Governors

David Wilson, LLB (Hons.), FRSA, FRGS, Chair of Governors

David Wilson became a Governor of Forest School in December 2012 and Chair in 2016. He is also a member of the Finance and Estates Committee.

Following a long career in London, Hong Kong, and Abu Dhabi, in law as a partner at Simmons & Simmons and in investment banking as managing director of Goldman Sachs, David now practices as a leadership coach and mediator.

David was educated at Forest, the University of Southampton, and the College of Law. He has served on the Audit Committee of The Law Society of England and Wales, the Advisory Board of the NSPCC, as a trustee of the Goldman Sachs UK Retirement Fund, and as chair of a large multi-academy trust. He is a Liveryman and Freeman of the City of London.

David and his wife, Claire, have two sons and live in London and Wiltshire.

To contact the Chair of Governors, please email him via clerktothegovernors@forest.org.uk

Or write to Chair of Governors, Forest School, London, E17 3PY

Dr Steven Berryman

Steven Berryman became a Governor of Forest School in 2022. He is also a member of the Education and Academic Committees.

Dr Steven Berryman is the President of the Chartered College of Teaching (2022-2024), and Senior Deputy Head at Sir William Perkins’s School. He studied Music at Cardiff University and Royal Holloway, London, gaining a PhD in Composition (Cardiff, 2012).

Steven is a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London, contributing widely to arts education research, policy and practice; recent work includes the DFE/DCMS National Plan for Music Education expert panel and appointment as Vice-President of the National Society for Educators of Art and Design. As a member of the Advisory Panel of the Cultural Learning Alliance, Steven works with cultural learning professionals drawn from across the sector to champion and advocate for a high-quality and equitable arts education.

Steven is a Liveryman of both the Worshipful Company of Educators and the Worshipful Company of Musicians, a trustee of UK Music Masters and Spitalfields Music and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and the Royal Society of Arts.

Jane Davies

Jane Davies became a Governor of Forest School in 2015. She is also Chair of the Education and Academic Committees.

Jane is a mathematician and educator whose entire career has been in maintained and independent schools. Latterly, Jane served as the Headmistress of St Dunstan’s College, London, until her retirement in 2014.

Jane was educated at Redland High School, the Old Palace School and the University of London. She is currently a governor of a school in Kent, an inspector for the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate and assists with accreditation visits to schools wishing to join HMC. She is also a Church Warden and a trustee of the Church Fields Trust. Following her retirement, Jane completed training as a Ministerial Development Reviewer for clergy in the Rochester Diocese. She is also an accredited expedition assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme

She is married with one daughter.

William Fuller

William Fuller became a Governor of Forest School in 2013. He is also a member of both the Finance and Estates Committee and the Health, Safety and Risk Management Committee.

William completed a formal carpentry apprenticeship, after which he took on managerial roles before training as a quantity surveyor. In 1994 William joined his family’s long-established building company which specialises in the renovation of listed buildings in Central London.

William was the third generation of his family to attend Forest School. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tylers & Bricklayers

William and his wife Sarah live in London. William is an enthusiastic motorcyclist and also has a keen interest in walking and playing tennis.

Dr Saniya Hadi BSc (Hons) MBBS MRCOG

Saniya Hadi became a Governor at Forest School in 2017. 

Saniya trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology before specialising in fertility. Having worked for four years at IVF Hammersmith (Imperial College Healthcare) she became a Fertility Specialist at CARE London (formerly CRM London).

Saniya was educated at Forest, Guy’s and Thomas’ Hospitals, London and is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British fertility Society. She holds the BFS accreditation and is a diplomate of the Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She has taught A Level pupils as well as medical students, and provides additional education on current research in fertility to the nursing, medical and embryology departments at CARE London.

Yemisi Gibbons

Yemisi Gibbons became a Governor of Forest School in 2023. 

Yemisi trained as a pharmacist at Manchester University, became a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society then completed her MBA at Hull University. She has extensive non-executive director experience including at both Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) where she has helped create and embed a patient safety culture, as well as championing and advocating diversity and compassionate leadership in both Trusts. In addition, Yemisi is currently Chair of Croydon NHS Trust and a London-based domiciliary care company.

Yemisi is a past recipient of the Best Social Enterprise Award at the Precious Awards, whose aim is to celebrate the professional achievements of women of colour in the UK. She has also hosted an employment awareness event at the House of Lords facilitating permanent employment for candidates from under-represented communities as well as work experience placements in the financial services industry.

Yemisi has previously served as a member of the Lord Chancellor’s advisory sub-committee for Central London and as a member of the Fitness to Practice and Appeals Committee for the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Neena Lall OBE

Neena Lall became a Governor of Forest School in 2024. She is also on the Education Committee.

Neena Lall is a Headteacher in east London. Born in the UK to first-generation Sikh Punjabi parents, Neena was educated at Forest School and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Neena’s teaching career began in Newham 33 years ago. She has remained teaching in Newham since then and refers to the privilege of educating children from diverse cultural backgrounds and countries.

Neena has been the Headteacher at St Stephen’s School for 12 years and which, in 2017, was named State Primary School of the Year. She says her leadership role has given her both the freedom to put into practice her vision of nurturing children into successful global citizens, as well as the platform to advocate for educational environments that inspire, challenge and nurture young minds. She believes every child’s educational experience should be transformative and empowering. Neena is also part of the Teach First National Forum, contributing to the training of future educators.

Neena was part of the 2018 Woman of the Year event, and in 2020 she received an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for services to education.

Richard Mann

Richard Mann became a Governor of Forest School in 2024. 

Richard started out as a chartered accountant at PwC before moving into the early stage, high-growth technology sector, building a hugely successful career as an entrepreneurial business leader. He has extensive executive and non-executive experience ranging from start-ups to AIM and NASDAQ-listed businesses and is currently a non-executive director of three tech-based businesses. Richard is also the founder and current CEO of nerdle, a daily maths-based game played by millions across the globe.

Richard was educated at Forest before reading Physics at Oxford University and completing his MSc in data science at the University of London. He is also a graduate of London Business School’s Senior Executive Programme.

Richard lives in London and is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Technologists.

Simon Perry

Simon Perry became a Governor of Forest School in 2018. He also chairs the Finance and Estates Committee and the Health, Safety and Risk Management Committee.

Simon trained as a chartered accountant initially focusing on audit and then subsequently on mergers and acquisitions spending the large part of his career to date at EY (formerly Ernst & Young LLP). Whilst with EY Simon held several UK and International board and leadership roles. His most recent role with EY was as the coordinating partner for a portfolio of global businesses.

Since stepping down from EY, Simon has taken on several corporate board and committee roles as well as being a Governor and Chair of the Audit Committee at the University of Plymouth.

Simon was educated at Pilgrim School, Bedford, is an economics graduate from Coventry University and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Simon is married with one son and lives in London.

Paul Sampat

Paul Sampat became a Governor of Forest School in 2022. He is also a member of the Finance and Estates Committee and the Health, Safety and Risk Management Committee.

Paul is Co-CIO (Chief Information Officer) of Markets Trading Technology at Barclays Investment Bank based in Canary Wharf London where he is responsible for leading overall technology strategy, process change and culture globally across circa 4000 technologists. During his 25 year career he has held numerous senior positions at various financial institutions including Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank, Nomura and JP Morgan working across a broad range of areas including regulatory, control, risk management and low latency trading.

Paul was educated at Forest School and boarded for four years. Following school, he went on to the University of London to read Computing Science. Paul and his wife live locally and have two sons at university.