Phil Beecher

Initially qualifying as a chartered accountant at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Phil then spent 3 years working as a senior manager in the NHS before joining the education sector as Director of Finance and progressing to Chief Operating Officer.

As well as having executive responsibility for all non-education functions within the Trust, Phil is also the Trust’s Company Secretary, ensuring that effective arrangements for governance, risk management and compliance are in place.

In addition to his full time role, Phil is a Trustee and chair of the audit & risk Committee at a 10 school multi-academy trust and provides support as a subject matter expert to another large trust’s audit & risk committee.

Phil has presented at a number of different regional and national conferences on subjects ranging from use of the apprenticeship levy to achievement of value for money through service re-design. He has also spoken as part of panel discussions on trust mergers and central service efficiency. Always keen to collaborate, Phil has shared his innovative approach to appraisals and professional development, with a growing number of other trusts and schools adopting this.

In terms of his own professional development, after completing his senior leader apprenticeship at the University of East Anglia in Autumn 2022 Phil will be starting the Chartered Governance Institute’s level 7 programme, aiming to become a chartered governance professional.