We’re delighted to welcome Malachi Bakas, John Bearman, Andy Boucher, Peter Cheese and Robert Nitsch as Trustees of the City and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI).
Our five new Trustees were appointed at our Autumn Council meeting and they join our existing Trustees on the Board under our Chair, Jessica Leigh Jones MBE, bringing a wide range of experience from across the skills and education sector and beyond.
What unites them is something that sits at the heart of everything we do: a real commitment to helping people reach their full potential, whatever their background.
Meet our new Trustees
Peter Cheese led the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as Chief Executive until June 2026, bringing deep expertise in skills and lifelong learning alongside executive, commercial and operational experience. At the CIPD he set up the CIPD Trust to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds into work, including young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), older workers, people with prior convictions and refugees. Peter is no stranger to us. He previously chaired the Institute of Leadership and Management, has served on our Council, and was part of the founding Commission for the Princess Royal Training Awards.
Robert Nitsch CBE has spent more than 40 years in leadership roles creating opportunities for people to develop skills, realise their potential and find meaningful work. He is currently Chief Executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, where he leads campaigns to shape national skills assessment policy. Before that, Rob was Director of Personnel for the British Army and a member of the Army Board. There he led a generational review of career structures and widened access to military service, opening up opportunities for people with lower attainment and supporting the opening of combat roles to women.
Malachi Bakas has spent nearly 20 years supporting vulnerable and at-risk young people. Having faced barriers to education himself while growing up in care, he has dedicated his career to making sure disadvantaged young people can thrive. Malachi leads a specialist vocational centre for learners aged 10 to 18 with social, emotional and mental health needs. Ofsted has rated the centre outstanding, and City & Guilds qualifications are built into its curriculum. In 2025 he received The President’s Award from HRH The Princess Royal for outstanding training and skills development for at-risk young people.
Andy Boucher is a chartered accountant and former senior partner in PwC’s tax and legal practice. At PwC he was one of the architects of the firm’s social mobility strategy. That work brought more people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into the firm, delivered volunteering programmes in disadvantaged communities and made the case for greater social mobility. It has helped PwC be consistently recognised by the Social Mobility Foundation as one of the UK’s top employers for social mobility. Andy began his career as a maths teacher and is currently Chair of Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College in Walthamstow.
John Bearman has spent more than 35 years in the financial markets, in roles at Prudential, HBOS, Santander and BP. He brings extensive governance experience to our Board and is currently a Trustee of St John’s Foundation in Bath, a charity supporting people in need across Bath and North East Somerset.
A word from our Chair
Jessica Leigh Jones MBE, Chair of CGLI, said:
“I’m very excited to welcome Malachi, John, Andy, Peter and Rob to the CGLI Board. They bring a wealth of expertise across the skills and education landscape, and a diverse range of experiences that will be so important in shaping our direction as CGLI begins the next stage of its journey.
“Most importantly, all of them have a deeply held commitment to helping people reach their full potential, regardless of their background. Each of them has an impressive track record of breaking down barriers and helping people achieve their ambitions.”
Looking ahead
We’re proud of our heritage, with deep ties to the City of London’s Livery Companies and ongoing Royal patronage. With our new Trustees on board, we’re looking forward to building on it and making a measurable difference to lives and communities across the UK and beyond.
Please join us in welcoming Malachi, John, Andy, Peter and Rob.