Our Trustees
David Hoare is currently founding Chair of KAN Ventures Ltd and Chair of Heart Academies Trust
By background he is a Chemical Engineer, businessman and entrepreneur.
He has been Chair or CEO of a number of private sector companies over the last 40 years. Cope Allman International; Laura Ashley Plc; Asquith Court Schools; Virgin Express; Paragon Plc; Target Express; V Ships; DX Group; MoneyBarn Plc; Talisman Management Ltd.
In February 2020 he stepped down as Chair of Teenage Cancer Trust after 10 years. Since 2013 he has focused his time on Education and improving educational standards, particularly for the less advantaged. From 2014 to 2016 he was Chair of Ofsted. He has also been a Trustee of the AET Group and the David Ross Educational Trust.
David is married with three children, lives in London and is a keen sportsman .
Linbert is a Trustee of the HEART Academies Trust and the Harpur Trust. In his professional life, he is a founder director of The Centre for Inclusive Leadership Ltd, and has been helping organisations and individuals to transform themselves for more than 30 years. He is an international consultant specialising in inclusion, leadership, performance management, personal development and coaching. Linbert has facilitated learning and development seminars and workshops in more than 20 countries as well as across the UK,
A former professional actor, international athlete, television presenter and CEO of a national not-for-profit organisation, Linbert has appeared in many television and radio programmes, including two appearances on BBC Television’s Question Time. He is a prolific public speaker, author of The Diversity Pocket Book and How To Build a Multi Ethnic Church, co-authored Introducing the Business of Inclusion with Paul Anderson-Walsh and contributed to a number of other publications.
Jo has lived and worked in Bedford for most of her life. She attended Putnoe Lower and then Mark Rutherford School. After leaving school, Jo studied Business before moving to London to work for several major retail companies. On returning to Bedford, Jo retrained at De Montfort University gaining a B’Ed Hons in Teaching. Her first teaching positions were in the local state sector where she taught in both Key Stage 1 and Early Years. In 2002, Jo joined Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School as a Reception Teacher. Jo has Early Years Professional Status and in August 2009 became an EYFS Moderator for Bedfordshire Local Authority. She has been a member of the Local Authority EY reference group and the IAPS Pre-Prep Advisory Group. When appointed as Headteacher at Pilgrims in 2011, she went on to gain her National Professional Qualification for Headship.
Jo is passionate about children’s education and providing opportunities for each child to develop confidence, curiosity and a love of learning. Jo has also spoken at several conferences on the importance of outdoor provision, the Creative Curriculum, and the Early Years Foundation Stage, including the EYFS profile and moderation.
Sue Clark is the councillor for Cranfield and Marston Moretaine in Central Bedfordshire. Sue is also the Executive Member for Families, Education and Children for Central Bedfordshire Council. Sue has been a HEART Academies Trustee since June 2017.
Eleanor is a chartered building services engineer and has focused on corporate safety policy and compliance assurance for the past 5 years. Before this, she specialised in operational service delivery for several public and private sector organisations nationally. She is particularly adept at financial management and is a chartered manager interested in wellbeing, team building and people management. She champions emerging technologies and digitisation and firmly believes in responsible and sustainable business practices.
David has worked at Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) since 2012 and has seen the transformation of the trust from one that was rapidly growing, to one that needed a financial turnaround, to the current iteration with a clear focus on outcomes for all pupils. David became headteacher in 2016 and then Executive Principal in 2018 and is passionate about making a positive difference to young lives.
John is a Solicitor by trade, specialising in the property field. John has previous governance experience and served as a Trustee with the Harpur Trust for four and a half years, before joining the HEART board. John is married with 3 children. Interest include sport (especially rugby, cycling, cricket and skiing), travel and historical buildings.
