Join | Donate | Volunteer:

Join

Become part of a 5,000+ community which believes that speaking and listening skills are central to personal fulfilment and cultural understanding

Become a member

Donate

One-off or regular donations are vital to our work, helping us ensure that young people everywhere have the oracy skills they need to thrive

Donate

Volunteer

We’re hugely grateful to those who volunteer their time in helping to organise and run ESU programmes and competitions. Find out how you could help

Volunteer

‘We rely on the generous support of our members, donors and volunteers to ensure we can reach those children who need our help most’

Home > Our people > Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees

Miles Young

Chair

Miles Young, Chair of the ESU is Warden of New College, Oxford, and a professional in the field of communication, having worked with global communications network Ogilvy & Mather for over 30 years, rising to become its Chair and CEO.

Read more

Professor James Raven

Deputy Chair

Writer, academic and broadcaster Professor James Raven is a Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and Professor of History at the University of Essex. He has over 30 years’ experience of the ESU, from participating in its competitions as a schoolboy, to holding various branch and national positions including Chair of the board.

Read more

David Shaw

Deputy Chair

David was awarded an OBE in 2014 for services to the retail industry and charitable work.

Read more
A close-up picture of Sarah Harding

Sarah Harding

Trustee

ESU alumna Sarah Harding is an advocate for the principles underpinning the ESU: international relationships, quality discussion and the value of engaging with different cultures, ideas and people

Read more
Madeleine Milne

Madeleine Milne

Trustee

Madeleine’s work with membership organisations has given her substantial experience in harnessing members’ enthusiasm and advocacy, seeking and respecting their opinions, ensuring they feel genuinely part of the narrative, so a thriving community can be fostered.

Read more

Barbara Firth

Trustee

Barbara’s passion is to ensure that more able children and young people have the provision and opportunities to achieve their very best whatever their background or circumstances.

Read more

Sarah Hawkins

Trustee

Sarah has worked with local, national and international charities for over 20 years and will bring this experience and dedication to her position on the Board of the ESU.

Read more

RICHARD HUMPHREYS KC

Trustee

As a professional advocate, Richard is keen to encourage and promote public speaking and debate in all its forms.

Read more

Philip Maunder

Trustee

Chair of the Devon & Exeter branch of the ESU, Philip is a great believer in the importance of communication. He is an insurance broker and has a long history of charitable work.

Read more

Laurence Mutkin

Trustee

Laurence has a background in finance and financial markets research and has worked for companies including Morgan Stanley and BNP Paribas. He is an alumnus of the Secondary School Exchange.

Read more

Danny Preiskel

Trustee

A former ESU SSE scholar, Danny is dedicated to helping young people from a wide variety of backgrounds to build educational confidence and knowledge that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Read more

Stephen Purcell

Trustee

Chair of the South Wales branch of the ESU, Stephen has held a range of senior roles in education and continues to work in examinations and as an educational consultant.

Read more
Share Page