The Sutton Trust today announced the membership of its new board, which will provide advice and support to the foundation which has been working to improve social mobility through education since 1997.

Seventeen leading figures from the worlds of business and philanthropy in the UK and US will join the Trust’s founding chairman Sir Peter Lampl on the board. Members of the board are all contributing to the Trust, either individually or through their foundations.

The board members are:

  1. Stephen Brenninkmeijer, Founder of Willows Investments, which supports promising ventures with a social mission
  2. Tim Bunting, General Partner at Balderton Capital and former Vice-Chairman of Goldman Sachs International
  3. Mike Carpenter, CEO, Ally Financial
  4. Glenn Earle, Former Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Goldman Sachs International. Chairman of the Advisory Board of Cambridge University Judge Business School
  5. Marc Gabelli, Managing Partner of Gabelli Securities
  6. Sir Peter Gershon, Chairman of National Grid plc and of Tate & Lyle plc
  7. David Gregson, Chairman of Precise Media Group, Crime Reduction Initiatives and the Lawn Tennis Association
  8. Carol Lake, Managing Director and Head of Philanthropy and Sponsorship for Europe, Middle East and Africa at JP Morgan London
  9. Sir Peter Lampl, Chairman of the Sutton Trust and of the Education Endowment Foundation
  10. Joe McDevitt, Managing Director of PIMCO
  11. Harvey McGrath, Co-Chair, London Enterprise Panel, and Chair of Governors, Birkbeck College
  12. Lucy Morris, Trustee of CHK Charities
  13. Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management
  14. James Sainsbury, Trustee of Tedworth Charitable Trust and chair of trustees of Home-Start UK and of the Resurgence Trust
  15. Robert Swannell, Chairman of Marks and Spencer Group plc
  16. Ian Watson, Chairman of Genagro Ltd. He is co-founder and chairman of PYE (Partners for Youth Empowerment)
  17. Deborah Wolfson, Trustee of the Wolfson Foundation and chair of its schools panel
  18. Christopher Wright, Director of Merifin Capital Group and Chairman of EMAlternatives LLC in Washington DC

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust said today: “I am delighted that so many distinguished individuals have agreed to join the Sutton Trust board, committing both their time and resources. By joining the board, they will help make a difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people and have a real impact on social mobility, an area of public policy that is now at the heart of national debate.

“Over the last 16 years, the Sutton Trust has moved the issue of social mobility to the top of the political agenda and some progress has been made. However, there is still a major challenge.  Ability to pay is still more important than ability in getting on in Britain. With the support of the new board, the Trust will be able to increase its impact on the life chances of young people.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

  1. The Sutton Trust is a foundation set up in 1997, dedicated to improving social mobility through education. It has published over 120 research studies and funded and evaluated programmes that have helped hundreds of thousands of young people of all ages, from early years through to Access to the Professions.