5
CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME
…and to the ISBA’s 2016 annual conference.
We know that as bursars and senior managers
in independent schools, you more often than
not, find yourselves knee-deep, and sometimes
fully submerged, in a swamp of school matters.
With your sleeves rolled up (often quite
literally!) you tackle the issues facing your
schools with gusto. Some of these challenges
are big, some are small; some are externally
motivated whilst others are internally driven but
nevertheless, they all find their way to your desk.
In order to really delve to the heart of the
challenges you face, develop your personal and
professional knowledge and enable you to feel
better prepared to manage the day-to-day of
your busy role, we have designed this year’s
conference to offer you more session choices
than ever before.
From those subjects regularly in the
spotlight such as safeguarding, compliance
and affordability, charitable status and
employment law to the often behind-the-
scenes ones like income generation, means-
tested bursaries, performance management,
data protection, marketing, building projects
and debt management, the programme of
professional development brought to you
this year in Edinburgh is second to none.
Delegates will be able to choose from a range
of interactive breakout and update sessions
chaired by expert panellists and practitioners
in the field including Dr Stuart Thomson,
Barnaby Lenon, Christine Ryan, Stephen
Dorell, John Cahill and many more.
WELCOME TO EDINBURGH…
Edinburgh International Conference
Centre is also superbly positioned to host
our esteemed keynote speakers across the
two days. Dave Coplin, the chief envisioning
officer at Microsoft will open the conference
on Wednesday with the intriguingly titled
keynote ‘the rise of the humans, outsmarting
the digital deluge’ and on Thursday morning,
we can look forward to a plenary session on
leadership and change from the acclaimed
Dr Ros Rivaz, former COO of Smith & Nephew.
Charles Farr OBE CMG, chair of the Joint
Intelligence Committee and former director of
the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism,
will deliver a highly relevant plenary session
on preventing radicalisation to close the event
on Thursday afternoon.
Support from delegates, sponsors,
exhibitors and guests from across the
sector has been exceptional for this year’s
conference and my sincere thanks go to all.
I would also like to thank the secretariat and
the general purposes sub-committee, chaired
by Alison Shakespeare, for their enthusiasm
and efforts throughout the year to deliver
such a successful event.
Special thanks go to our headline sponsors
for their significant financial support: Accent
Catering, Hettle Andrews, PHVC Vehicle
Management, Restaurant Design Associates,
Schoolblazer, SIS Pitches, Synergy and WCBS.
The headline sponsors do not diminish in any
way our appreciation for the support of all
our exhibitors, whose services and products
help us run our schools, and who provide
generous support to this conference. With
more than 100 exhibitors, you will certainly
not be short of stands to visit.
I know that I am not alone when I say
that I am personally looking forward to
hearing this year’s speaker at the conference’s
annual members’ dinner − the BBC’s security
correspondent, Frank Gardner. Frank was
awarded an OBE for services to journalism
in 2005 and is the author of two bestselling
books ‘Blood and Sand’ describing his Middle
East experiences and ‘Far Horizons’ describing
journeys to unusual places. In his journalistic
career he has reported on events from
Afghanistan and piracy off the Somali coast
to Arctic challenges. While on assignment in
Saudi Arabia in 2004, he was shot six times
at close range, left severely wounded and
dependant on a wheelchair. An inspiration
to so many, we are honoured to be able to
spend an evening with him in Edinburgh.
After extending my thanks to St Mary’s
Music School, Edinburgh, who will be
providing the musical accompaniment to the
annual dinner, all that remains is for me to
welcome you – as a valued ISBA member –
to the conference. Whether this is your first
foray to the event or you are a seasoned
delegate, I have no doubt you will leave the
event buoyed by the knowledge you have
gained, the people you have met and the new
ideas you have unearthed.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Mark Taylor
Chairman, ISBA
© David Barbour
