Governors

Ian is the grandson of the School's founder and was appointed to the Board as Hereditary Governor in November 2023. He was educated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, graduating with a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.  

Ian has extensive experience in finance and risk management  and has worked in a wide range of international and corporate banking roles. He held a number of senior risk positions towards the end of his career and was Head of Credit between 2014 and 2022 at a UK-regulated bank specialising in emerging market foreign exchange and payments. In this role he worked closely with UK charities and other donors to assist them with the delivery of their overseas aid objectives.

He has a strong interest in international development and during his career was responsible for organising and implementing large institution-building projects in the financial sector overseas. He has enjoyed passing on his experience gained as a practitioner and has regularly delivered training on finance, risk and strategy topics.   He has travelled extensively abroad, particularly in Africa.

Ian lives in south west London. He is married and has a son and a daughter. He enjoys a wide range of sports including cycling, cricket, golf, tennis and hill walking.

Andrew was born and educated on the Island and became a Governor in November 2018. He served a Marine Engineering apprenticeship with the RNLI and following this took up a career in yachting where he became a professional Superyacht Captain, piloting amongst others a 46 metre sailing yacht worldwide, for a wealthy American owner. The Owner was a New York Yacht Club member and major sponsor of the America's Cup Syndicate so enjoyed privileged participation in the America’s Cups of 1980, 1983 in USA and 1986/87 in Australia.

Andrew returned to the Island in 1989 starting a second career with an engineering company involved in the oil industry as a Marine Operations Manager, and he quickly became a Regional Manager running the business in South America and Asia. In 1996 he bought a Swedish Engineering Company which he relocated to the Island, manufacturing equipment for the oil industry. He was also appointed Technical Advisor for Japanese Petroleum Association, being a specialist on Global Oil Spill Response for Major Marine Oil Tanker Incidents which is a job he still does today.  In 2002 he sold his company to a Finnish organisation and continues in the post of Senior Vice President Global Business Development with special focus in Asia and Africa.

Andrew lives in Cowes with his wife Judith. They have two sons who have both attended Ryde Prep and Senior School. His interests include yachting/boating, travel, cycling and skiing.

Chantal-Aimée became a Governor in November 2014. She grew up between the United States, Germany and England and attended the International School in Hamburg, Germany and Roedean School in Brighton. Chantal studied at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1986 and at Cambridge University, England (1987-1991). At Cambridge, Chantal-Aimée attended New Hall, now known as Murray Edwards College, and studied history and law. She was President of the Cambridge Union Society in 1989.

In 1992 she was called to the Bar of England and Wales and became a King's Counsel in 2008. She practices from Atkin Chambers in Gray’s Inn, London where she is currently Head of Chambers. Much of her work involves advising and representing clients in major infrastructure projects, here and overseas. She also sits as an arbitrator resolving commercial disputes. Chantal was made a Bencher of Middle Temple in 2010 and is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She is Co-Editor in Chief of the International Construction Law Review, a joint Editor of the Building Law Reports and a contributing Editor of Hudson's Building and Engineering Contracts. Chantal was Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales in 2016. 

Giles attended Ryde School from 1972 to 1984, and then completed a BA in Engineering Science at Wadham College, Oxford, also representing his college in a number of sports.

Giles started work at Plessey Radar on the Isle of Wight in 1987 as a systems engineer, moving to managing projects in the 1990s including programmes in South America, the Middle East and South East Asia. His role transitioned to Siemens before he joined British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) in 1998 and relocated to Hampshire. In 2006 he was seconded in to the Ministry of Defence for a year as project manager for one of the two pathfinder programmes under the Defence Acquisition Change Programme.

Giles has held various roles at BAE Systems, in both UK and International programmes, most recently for Australia and Canada, and he now works as Head of Business Development and Strategy for BAE Systems in the Maritime sector. In 2015 Giles completed a PGDip in International Marketing.

Giles lives in Hampshire with his wife Jill and they have two grown up children. Giles is still keen on sport and in his spare time attempts to play cricket and golf.

Dawn Haig-Thomas grew up in west London and attended Drayton Manor High School where she gained 10 GCSEs and A Levels in History, Latin and English Literature. She then studied at Manchester University, graduating in 1996 with a BA (Hons) 2:1 in Politics and Modern History. Thereafter Dawn studied International Business at Manchester Business School.

In 1997, Dawn joined Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) as part of their graduate training programme in the business consulting division. During her time with Accenture, Dawn focused on business strategy and process with numerous clients across the UK and Europe including Shell, Sainsbury’s, Thomas Cook and American Express. Dawn started to pursue her interest in international development in 2004, transferring into Accenture’s non-profit division. She moved to Gujarat (India) and worked with the Self-Employed Women’s Association and the World Bank on the start-up of a business that enabled remote rural producers to trade internationally using the Internet. In 2006, Dawn moved to the global trade association for mobile phone operators (GSMA) as director of the non-profit division focused on driving uptake of mobile communications to improve the lives of people living on less than $1 per day. Under Dawn’s tenure, multi-million dollar grants were won from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, USAID and UKAID, and she launched programmes with then Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and head of the UNHCR António Guterres. 

After having three children, Dawn and her husband relocated to the Isle of Wight to restore a Jacobean manor house and enjoy life by the sea. Dawn is a keen traveller and runner, having completed three and a half marathons. She is also a qualified yoga teacher. In 2023 Dawn became the High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight.

Marjon attended Upper Chine from 1980 to 1984.  Her mother and sister also attended the school as did other family members.

After school she studied Cell and Molecular Biology at Kings College in London and then Law, qualifying as a solicitor at a City law firm.  She now works as a commercial lawyer with an interest in intellectual property, IT, data protection, corporate governance and risk management.  She has worked in large publishing (Hachette UK) and consumer goods (Unilever plc) businesses as well as charities (Oxfam and the British Council) advising on all types of legal issues.  She is currently Head of Legal & Policy at Publishers Licensing Services, a not for profit organisation providing rights management services for publishers. 

She lives with her husband in London and Scotland and enjoys gardening, hill walking, music and learning languages.

Caroline joined the Governors in June 2018. She is delighted to continue her long association with the School, as she is the third generation in her family to become a governor; following in the footsteps of her Grandfather Douglas Timms who, amongst other things, was part of the committee to form the first school fete, and her Father John Timms, who was also a pupil at the School and Chairman of the Old Rydeians’ Association. Caroline was previously a Governor at Bishop Lovett School and enjoyed her responsibilities supporting the school to raise standards and quality of education, to ensure pupils achieved their educational potential.

Caroline was born on the Isle of Wight and educated at St Therese Presentation Convent where she was Head Girl; while her brother Ian attended Ryde School and was Head Boy. From 1984 to 1986 she attended Ryde School in the sixth form. Her husband Mark and two children, Imogen and Dominic, previously Head Boy, are also Old Rydeians. Caroline, her husband and son have served on the Old Rydeians’ Association Committee and have enjoyed organising social events to continue their contact with peers. After leaving school, Caroline spent time in South Africa living and working in Roedean School, a girls’ boarding school in Johannesburg, after which she returned to the UK to train as a Registered General Nurse at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. She returned to the Island in 1990 to get married and worked for nine years as an intensive care nurse. In 1999 she became an NHS School Nurse as part of the 0-19 team. She enjoys her varied role as a public health nurse, including safeguarding and supporting the health and wellbeing of young people. Educating is very much part of her day job as she is a mentor to student nurses and new staff, in particular teaching Personal Social Health Education.

In her spare time Caroline appreciates music and drama and is very involved in the Isle of Wight Music and Drama Festival where she is a steward and performer still. She enjoys singing, was part of the school choir and has sung with Voices of the Wight alongside her children. She loves spending time with friends and family and, when she has the opportunity, travelling.

Joanna attended Upper Chine from April 1980 to July 1989, following on from her three sisters and sister-in-law. Afterwards she gained a Diploma in Waterbased Leisure Studies from The College of Maritime Studies, Warsash. She then worked as a Duty Manager in the Leisure Industry in a variety of indoor and outdoor sports centres and pools and a marina in Portsmouth Harbour. When she married her husband, who was a member of the Armed Forces, she took work wherever he was posted in the UK and in the Far East including Police Human Resources, Pension Review and a Military Education Centre. She has 3 school aged children and lives in the New Forest and works in the Exams Office at a local school. Joanna enjoys playing and watching many sports, in particular swimming. She enjoys travelling and has spent time in Nepal helping in an earthquake-hit village and school.

Much of Philip's career has been spent as a business consultant and specialist recruitment adviser for several national organisations covering much of the UK. He was previously involved with the international renowned Dale Carnegie training and development organisation, supporting leadership training and business management.  More recently Philip has spent the last 10 years working in the Estate Agent Industry, currently working for Seafields Estates Ltd based in Union Street, Ryde as their Business Development Manager.  

Philip went to Bembridge School from 1972 to 1981. He and his wife, Sue have two sons. Family interests include travel, skiing, dog rescue and local history.