Board Members

PATRON
Neil Woodyer
Neil Woodyer (1955-62, Fairwater) is the founder and CEO of Endeavour Financial. His experience in natural resource marketing and finance spans thirty years, including Chief Executive Officer positions with Lloyds International Trading, a subsidiary of Lloyds Bank, specialising in project and trade finance and commodity trading and Amalgamet's group of New York and Latin American based metal trading and mining finance companies. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

CHAIRMAN
Mark Hobbs MA
Taunton School (1972 - 1979) Fairwater
Jurisprudence at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, Guildford Law College, Formerly Managing Director Soloman Brothers International, Managing Director, Schroder Soloman Smith Barney

VICE CHAIRMAN
Alan Large LLB
Alan practised as a barrister in Taunton until his appointment as an Assistant Judge Advocate General in 2010.  He is currently living in Germany where he is the Resident Judge with the British Forces.  Parent of 4 pupils at Taunton School, Member of Taunton School Marketing Panel and has been a  Governor for over 10 years.

HEADMASTER
Dr John H Newton MA FCollP DipMS(Ed)
Formerly Director of Studies and Housemaster at Eastbourne College. Read Modern Languages (French and Russian) at Merton College, Oxford. PhD on 'The organisational culture of independent schools' at Reading University. Married to Catherine and has four children.

ALUMNI & FOUNDATION DIRECTOR
Neil Longstreet BA
Taunton School (1963 - 1974 School House), NatWest Bank plc (1979 - 2000) involving Head Office senior management roles in commercial and product development, project management, marketing and UK/overseas compliance/audit, Foundation Director, Taunton School

Nigel Howlett
Nigel Howlett has over twenty years experience in Relationship Marketing and CRM on both the client and agency sides of the industry. Currently President of IRI International, the leading global provider of consumer, shopper, and market insights for the consumer packaged goods retail and healthcare industries. Formally an Executive Vice President of OgilvyOne worldwide. Prior to this role Nigel was the Chairman of O&M Direct in London.
In addition Nigel is a member of various industry bodies including, The Institute of Directors, The Institute of Direct Marketing and The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

Richard Jowett BSc
Educated at Exeter School and University of Bristol, Physics teacher at Taunton School 1963-2001, Former Housemaster (20 years, Winterstoke then Goodland), Much involved in sports coaching; hockey (England U16, West U18), Continues to coach on part-time basis.

Christopher Levan
Taunton School (1957 - 1966 School House), Board Director in manufacturing, building and service sectors, both in UK and overseas, Acquired full control of his family-owned business (founded 1946), incorporating his own, businesses into the Group (1999)
Chairman and Chief Executive Brigstowe Group Ltd. based in Bristol, interests in property and investments, recruitment and training.

Rupert Reid
Rupert Reid is a founder member of the Security Exchange, an independent advisory and resource management service for the special risks security industry. Between 1976-1990 he served with the Metropolitan Police, New Scotland Yard, Specialist Operations (Criminal Intelligence and Organized Crime). Since leaving the police service he has worked in corporate contingency planning and crisis management; and as a consultant in the special risks insurance market covering terrorism, kidnap and extortion.