SCG

I was brought up in the North of England in a town called York and had a wonderful childhood with a close-knit family, including three brothers. I graduated from Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln with a degree in education. After spending my first few years as a teacher in the Lincoln area I was offered a position at the British International School in New York. It was here that I had my first experience with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme and also where I met the woman that is now my wife.

Working within an IB education is central to who I am and this was recognised when I was selected to be part of the International Baccalaureate Educator Network in March 2014. This training allowed me to visit IB schools around the world and both authorise and verify their implementation of the programmes. I believe that the IB provides a fantastic framework for all stakeholders within a school and gives an opportunity for everyone to learn about who they are and the world around them. In particular, it is essential that students are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in a community and use these to to make significant contributions. In today's world, perhaps more than ever, an IB education is needed not least because it fosters students who approach things with an open mind, intercultural understanding and respect.

My international education adventures took me to Italy before eventually settling back into New York life with Dwight School. I found myself attracted to the school by both the mission and vision as well as their three pillars: Personalised Learning, Global Vision and Community. Ensuring that a school is committed to promoting and engaging a students Spark of Genius, and focusing on the holistic development of our learners, resonated with me and has become central to my own philosophy of education. After seven years at Dwight New York, most recently as an Assistant Principal, I was delighted to accept the position of Upper School Principal at Dwight London.

It is great to be in London and I am looking forward to exploring all of the delights that the city has to offer with my young family. I am excited to be part of the community of Dwight School London and be in a position to continue to ensure the School is collaborative, joyful and a constant hive of activity.

Deepak is the Co-Chair of the SCG and has been a member since 2015.

Deepak is a Senior Pharmaceutical Executive with over 30 years’ industry experience. He has held a variety of strategic and operational roles across various geographies and divisions. Currently, Deepak is Senior Vice President and Regional President, EMEAC (Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Canada) Oncology for MSD, responsible for MSD & Merck’s oncology business across the region. Previously, Deepak also held the position of President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) where he oversaw the pricing and reimbursement negotiations with the UK government.

Deepak holds dual nationality, both British and American. He earned a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry and economics from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA in marketing from Santa Clara University.

Deepak and his family moved back to London in 2010. They live in Hampstead and have two children who have been in Dwight for the past 10 years, Mira in D2 and Nikhil in M4.

I was born and grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I completed a masters degree in Literature at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. As part of my studies I spent a year and a half as an exchange student in the Université Paris VII, France.

In 2011 I moved to Los Angeles with my husband where I had the opportunity to work in numerous artistic and film projects. I was selected as an artist in residence in LA AIR: ECHO PARK FILM CENTER, a programme supported by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

In 2014 I moved to London where I pursued Postgraduate Studies in Fine Art (University of East London), under the supervision of the Turner Prize winner and Professor Grenville Davey. My films have been screened at galleries and film festivals, such as Sheffield Fringe Festival (UK), Space (London, UK), Festival Transterritorial de Cine Underground (Buenos Aires, Argentina), MARFICI (Mar del Plata, Argentina), Biblioteca National de la República Argentina, Cairo Video Festival (Egypt), Bideodromo (Bilbao, Spain) and Echo Park Film Center (Los Angeles, USA). I also write. My literary works have also received several awards.

I have been teaching Literature and Spanish for more than ten years now, at Dwight School for the past seven, where I am also librarian. The International Baccalaureate programme allows me to combine my passion for language, teaching and art. I am a mum of two little girls. My eldest, Emilia, is in reception at the Lower School. I am a proud member of the wonderful Dwight community.

Head of Infrastructure Performance, Infrastructure Projects Authority

Huda is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 18 years of experience in the UK construction and infrastructure market. Having started her career working for one of the UK’s largest contractors delivering major projects throughout London and the South East, she subsequently joined EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young) to work on some of the largest infrastructure programmes including the London 2012 Olympics.

Huda works for the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, which reports jointly to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, advising ministers and senior officials on infrastructure performance. Leveraging her years of experience advising Board executives, a sold commercial background and a portfolio of procurement related roles, she is focussed on the government’s Infrastructure and Construction procurement agenda. Huda currently sits on several government programme boards fulling different roles – as an advisor, as the government (funder’s) representative and as a non-executive director.

Huda cares passionately about lots of things, the main four are: transforming and improving the diversity and sustainability of the construction industry, STEM in education and encouraging more girls into it (she’s a construction ambassador), family and baking.

Aarish has led a varied career in business both in the UK as well as in Papua New Guinea and Australasia. He is a graduate of the University of Bristol’s School of Modern Languages where he read Italian and Spanish and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Since returning to the UK in 2015 after a decade in Asia Pacific, Aarish has worked predominantly in London’s startup ecosystem as CFO, FD and advisor to a number of early stage ventures. He has spent a great deal of time in the EdTech sector having spent 2 years as CFO of a joint venture between Eton College and Founders Factory (Brent Hoberman’s West London based accelerator) working with Chinese schools and students teaching soft skills through a blended educational model. He continues to be involved in EdTech, currently working with a native to native language learning platform that allows students to interact with native language speakers in a safe, teacher led environment.

Aarish believes that as technology continues to develop, the nature of work is changing and traditional education systems often struggle to change quickly enough to provide the best outcomes for children. He believes strongly in the IB curriculum’s goals to teach children to think critically and independently and to develop them as global citizens; and couldn’t be happier to have found Dwight so close to his stomping grounds in North London.

I have been a teacher for a number of years working both in the UK and overseas. Although my specialism is in Early Years, I have taught children from Nursery to Year 3. My time overseas took me to large International Schools in Indonesia, Vietnam and Hungary in roles such as Year Group Leader, Music and Assessment Coordinator and Early Years Coordinator. I am passionate about learning through play and child-centred learning. I love being outdoors and I am a Level 3 Forest School practitioner leading outdoor learning and Forest School experiences for our younger students.

Outside of school I am interested in Photography and film-making.

Aneta has been both a proud career-woman and mother for over two decades as Finance Manager for one of the world’s foremost natural resource companies.

Years of negotiating multi-million-dollar trade deals on a global scale have given Aneta a tenacious mindset for business, as well as the steadfast ability to successfully resolve difficult situations, no matter the pressure.

Alongside her formidable career, Aneta has raised her two sons. Mario, an Automotive Journalist, born in 1998 and Archie, who is currently in Dwight’s Primary Years. She is lucky enough to share keen interests with her children, including languages, fashion, cooking, cars and animals.