Governors

Hazel Tritschler was appointed to the Board as the University of Manchester Nominative Member in December 2023 and appointed as Vice Chair in June 2024.

Hazel earnt an MSc in Human Resources Management from Edinburgh Napier University, her HRMPR from the University of South Africa, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (MCIPP).

She joined the University of Manchester in March 2022 to oversee People & OD Operations and Reward during a transformation programme and was appointed as Director of People & OD Operations & Reward in May 2023.

Prior to moving to Manchester, and a short spell in Reward & Benefits for Arsenal Football Club, Hazel has worked in Higher Education for 14 years, and has amassed experience in all areas of Human Resources over 25 years, working in the South Africa, Middle East, Scotland, and England.

Shazia Latif Book read Management Science at the University of Manchester. She is an accomplished professional with a career spanning strategy consulting, public relations, and working with NGOs and charitable organisations. She began her career as a Strategy Consultant at Accenture, where she advised FT100 clients, and later transitioned into public relations at Cohn & Wolfe, working with both government and blue chip organisations.

After moving to Melbourne, Australia Shazia worked for a boutique PR firm before becoming the media spokesperson for the Islamic Council of Victoria, which included the period following the events of 9/11.

Shazia then spent over 10 years in the Middle East, where she worked with various NGOs and charities, focusing on strategy, external relationship development and PR/fundraising. Together with her family, she founded the charity Boots for Hope, which provides football kits and training to children in refugee camps and orphanages predominately in Syria and Jordan.

Since returning to the UK, Shazia has continued to work closely with a number of charities both here and in the Middle East. She is a Magistrate in the Family Court for Greater Manchester and sits on the GM Magistrates Advisory Committee, as well as on the GM Magistrates’ Association Executive Board as the BAME representative. Shazia is also a trustee for the charity Power2.

Shazia has a strong interest in advocating for children from ethnic and disadvantaged backgrounds to access quality education and promoting representation within institutions and leadership roles.

Mr N Booth, LLB (Hons) Dip Ger Law

Nigel Booth was a pupil at Stockport Grammar from age 11 to 18 in the 1980s and went on to study Law and German Law at King’s College London.

He was called to the Bar in 1994 and since then has been based in Manchester. His career began in employed practice at the Crown Prosecution Service, but since 2000 he has been in independent practice at the criminal bar, in the main prosecuting and defending criminal cases and more recently appearing at inquests. He has published three legal self-help books.

Whilst remaining a member of Chambers at 9 St John Street, in September 2020 Nigel joined the University of Law in Manchester to teach the criminal part of the Bar Practice Course – skills, litigation, evidence and sentencing – to prospective barristers.

He is now the Programme and Student Experience Lead for the Bar Practice Course at the Manchester campus.

Paul Brearley has extensive experience in public service, having been a member of Salford Community Health Council from 1985 – 1995, serving five years as Chairman. In 1995 Paul was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Manchester Children’s Hospitals NHS Trust, encompassing Royal Manchester Children’s and Booth Hall Children’s Hospitals, until the trust merger in 2001. He is been a trustee of the Citizens Advice Bureau for over 20 years and Chairman of the Combined Hospital CAB for 11 years.

He was sworn in as a Magistrate at Salford Courthouse in 1997 where he served until transferring to Stockport Magistrates Court in 2001, where he was later elected Deputy Bench Chairman and the last Chairman of the Stockport Bench at the creation of the Greater Manchester Bench. Paul was Chairman of the GM Family Panel for six years before being elected as the Chair of the Greater Manchester Bench for the period April 2019 – March 2022. He is Chair of the Greater Manchester Magistrates Association Branch, which has a very active Magistrates in the Community program, currently working in collaboration with other agencies to address violence prevention through virtual education.

Paul is a Director/Trustee of the Wellspring (Stockport) Ltd, where he is Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee, he is also a Trustee and Vice Chair of Stockport Sea Cadets, Trustee of David Lewis Centre (Alderley Edge), Trustee of Vernon Charitable Foundation, Treasurer for Stockport Armed Forces Community Organisation (SAFCO). Clerk to his local Parish Council and Chair of the Management Committee of his local Parish Hall.

He is a carer for his former disabled partner.

Krishanthi Carfrae was appointed to the Board as the Old Stopfordian Governor in May 2023. Krishanthi is a member of the External Relations Committee.

An OS (1991-2004), she read Landscape, Planning and Management at the University of Manchester becoming a chartered member of the Landscape Institute and the Royal Town Planning Institute before gaining an MBA at Alliance Manchester Business School.

Krishanthi currently works for Ove Arup & Partners (Arup) where she leads its Cities Advisory and Economics business across the North-West, Yorkshire and Wales. Krishanthi is interested in equality, diversity and inclusion as well as inclusive economic growth and opportunities for all.

Krishanthi has previously held roles on the Landscape Institute’s Advisory Council as well as being the former Chair and Treasurer of the North West Branch of the Landscape Institute.

Paul Carr was appointed Vice Chair in September 2023.

He joined the Board as the Ephraim Hallam Educational Foundation Nominative Member in October 2013.

Paul is an Old Stopfordian (1971) and read Classics and Law at Selwyn College, Cambridge before being called to the Bar.

Paul was formerly Justices’ Clerk and Director of Legal Services for Essex Magistrates’ Courts before being appointed to the Bench.

He was also a judge of the Family Court.

Sarah Carroll, OS 1981-83, has been a Governor of Stockport Grammar School since 2003 and is also a Member of the Finance Committee.

A banker by profession, Sarah has held a number of senior roles at UBS, J P Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and MUFG, including Managing Director of industrial clients.

Sarah has been included in the 2017 FT and HERoes 50 Female Champions of Women in Business List which celebrates the strides being made by women across the UK, Ireland and around the world.

Sarah is married and lives in London and East Sussex. She is also a member of the Finance Committee of Nottingham Trent University and is actively involved in a number of charitable organisations.

Tim Firth is the Governor responsible for Safeguarding.

He was a pupil at Stockport Grammar School from 1977-1983 and then went to Sheffield University to read English Literature.

In 1986 he took his PGCE at Oxford University where he gained a Blue in Cricket.

He taught first at Bedford School, becoming a Deputy Head at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex, then Headmaster at Wrekin College in 2016.

Donna Harris joined the Governing Board as the Staff Nominative Governor in October 2023.

Donna studied Mathematics at the University of Nottingham, then gained a PGCE in Mathematics before joining the teaching staff at SGS in 1992.

During her time at Stockport Grammar School she was Head of Mathematics, then Director of Studies, before progressing through to Senior Deputy Head prior to retiring in 2021.

She is an experienced School Governor.

Donna’s two daughters are both former pupils of Stockport Grammar Junior and Senior Schools.

Ian Mcilwraith was a pupil at Stockport Grammar School in the 1980’s and, on leaving, he joined the Royal Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller.

In 1995, Ian joined Kent Police where he undertook a number of roles including CID, before transferring to Greater Manchester Police in 2001.

Ian spent the majority of his career on Specialist Operations, both as an operational dog handler and later an Inspector.

Ian lives in Stockport and is married to Rachel who also attended SGS.

They have two sons, one of whom left SGS after A levels in 2024 and the other is a current pupil in the Senior School.

John Millington was appointed to the Board as the Ephraim Hallam Charity Nominative member in October 2022.

John grew up in Stockport and read Business Studies at the University of Bradford Management Centre. He subsequently trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in Manchester where he worked for fourteen years.

Since then, John has held Finance Director roles with owner-managed businesses in the North West and currently holds positions with franchised motor retailers in Warrington and Shrewsbury.

Both of John’s daughters are former pupils of Stockport Grammar School.

Tim Potter was appointed as a co-optative Governor in January 2024 and is a Member of the Finance Committee.

Tim is a Chartered Accountant and began his career with Price Waterhouse in Manchester.

He has been Managing Partner of HURST, a northwest based independent accounting firm, for 18 years.

Tim was educated at the Kings School in Macclesfield 1976-1986 and then Bristol Business School 1986-1990.

John Shackleton was appointed to the Board as the Old Stopfordians’ Association Nominative Governor in December 2015. He is now a Co-optative Governor and Chair of the Education Committee.

John spent four years at Loughborough Colleges/University before returning to Stockport Grammar School in 1977 as a member of the staff in the Senior School. John became Deputy Head at Newcastle Preparatory School in the early 1990s and following that has been appointed Headmaster of four independent preparatory schools; Royal Grammar Junior School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Fettes College Preparatory School in Edinburgh, King Henry VIII Junior School in Coventry and Hallfield School in Birmingham.

John was a member of the athletics squad at Loughborough in the Mid 1970s and was selected for Great Britain.  John played lacrosse for the Old Stopfordians and represented England on occasions between 1978 and 1992.

Adrian Simpson was appointed to the Board of Governors as a Co-optative member in March 2015. He is the Chair of the Finance Committee.

Adrian read accountancy and law at the University of Southampton.

He is a Chartered Accountant who trained with KPMG. Adrian was formally the Finance Director of a local construction company.

His daughter, Laura, is a former pupil who started in the Junior School Reception class.

A leaver in 2011, she is now a doctor.

Jenny Smith was appointed to the Board in March 2024 and is a member of the Building Committee.

Jenny is a Chartered Surveyor with over 24 years experience in Property Development and Asset Management roles.

Jenny is Head of Markets for CBRE, with responsibility for commercial real estate and facilities management across their investor managed portfolio.

Jenny is passionate about her adoptive town of Stockport and has been involved with a number of strategic regeneration projects.

When time allows Jenny loves spending time in Cornwall with her young family.

Mark Whylie has 30 years of experience in the construction and property sectors, He has led the delivery of numerous complex development projects including affordable housing, regeneration schemes, and strategic land developments. He has also had various formal advisory roles with organisations connected to the property industry. Mark was a pupil at the Kings School, Macclesfield before gaining his degree in Quantity Surveying.

Alongside his commercial work, Mark has played a role in town centre regeneration through his chairmanship of several partnership boards, including governmental funded delivery boards. He focuses on sustainable growth, community benefit, and environmental performance in the built environment. Mark is also a director trustee of The Wellspring, a Stockport-based charity supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and is Chair of the Infrastructure Board at Hype, helping prevent NEET (not in education, employment or training) issues with young people.

Mark lives locally and is married to Nicola. They have three children who are all former pupils of Stockport Grammar School.