Meet the team

Most of our team is based from Hammersmith, West London, with a few key individuals operating from other parts of the world. We’re a team of educationalists and creatives working together to make mentoring possible for young people of diverse backgrounds and geographies.

We pride ourselves on the credibility we’ve built over many years in partnership with the world’s best known schools. Our founders stay close to the action, continuing to oversee every element of the recruitment, training and delivery of mentors’ work across schools and families on four continents.

  • A young man smiling, seated on a wooden chair, wearing a dark blazer, a white t-shirt, and a watch, with a neutral background.

    Henry Faber

    Co-Founder, New York

    I love working with people, unwinding on the golf course or talking about my year in the Bob Marley Musical.

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  • A smiling young man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a dark navy polo shirt, sitting indoors with a blurred background of people and wooden beams.

    Walter Kerr

    Co-Founder, London

    I love racquet sports, running and the behavioural psychology behind working with children.

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  • A young man with dark hair smiling at the camera, dressed in a light gray t-shirt and a dark denim shirt, in an indoor setting with blurred background.

    Ben Stevens

    Head of Marketing & Brand

    I’ve led Oppidan’s creative direction since day one and enjoy giving pro bono sports lessons to Walter in my free time.

  • A woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a red floral blouse, a silver necklace, and pearl earrings, with a blurred indoor background.

    Charlotte Harmer

    Head of Education

    I lead our work in schools, having taught for ten years after Teach First. I love travel, theatre and paddle boarding.

  • A young man with short brown hair, blue eyes, and light skin, smiling at the camera. He's wearing a black t-shirt with a yellow logo that says 'The Clune Park Metro' and a gold chain necklace. The background appears to be a rustic indoor setting with wooden beams and some blurred objects.

    Henry Grace

    Head of Mentors

    I manage our team of 200 mentors. I’m also a musician and full-time tractor fan.

  • A man with light skin, blue eyes, and dark, wavy hair styled back, smiling slightly, wearing a green textured sweater and a white shirt, in an indoor setting with blurred background.

    David Hickson

    Lead Product Manager (Technical)

    Product Manager with 15 years experience in state secondary schools. Passionate about tech, education, music and enhancing young people’s lives.

  • Close-up of a woman with wavy brown hair, smiling, wearing a white top with black embroidery, gold necklaces, and a blurred background.

    Catherine Stockall

    Client Team Lead

    I'm an ex-teacher and Head of Year and work on sourcing best-fit mentors for mentees. I'm happiest when in the mountains or in/on the sea.

  • Close-up of a young man with short brown hair smiling, wearing a light blue shirt, with a blurred outdoor background.

    Felix Lahiff

    General Manager, Seoul

    I head up Oppidan’s work in South Korea. Away from that, I’m a keen photographer and all round Koreaphile!

  • Young man with short curly hair smiling in a casual indoor setting, wearing a white T-shirt with an orange graphic logo.

    Adam Goodbody

    Chief of Staff

    I help the founders with the big questions and strategic direction. I am also an actor, mentor and in training for my first Ironman.

  • A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a white collared shirt and layered jewelry, smiling in an indoor setting with blurred background.

    Jess Bibby

    Creative Executive

    I work alongside the Creative Lead in designing our creative output. I love carpentry and making paddleboards when I have time.

  • A woman smiling with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a green blouse, earrings, and a necklace in an indoor setting.

    Liv Sharron

    Senior Client Manager

    I make sure to pair the best mentors and mentees together. I also host regular cold water swims, under my mental health initiative, Chilly Dippers.

  • A young man with light blonde hair, wearing a red sweatshirt and a collared shirt underneath, smiling indoors with a blurred background.

    Ali Zahoor

    School Accounts Lead

    Looking after our school partnerships, I love working with real-life superheroes (teachers). I like emojis.

  • A young woman with medium-length brown hair smiling at the camera.

    Anna Wongcha-Um

    General Manager, Thailand

    I’m really enjoying contributing to the growth of Oppidan Education here in Thailand! In my free time, you’ll often find me in the dance studio or on the tennis court.

  • Portrait of a woman with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a friendly smile, wearing a green top and gold jewelry.

    Bea McKechnie Rowe

    General Manager, UAE

    Alongside my work with OE, I’m studying for an MSc in Psychology, specialising in Education Psychology as well as being a qualified EF coach.

  • A smiling middle-aged woman with short blond hair, wearing a brown polka dot shirt and a pearl necklace, inside a well-lit cafe or restaurant.

    Cat Sutherland-Hawes

    Schools Advisor

    I’m a former Director of Admissions, mother of two grown up girls and am passionate about finding the right school for the child.

  • A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a bright smile sitting at a wooden table in a cozy indoor setting.

    Bella Jones

    Schools Manager

    I am a qualified teacher with 16 years experience, as well as a schools consultant and full-time Oppidan Mentor. I love cryptic crosswords and padel tennis.

Advisory Board

We rely on the trusted advice of big-hitting school leaders, educationalists and business mentors to challenge us collectively to be better and to aim higher.

  • A man with a bald head and beard, wearing a light-colored checkered shirt, standing outdoors in front of a brick building with trees and a sunset in the background.

    Ed Smallwood

    Chair

    Business strategist and founder of A-List Education, Ed is our ‘go to’ man on a monthly basis to keep our growth plans on track.

  • Smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a black blazer and white top standing outdoors near a brick building with large windows.

    Laura Ellener

    Headteacher at Chiswick School

  • A middle-aged man in a suit with a blue tie, smiling, standing inside a warmly lit library with bookshelves in the background.

    Alastair Chirnside

    Warden at St. Edward’s Oxford

  • A woman with blonde hair styled in loose waves, wearing a black top, smiling outdoors with a blurred background of greenery and a wooden building.

    Sahar Hashemi OBE

    Entrepreneur, founder of Coffee Republic & speaker

  • A middle-aged man with brown hair, smiling widely, seated on a plaid-patterned sofa in a living room with bookshelves in the background, wearing a beige plaid suit and pink tie.

    Jonathan Perry

    Headmaster of Lambrook School

  • A young woman with a sweet smile, dark hair, and hoop earrings wearing a bright green ribbed sweater against a plain white background.

    Sharmadean Reid MBE

    Entrepreneur & founder of Beauty Stack

  • A man with glasses and dark hair, wearing a dark sweater over a white collared shirt, speaking on stage with a microphone headset. Behind him is a blurred presentation slide with partially visible text.

    Sharath Jeevan OBE

    Founder of Stir Education, motivational speaker & author