Leading figures appointed to IfATE’s board

Two exciting new Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) board members have been announced.

Sir Peter Estlin and Neil Morrison will serve as non-executive board members for five years starting from next month.

Sir Peter has enjoyed a long career in banking. He was chief financial officer for Salomon Brothers Asia, and then for Citi’s investment and corporate banking divisions in New York and London. He joined Barclays bank in 2008 and was appointed acting group chief financial officer in 2013. He also served as the 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London.

He is a non-executive director of Rothschild & Co, chair of FutureDotNow a coalition of 100 businesses leveraging digital skills, and a former director of Workfinder Ltd, which is finding skills for young people in the digital industry.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the board. Apprentices are a vital cohort in our economy and technical skills are more important than ever.  I’ve long been an advocate for vocational education and will look to contribute my knowledge and connections to help make the UK’s apprenticeship eco-system truly world class.”

Neil Morrison is director of HR and communications at water utilities giant Severn Trent. He started his career in HR management in 1996 and has since worked in a variety of roles within FTSE 100 companies, including Rentokil Initial and GUS (which latterly became Home Retail Group).  Before joining Severn Trent, Neil worked for the publisher Penguin Random House where he was one of the main leads in helping to steer and finalise the global merger between Random House and Penguin.

He is also an experienced T Levels panel member who has helped the Institute shape the exciting new qualifications for the human resources sector.

He said: “I’m really excited to be appointed to the board and to contribute to such an important and exciting agenda. Technical education has a critical role in a thriving economy and provides a brilliant opportunity for people to develop their skills and progress their careers regardless of their background. Employers of all sizes and from across the sectors have a crucial role to play and I relish the chance to use my knowledge and experience to help the Institute drive this forward.”

The new appointments made by the Secretary of State come after Dame Fiona Kendrick, Dr Kate Barclay, Robin Millar CBE, and Bev Robinson OBE were re-appointed to the board in January this year.

The Department for Education sponsors IfATE; however, the independent board of leading employers, business leaders, and technical education experts oversees all our work.

IfATE chair Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith said:

“It is fantastic news that Sir Peter and Neil have been appointed and I look forward to working closely with them. Their wealth of experience at a very senior level will be of huge benefit as we embark on the next exciting stage for the Institute and extend our employer-led reforms across technical education.”