Kim Caplin has enjoyed an illustrious career, beginning in secondary schools as a teacher. She then progressed through several senior roles in colleges across London, including as the Principal of Westminster Kingsway College within the Capital City College Group.
Kim has since shifted her focus to her non-executive career as Chair of the Board at Stratford School Academy, a Trustee at Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust and an Independent Governor at University of the Arts London. She also worked with three others to establish a community choir by gaining charitable status, now with 95 members.
How cross-sector board appointments strengthen governance
As recruiters who have a specialism in board recruitment, we approach candidates from all professional backgrounds. The first question someone will ask when approached for a role outside their sector of expertise is “Am I really the right fit?”.
I’ve had several conversations with candidates excited about becoming a trustee or governor, but hesitant because they’ve never had a professional connection to education. The fear is that they’ll be out of their depth or unable to contribute meaningfully.
But the key skills that drive good governance aren’t sector-specific: strategy, oversight, integrity, decision-making, and collective responsibility. In fact, it’s often people from outside the sector who can bring the fresh insights, clarity and challenge that a board needs to be effective.
Recently, I caught up with Kim Caplin. Kim has recently stepped out of general further education and onto boards in new areas. Her experience offers a helpful reminder that, while the language might change, the purpose remains the same.
1. Transferable skills for trustees: What really matters?
Transferable skills are simply those you’ve built in one job that still matter in another. They’re what turn you from just filling a seat to really making an impact. Such as:
- Strategic thinking: seeing the bigger picture and making long-term decisions.
- Financial oversight: understanding budgets, value for money and sustainable investment.
- Risk awareness: identifying what might go wrong and helping prevent it.
- People leadership: building teams, managing change and motivating others.
- Stakeholder engagement: navigating complex relationships and competing priorities.
But perhaps even more important than the skillset is the mindset. Trustees who thrive across sectors are often those who are:
- Curious enough to ask good questions.
- Adaptable enough to learn quickly.
- Grounded enough to listen first and speak with purpose.
2. Kim Caplin’s perspective on joining boards beyond your sector
Joining a university board has meant I have had to think on a much bigger scale. This seemed quite daunting, but throughout the last year, I have come to realise that my experience and skills are transferable. Being curious and not afraid to ask questions can help others on the board to refocus their thinking. Offering a different way to solve problems can help, too. Tackling an issue with all like-minded individuals around the table can mean you continue with traditional solutions. Being able to suggest an alternative view can really help shift a knotty problem. You realise that your leadership skills are transferable to other sectors too. Having had considerable experience in safeguarding, I have been able to advise on this across the school, college and university sectors. This has given senior leaders someone they can trust to discuss their suggested course of action.
I’ve recently helped three institutions through Ofsted inspections, showing how they track quality and move their strategic plans forward. My experience of managing estates has also enabled me to ask questions about affordability, space utilisation, and student experience. The non-executive sector has given me a way to continue seeing my experience as useful, purposeful, and, hopefully, making a difference for others.
3. Why sector diversity strengthens board governance
One of the most common assumptions about boards is that only subject-matter experts belong. But the reality is that bringing people from outside the sector often makes governance stronger, not weaker.
They don’t just bring different experiences; they bring different questions. They help the board challenge its own assumptions and see risks and opportunities others might miss.
Of course, stepping into a new sector requires a degree of humility. It’s important to learn the language, understand the regulatory context and respect the expertise in the room. But that learning process goes both ways, and it often leads to more inclusive, dynamic decision-making.
We’ve seen firsthand how boards work better by blending governors from finance, HR, education, operations and lived experience. They work better because they think differently.
How to join a board outside your sector
If you’re thinking about becoming a trustee but feel unsure whether you’re “qualified” because the sector is new to you, don’t rule yourself out too quickly.
Ask yourself:
- Can I think strategically and see the big picture?
- Do I know how to ask constructive, challenging questions?
- Can I learn the language of a new sector?
- Am I passionate about the organisation’s cause?
- Am I a good listener and open to new learning?
- Can I offer a fresh perspective while respecting the organisation’s context?
If the answer is yes, then there is a board out there that would benefit from your insight.
Be clear about what you bring. Be honest about what you still want to learn. And most importantly, be willing to work collaboratively.
Good governance isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about knowing where you can add value and helping the organisation stay focused on what really matters.
Eddie Caveziel Cox is Peridot’s Head of Education | Schools & Academy Trusts. Having delivered hundreds of senior leadership and non-executive appointments into education providers, Eddie is an expert in finding leaders who make a tangible impact on communities.
