Our Governing Body
Rugby School is governed by a dedicated Governing Body responsible for setting the School’s strategic direction, safeguarding its long‑term sustainability, and upholding its educational values.
Governors are appointed for their breadth of experience, professional expertise, and commitment to the School’s ethos, ensuring a strong balance of skills and independent perspective.
Mr N. Bacon B.A, F.C.A, C.T.A. (Chairman)
A former Rugby School pupil, Nick is currently an EY ambassador and business start-ups mentor. Prior to taking on these roles, he served as a financial services tax partner at first KPMG and then EY for nearly 20 years. Earlier in his career he spent nine years at Merrill Lynch after qualifying as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC).
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2020)
Mr D. Skailes, B.Sc., F.C.A.
Duncan is both a former Rugby School student and parent. He has had a 34-year career with PricewaterhouseCoopers including 22 years as a Partner specialising in private equity and financial services mergers and acquisitions. He is a member of PwC’s Global, UK and Middle Eastern Supervisory Boards.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2020)
The Reverend Canon Dr R. M. Pryce M.A., F.R.S.A
The Revd Canon Dr Mark Pryce has been involved with teaching, learning and chaplaincy for his entire career as an ordained minister, including trustee governance responsibilities in schools, universities and education charities. Currently he serves as a member of the Birmingham Diocesan Multi Academy Trust, and leads on continuing professional development for Church of England Birmingham. His doctoral research focussed on the contribution of poetry in professional practice. As a published theologian and poet, Mark is particularly interested in pastoral care and links between spirituality, well-being and the creative arts. He is a Chaplain to the King, as he was to the late Queen.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2021)
Ms C. A. Coates, L.L.B.
Caroline is a current parent at Rugby School and also at Bilton Grange, where she was previously a governor pre-merger. She is Head of In-House Legal at Oxbotica, an autonomous vehicles technology business, having spent 25+ years as a lawyer in private practice, lastly as Executive Partner at DWF. Caroline is also a non-executive director of BHSF Group and a Governor of the Ronald McDonald House Birmingham, a charity.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2021)
Dr C. Greenhalgh, B.A., P.G.C.E
Chris worked at Campion School in Athens before joining Sevenoaks School where he worked as Deputy Head Academic. His first role as Principal was at Southbank International School in London. For the last eight years, he has served as Principal at the British School of Milan. He is also the author of two novels, three books of poetry and a screenplay.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (20XX)
Mr GHF Swan, MA, LLM
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2024)
Mr JCC Maddocks, BD
Jeremy is a former Rugby School pupil and son of a Rugbeian and parent of three who attended Sheriff and Stanley and is President of the Rugbeian Society. For more than 20 years, he has worked in Cyber Security at News Corporation and Cisco where he managed the Russia, CIS and CEEMEA business for Service Provider video. Early in his career, he worked in politics and marketing for a variety of international organisations and companies.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2024)
Mr T Strain, BSc, ACA
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2024)
Mrs F J McLean, MA
Flora is a former Rugby School student, as is now a partner at Freshfields. Flora is a partner in the structured finance team, bringing both business acumen and in-depth technical knowledge to transactions.
Flora advises financial institutions on a range of different structures using a variety of finance techniques and products. She Chairs the Student Pastoral and Wellbeing Committee, and is the Nominated Safeguarding for the Governing Body.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2024)
Mr C Porter
Chris is an accomplished technology leader and entrepreneur with a strong record of building and advising successful companies. After training with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM, he co-founded 6point6 in 2012, developing it into a leading UK consultancy in digital transformation, data and cyber security, now owned by Accenture. He currently advises high-growth companies in the North East as a technology advisor and CTO.
A graduate of the University of Exeter, he is Chair of the Aysgarth School Board, a current Rugby School parent, and enjoys country pursuits, golf and skiing.
Appointed by: The Governing Body (2025)
Mr E. Lane Fox, LVO
A former pupil and parent at both Aysgarth and Rugby School, Ed began his career in the Armed Forces, serving with The Household Cavalry Regiment, before training as a photographer and journalist.
For nearly two decades, he has advised private and publicly listed businesses, UK Government departments and individuals on reputation management, strategic and crisis communications. Ed has served three principals as Chief of Staff, including a senior role within the Royal Household at Kensington Palace, and currently leads the Private Office of a founder-entrepreneur's Single Family Office.
Between 2015 and 2025, Ed was a Trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation, where he chaired the HR and Safeguarding Committee.