Influencers
Brenda McLeish -
CEO, Learning Curve Group
With more than 20 years’ experience in the education sector, Brenda has helped drive significant growth in the business, which delivers a broad range of educational services and training programmes across diverse industry sectors and a broad range of learners.
Having entered the sector with East Durham College, Brenda developed her career in a number of roles before joining Learning Curve Group in 2008. Progressing to her current role as Chief Executive, Brenda has helped the business grow from 40 full-time employees to more than 450.
Learning Curve Group supports approximately 120,000 learners every year through the learning materials it creates and directly across its network of training facilities and skills academies in the North East and Yorkshire as well as through relationships with many thousands of employers.
The company, which has just developed a new purpose-built headquarters five miles south of Durham City, has seen its turnover increase from £1m to in excess of £40m in the past decade as well as having national coverage as a training provider.
Brenda is an active member of a series of strategic boards and network steering groups including AELP, the North East Chamber of Commerce as well as the Tees Valley Combined Authorities Local Enterprise Partnership board, chairing the Business Engagement workstream.
She has also led on strategy to respond to local and national priorities to support NEET’s, apprenticeship provision, delivery to the unemployed, work based training, flexible learning provision and English and Mathematics.
Benn Carson - Everything FE.
Benn Carson is a Further Education Consultant specialised in developing long-lasting and fruitful relationships between providers, stakeholders, and key figures in the industry. With over 15 years in FE funding, strategy, and recruitment, Benn's long list of successes includes clients such as B2W Group, Seetec, and Learning Curve Group. Benn's business insights and thought leadership have been featured in publications including FE News.
Read more about Benn.
Connect with Benn on Linkedin.
Safaraz Ali -
Founder & CEO, Pathway Group
Pathway Group is an organisation that has been aspiring to change people’s lives through skills and work since 2000. As the CEO, Safaraz is committed to continual development and growth for himself, his team which is reflected in all aspects of his ethos to business. Safaraz sees a key part of his role is to nurture and empower a high performing team that is committed to making a meaningful difference in all that they do.
Safaraz describes what Pathway do simply as the ABC approach to help people to secure: “A job, a Better job, then a Career”. Pathway Group have been at the forefront of supporting individuals through their journey into and during employment, delivering qualifications tailored to job outcomes, linked to employers. Pathway do this by having a relentless focus to add value, delivering positive outcomes and ensuring that we put our relationship first, leading us to be your partner of choice.
The BAME Apprenticeship Awards (previously known as Asian Apprenticeship Awards) is probably Safaraz’s greatest legacy and the work he has done towards the cause has laid the foundations for future generations. Safaraz founded the awards in May 2016 with the first event held in November 2016. The BAME Apprenticeship Awards aims to showcase the range of talent and hard work within the BAME communities which will be made possible with the contribution of employers and learning providers who share these beliefs.
On the success of the Awards and to further the work, Safaraz incubated and Chaired the BAME Apprenticeship Alliance: an organisation aiming to promote ethnic diversity within apprenticeships by sharing good practice and encouraging organisations to talk about the issues and possible solutions. The BAME Apprenticeship Alliance has contributed to many surveys and works including the research report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission ‘Positive action and apprenticeships: exploring positive action as a tool to address underrepresentation’.
In recognition of his position within the business and social entrepreneurial community, Safaraz has been asked to judge a number of awards. For the last four years Safaraz has a role as a judge for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Safaraz has also judged the Birmingham Awards, UK Government’s National Apprenticeship Awards, Signature Awards and Nachural Entrepreneurship Awards. Safaraz is happy to undertake these roles in a voluntary capacity as he sees the difference these events make in encouraging entrepreneurship and leadership development and feels he is a role model for small businesses encouraging wealth creation and growth.
Amongst his other responsibilities, Safaraz found time to become a published author writing “Canny Bites” which are Quick, informative & impactful bites of business wisdom. His third book is out now which is titled: Attract, Retain and Grow your team to you’re your business. Many business owners and leaders alike have found his ‘bites’ genuine and refreshing.
Overall, Safaraz is a strong advocate of social entrepreneurship in order to make a difference in people’s lives. Social and profit for purpose business are the main drivers behind everything he does in order to create entrepreneurial mindsets, have a positive impact and change lives.
Luke Muscat -
Managing Director and Co-Founder, B2W Group
Luke Muscat is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of the B2W Group incorporated in 2011. Since inception B2W has grown to become a high quality provider of adult skills programmes on a national basis, employing 200+ staff and supporting 15,000+ learners per annum. Luke has an extensive network of relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across the FE sector and is an expert in navigating evolving funding mechanisms and government policy changes.
Adrian Fantham -
Chief Finance Officer, Babington Group
Adrian has over 20 years of sector experience, and played a large part in the creation of the joint venture Rehab Jobfit, which went on to win over £150m delivering the Woke Programme Contract and became the Finance Director for 5 years.
Adrian moved to Babington in August 2015, supporting in the successful sale of the business in 2016.
Adrian led on 5 acquisitions made by the Rehab Group over the 16 years of working for the Group.
Claire Lee -
Group Commercial Director, System Group
Claire joined System Group in January 2020 as Group Commercial Director. Claire is responsible for all areas pertaining to Employability, Skills, Learning & Innovation and Customer Experience.
Claire has more than 15 years experience in the education sector working across both public and private sector organisations. During which, Claire has been integral in working as part of the senior leadership team to support strategy development, change management, business improvement, financial planning, coaching, mentoring, sales and marketing.