What changes when you move from FE leader to awarding CEO

Following Peridot Partners’ recent work with Skills and Education Group on board and senior leadership appointments, Drew Richardson Walsh, Partner at Peridot Partners, sat down with the Group’s new CEO, Emma Beal, to discuss her early experiences in post.

Emma Beal is an education professional whose work across more than two decades has been defined by a commitment to educational inclusion. Having held senior roles at Sheffield City Council, including Assistant Director – Lifelong Learning, she went on to lead Northern College before taking the helm at Skills and Education Group, where she brings a strong record of securing funding, driving strategic change and championing inclusion.

Skills and Education Group is a leading national awarding organisation working with over 600 centres and providers, helping tens of thousands of learners gain skills to progress in their careers across 16 sectors. The Group encompasses several regulated awarding organisations and a Charitable Foundation, all united by a mission to support lifelong learning and workforce readiness across the UK.

We sat down with Emma four months into her tenure to hear how she’s finding the transition, and what it might mean for other senior leaders considering a similar move.