As Chairman of the Board of Governors and the 1662 Committee, I would like to thank you all.

I am also indebted to my fellow members of our 1662 Development Committee, whose wisdom and hard work has been invaluable. I am delighted to introduce the Committee below.

Lady Morrison
Chairman of Governors and the 1662 Committee

John Brewer (1976)

A founding donor to the 1662 Fund, John is Managing Director at Shawfield Wealth Management, a Senior Partner Practice of St. James’s Place, one of the UK’s leading wealth management organisations.

John is a graduate of Merton College, Oxford. As a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Financial Society (FPFS), he has more than 25 years’ experience in the securities industry. During this time, he worked for HSBC and UBS, advising some of the City’s largest institutions on equity investment in quoted UK and European companies. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen.

John currently supports the Assisted Place scheme at BGS and is passionate about creating wealth and giving back, improving opportunities for disadvantaged young people. He is a supporter of the charities Envision and Frontline and also fundraises for initiatives which aim to develop disadvantaged young people’s employability by empowering them to tackle real-life social problems.

Christine Hamilton-Stewart MBE (Governor)

A BGS Governor and Chair of the School’s External Relations Committee, Christine has an outstanding fundraising record, having previously chaired a successful multi-million-pound capital appeal for Marie Curie to build an award-winning Hospice in Bradford.

Vice President of Marie Curie and past member of the NHS Research Ethics Committee in Bradford, Christine trained as nurse at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore and St Thomas’ Hospital London.

Dr Asif Qasim MA PhD FRCP (1990, Governor)

Asif is the Founder and CEO of MedShr, the world’s leading clinical case discussion network with over 1.8 million members in 190 countries. He is an Interventional Cardiologist with NHS and private practice in London.

An angel Investor in media, publishing, film and technology, Asif mentors start-up Founders and clinical entrepreneurs, and is a board advisor to a number of high growth technology companies. Asif benefitted from a scholarship which enabled him to attend BGS and go on to study medicine at Cambridge University. He believes strongly in the School’s mission to increase Assisted Place provision and feels that BGS was the springboard for academic and sporting success, enduring friendships, and a lifelong positive outlook.

Paul Cogan (Governor and BGS parent)

As a BGS parent and Governor, Paul is in the unique position of enjoying two very different perspectives on the BGS community.

Paul is Group Finance & Resources Director for Bettys & Taylors Group, taking responsibility for all aspects of Group finance and governance, including IT, property, procurement and risk management. He also oversees Bettys & Taylors business transformation projects, which focus on the sustainable, long term growth of the Group.

A Chartered Accountant who began his career with Price Waterhouse, Paul has extensive experience in the global world of commercial finance, having left accountancy practice in 1997 to join Stadium Plc and then NG Bailey.

Paul serves as Chair of the School’s Resources Committee and he and his wife are keen supporters of school activities. They are the proud parents of a very recently minted Old Bradfordian, and another Old Bradfordian-in waiting!

Andrew Jones (1982)

Andrew began his career as a strategy consultant, became M&A Director for Bunzl in the public markets and then had a long career as chief financial officer of numerous, privately owned, global service businesses. Most recently, he was CFO of V.Group, a leading provider of maritime services, which he helped to sell to global private equity fund, Advent International.

Andrew now holds several consultancies and directorships in the private and not-for-profit sectors, including with Ormiston, a large Multi Academy Trust. He shares his time between London and Dublin. Andrew is a chartered accountant and holds a master’s degree in French and German from Oxford University. He was at BGS from 1975 to 1981 and sponsors an Assisted Place for a current student.

Sir David Wootton (1969, Governor)

Sir David became the 684th Lord Mayor of the City of London in the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. He enjoyed an international legal career which saw him promote the United Kingdom as a global legal centre during his time as Partner for global law firm Allen & Overy.

Sir David read Classics and Law at Jesus College, Cambridge, during which time he also captained his college’s Boat Club. Sir David is a keen supporter of rowing and the performing arts and has been a serving BGS Governor since 2012. Sir David was awarded a Knighthood for services to legal business, charity and the City of London in 2013. He lives with wife Liz in Kent and has four children and eight grandchildren.