of board members felt that new trustees have significantly contributed to strategic discussions and decision-making.
• Understanding of sector challenges: 85% of board members indicated that the new trustees have brought valuable up-to-date insights into current sector challenges, particularly regarding the Lifelong Loan Entitlement and local skills needs.
• Board effectiveness: An overall improvement in board effectiveness was noted, with 80% of respondents rating the board’s current performance as “Excellent” or “Very Good,” compared to 60% before the recruitment initiatives.

Staff survey responses:

• Confidence in leadership: 75% of staff members expressed increased confidence in the board’s leadership and strategic direction since the new appointments.
• Alignment with mission: 80% of staff felt that the board’s decisions are now more closely aligned with OCN London’s mission to create a fairer society through learning.
• Perception of expertise: There was a noticeable increase in staff perception of the board’s expertise in areas such as higher education and local authority partnerships.