The Members of the BFMAT are the equivalent of the shareholders in a commercial company (save that they do not receive dividends). In simple terms the Members “own” the BFMAT.
Members play a limited but crucial role in safeguarding academy trust governance. They are not involved in the day-to-day business of the academy trust and do not assume the powers of the Academy Trustees. However, Members have an important role in assuring themselves that the governance of the trust is effective, that Academy Trustees are acting in accordance with the trust’s charitable object(s) and that they, the Members, use their powers to step in if governance is failing.
BFMAT Members are not employees of the Academy Trust. As the responsibility to conduct the academy trust’s business sits with the Academy Trustees, there is complete separation between those individuals who are Members and those who are Trustees of the BFMAT.
BFMAT Members
| John Dishman |
John was appointed as a BFMAT Member on 17 July 2019.
John is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Coventry University Group. He is responsible for the College offer of “life-shaped learning” developed by the University. This includes CU Coventry, CU Scarborough and CU London.
John has extensive expertise in further and higher education, curriculum design, educational leadership and business administration and joined the University in 2011.
Prior to that he held senior posts at Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University), was Principal of Harrogate College in North Yorkshire and held a number of other posts in the further education sector.
John is currently a Trustee of OCN London, a former council member for the Association of College Managers, and has been a governor and chair of governors in two schools.
| David Frost CBE |
David was appointed as a BFMAT Member on 14 June 2017.
David is Chairman of Coltman Precast Concrete and an independent Governor on the Coventry University Board. He brings a focus on enterprise, employability and education to the BFMAT.
David was formerly Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce prior to becoming Director General of the British Chambers Commerce from 2003-2011.
| Philip Hamilton OBE |
Philip was appointed as a BFMAT Member on 14 June 2017.
Philip is the CEO and founding Trustee of Community Academies Trust.
Philip has been a values driven and passionate leader in education for many years having held senior posts in large rural and city comprehensive secondary schools with 6th forms. He is also an OFSTED inspector.
Philip led the conversion of The Polesworth School to an academy in 2011 (the first converter academy in the local authority) and then in 2012 in partnership with Edward May founded the Community Academies trust.
Philip is a passionate teacher with over 20 years experience in the mathematics classroom. He believes that all young people have talent that should be nurtured and has devoted his career and professional life to the quest for excellent social, personal and academic achievement for all.
Philip was awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to education.
| Professor John Latham CBE |
John was appointed as a BFMAT Member on 14 June 2017.
John is Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the Coventry University Group. John is a double graduate of the University and has a background in information technology and telecommunications.
He has held high-profile roles at regional, national and European levels promoting innovation, technology and economic development. He previously worked for private sector organisations including JHP Group, Jaguar Cars and BT.
He is a non-executive Director of Health Education England, a Council member of InnovateUK and a Board member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Previously, he has also spent periods of time working overseas as well as being a long-term advisor to the European Commission.
In 2019 he was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with a CBE for his Services to Higher Education.
| Helen Fulford |
Helen was appointed as a BFMAT Member on 9 August 2024.
Helen is Academic Registrar and Director of Registry Services at Coventry University Group, overseeing the student journey from the point of enrolment to graduation. Her responsibilities include academic registry functions, international student compliance, academic and general regulations, and academic quality assurance.
A graduate of the University of York and Edinburgh University, Helen has worked at Coventry University since 2009 in a variety of registry and governance-focused roles.