Member Profiles
Julia Rangasamy - Founding Member
Since graduating from University College London with a Bsc Econ (Hons) in Economics and Economic History, Julia has spent much of her career working for the Bank of England, including roles in banking regulation and financial risk management. She also spent a period of time working in the Seychelles as Corporate Treasurer for Air Seychelles and more recently was seconded to the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards as a committee specialist.
Julia enjoys singing and is a member of The London Oratory School Choral Society.
Rafil Khatib - Founding Member, Company Secretary
Having graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Engineering, Rafil's early career was in the oil and gas industry, before he moved into telecommunications and technology, where for the last 25 years he has held a variety of commercial, strategic, procurement, cost management and programme/project management roles. Notable projects include delivering core elements of the Wi-Fi network on the London Underground in time for the 2012 Olympics and establishing a programme to enable the roll-out of Wi-Fi on 1000 trains for 2 rail operators in UK.
His career has spanned a number of blue chip organisations, including BP, BT, Cable & Wireless, Capita, Centrica, Carphone Warehouse, Go-Ahead, TfL and Virgin Media. Rafil also has significant experience of establishing and growing start-up ventures. His current role is as Managing Partner & CPO in Cambridge Management Consulting where his is responsible for the Procurement and Cost Transformation practice.
Rafil lives in Cobham with his wife and two children. He is an accomplished violinist with a passion for classical music.
Howard Morris - Founding Member
Howard is a founding Member of the Trust and has been Chair of Governors since the school opened in 2012. As a chartered surveyor with over 25 years in the property industry, Howard has been responsible for the concept, implementation and delivery of some of the most successful development projects in the UK. His career has ranged from providing major retail and leisure developments during the 1990's, to high profile major mixed use regeneration schemes in more recent years. Howard has held a number of senior posts at director level within a number of companies including Wilson Connolly plc. (now Taylor Wimpey plc.), London Merchant Securities plc, and Muse Developments, the mixed use regeneration subsidiary of Morgan Sindall plc.
In more recent years Howard has acted as property consultant advising private and public sector land owners on major mixed-use developments, that often include education facilities including provision of new Free Schools.
Howard has previously completed the National College for Teaching and Leadership Governance Training Programme. Howard is married with a daughter and lives in Cobham, Surrey with keen interests outside work, including sailing, skiing and cycling.
Janet Poppe - Member
Janet has taught in state, independent and international schools for over 30 years and has experience of every age group from 3-18. She currently lives in Horsley and works locally in the junior department of a specialist arts school. Janet is a Biology graduate from the University of York and has a PGCE, also from York.
In 1999 The Society of Heads, (SOH) invited Janet to join their subcommittee of 'Heads of the Society's Junior Schools'. Janet worked on this committee for 13 years, helping to organise annual conferences and workshops which provide valuable INSET training for Heads of Junior Departments within independent schools throughout the UK.
She is married to a helicopter pilot and has two grown-up children who have both attended independent schools in Guildford. Janet's interests include diving, sailing, skiing, walking and spending time in her garden.
Ian Clifford - Member
Ian is European Engineering director for a Silicon Valley tech company which specialises in the design of silicon chips. He manages a cross Europe team of 80 engineers and scientists. He graduated from Oxford University with an MA in Physics and also holds an MEng degree from Durham.
He has recently been appointed as Chair of the Cobham and Downside Residents association, having served on the committee for 8 years with the Environment portfolio. Ian helped found the Transition Cobham group and was central to starting our Community Garden. He also is on the committee of the Downside and Hatchford community group and Treasurer of Cobham Allotment association.
Ian is a STEM ambassador and is passionate about prompting the teaching of science.
Ian is married and has lived in Downside, Cobham for 22 years. To keep fit, he runs or swims most days. He has travelled to over 120 countries.
Robert Sturges - Member
Having spent his twenties collecting life experiences, languages and degrees in the UK, Europe and Asia, in his early thirties Robert realised it was probably time to knuckle down. 18 years of a career in retail financial services have since elapsed, bringing with them extensive experience of projects in corporate strategy, M&A and business transformation, most recently at Board level to to deliver associated governance, reporting and assurance structures.
Weekends are typically spent shuttling his children about and running errands for his wife; every now and then he will try for a half marathon or triathlon in the vain hope he is still as quick as his younger self.
Stephen Heard - Member
Before retirement, Steve had a career in the world of finance, specialising in asset management within the banking sector, having worked for N M Rothschild, J P Morgan and most recently BNP Paribas.
Steve has a keen interest in sport and has made an important contribution to families in the local community through his involvement with the Cobham Rugby Club. Having been Youth Chairman until 2013, he is now Chair of the Cobham Rugby Club and Cobham Rugby and Sports Association (CSRA). He has helped to build a strong partnership between the CSRA and CFS, which has included a joint venture to develop an international standard, artificial grass pitch for pupils to use during term time.