From youth work to executive search, Drew Richardson-Walsh uses deep sector insight to place visionary leaders and non-executive board members for colleges, academy trusts, universities, and skills sector organisations.
Access to high-quality education and training is one of the key drivers of real social mobility. That’s why Drew and his team work hard to support our partners across the full spectrum of education and skills sectors in securing talented and socially driven people for their leadership teams and non-executive boards.
As Chair of a multi-academy trust and with almost 20 years of experience as a trustee and governor, Drew feels privileged to contribute to helping young people progress through their early life and support them on their journey into employment and further study.
Drew leads our Education Practice, a dedicated team of expert education sector recruiters. His team members are deeply connected with their work in enhancing social and educational outcomes for children, students and adult learners. He works nationally with colleges, universities, academy trusts and schools, awarding organisations, assessment organisations, EPAOs, chartered institutes and charities with an education mission.
Working closely with Chairs, governing bodies, CEOs, and executive directors to understand their organisation’s culture and ambitions, our Education Practice has a national reputation for delivering high-quality work in the spirit of true partnership and through a values-based approach to recruitment.
Having been a senior leader in the further education and higher education sectors prior to joining Peridot and on the receiving end of some very poor recruitment practices as both client and candidate, Drew and his team are driven to ensure our executive search campaigns are well-led, appropriately communicated, broad and thoroughly researched, and expertly managed from end to end.
Drew is trained in safer recruitment and can advise you on best practice in line with KCSIE.
Talk to Drew about:
- Executive leadership recruitment for schools, colleges, awarding organisations, and universities.
- Governance and board recruitment across the education sector.
- Senior leadership and management recruitment.
“Everything about working with Drew and Peridot has been excellent. Right from the initial pitch to the successful offer to the candidate everything has been handled promptly, smoothly and with utmost professionalism. I hope to work with Peridot on future occasions.”
Carole Thorogood BEM, Chair, Nottingham College
Drew's selected track record:
Executive and senior leadership (Further Education & Skills):
Barnet & Southgate College | Head of Governance & Executive Support
Bridgend College | Principal & CEO
Cirencester College | Principal & CEO
City of Bristol College | Principal & CEO
Coventry College | Principal & CEO, Chief Finance & Operations Officer, Vice Principal Curriculum Innovation & Performance
Croydon College | Director of Quality Improvement
Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College | Deputy Principal Curriculum & Quality
Education Partnership North East | Head of Corporate Governance & Policy, Associate Principal Registry & Information Services (MIS)
Gateshead College | Director of Governance & Compliance
Hull College | Principal & CEO
Leicester College | Director of IT & Digital Innovation
Inspire Education Group | Group CEO, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Curriculum Officer
Nacro: the social justice charity | Principal & Director of Education and Skills – Assistant Principal Performance & Improvement
National Extension College | CEO
New City College | Director of Governance & Company Secretary
Northern College for Residential Adult Education | Assistant Principal (Curriculum & Market Development), Assistant Principal (Finance & Business Services), Assistant Principal (Student Experience), Head of Estates & Facilities, Head of Marketing & Partnerships
Nottingham College | CEO, Principal, VP People & Culture, Director of Governance, Director of Estates & Facilities, Director of Quality & Performance Improvement
Open College Network West Midlands | CEO
RNN Group | Director of Governance
Rochdale Sixth Form College | Principal – Assistant Principal (Science & Maths)
South Staffordshire College | Deputy Principal Finance & Resources – Assistant Principal Student Experience
Stoke on Trent College | Principal & CEO, Deputy Principal
Telford College | Principal & CEO
West Nottinghamshire College | Principal & CEO, Finance Director, Vice Principal Curriculum & Quality
West Thames College | Head of Governance
Windsor Forest College Group | Vice Principal Adults & Apprenticeships, Vice Principal Curriculum, Quality & Innovation
Executive and senior leadership (Higher Education):
Bishop Grosseteste University Lincoln I Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive Officer
Jersey Institute of Law | Dean & Chief Executive Officer
National Institute of Teaching | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer
University of Derby | Director of Student & Academic Services, Assistant Registrar FE & Skills
Executive and senior leadership (Multi-Academy Trust, Schools, and Education Charities):
Altus Education Partnership | Director of Governance & Compliance
Birklands Primary School | Head Teacher
Cognition Learning Group | UK Managing Director, Commercial Director
Edgar Wood Academy | Assistant Headteacher, Head of Humanities, Head of English & Literature, Head of Creative Arts, Head of Maths & Numeracy, Head of Science
Flourish Learning Academy Trust | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Interim Finance Director
Hollygirt School | Head Teacher
Jersey College for Girls | Head of Geography
King’s College London Maths School | Director of Outreach & Widening Participation
Kirk Hallam Community Academy | Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher
Mathematics for Education and Industry | Chief Operating Officer
Middlesex Learning Partnership | CEO
Newark Academy | Senior Deputy Head Teacher
Nottingham University Academy for Science & Technology | Vice Principal
Nottingham University Samworth Academy | Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher
The Suthers School | Deputy Head Teacher
Victoria Primary School | Head Teacher
Windsor Learning Partnership | Chief Operating Officer
In addition to having appointed hundreds of non-executive directors, board members, governors and trustees across the education and charity sectors, specialising in audit, risk, compliance, finance, and teaching specialisms, Drew is an expert in board Chair recruitment:
Advantage Schools | Chair
Alpha Academies Trust | Chair
Altus Education Partnership | Chair
Barnet & Southgate College | Chair
Bishop Grosseteste University | Chair of Council
Careers & Enterprise Company | Non-Executive Director
Coventry College | Chair
Croydon College | Chair
Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College | Chair, Chair of Audit Committee
East Sussex College Group | Chair
Education Partnership North East | Chair
Hopwood Hall College | Chair
The Henley College | Chair
Learning & Work Institute | Chair of Audit Committee
MidKent College | Chair
New City College | Chair
Newham Sixth Form College | Chair
Nottingham College | Chair
The Sheffield College | Chair
TEC Partnership | Chair, Chair of Audit Committee
University of Derby | Chair of Council, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee, Chair of Skills Committee
West Nottinghamshire College | Chair, Vice Chair
WEA: adult learning | Chair
Worksop College & Ranby House School | Chair
York College | Chair
“The whole process, from start to finish has been excellent managed and led by Drew. From microsite development, attracting a high calibre field, shortlisting candidates, recruitment and selection days to the eventual appointment, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Drew and the team worked hard to get to know the organisation, senior team and governors this meant that we not only attracted candidates who were highly credible and capable but who were aligned with our culture and team fit. A brilliant search and recruitment process, thanks to Drew and the wider team at Peridot.”
Rachel Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer, Inspire Education Group
Read some of Drew's articles:
- What changes when you move from FE leader to awarding CEO
- Acting CEO vs interim CEO: what’s in a job title?
- Women in Leadership: Rachel Nicholls
- What I’ve learned in 10 years of senior leadership
- Chairing the course to success: first-hand advice for new FE Chairs
- Be prepared: application and interview tips for aspiring CEOs
- Anti-racist and diverse recruitment practices in the Further Education sector
- Tips for non-executive director recruitment
- The Art of Departure: Supporting senior leaders to leave for a smooth transition
- Why strong university governance matters more than ever
