The Academicis Team
Having spent the formative 20 years of his career in multinational technology and investment banking institutions, Richard started his education recruitment career in 2008, joining the Times Educational Supplement (TES). Here he gained a thorough understanding of the education recruitment market and the issues facing schools today. He worked in a number of the company’s divisions before joining TES Prime, the Executive Search arm before moving on to set up Academicis a decade ago, in 2013. Since the company’s inception, Richard has led Academicis to become one of the market leaders in school’s senior leadership recruitment. Over his career to date, he has placed in excess of 1,500 Headteacher to CEO roles in schools, trusts and diocese across the country, and has clients as far south as Plymouth and Portsmouth and as far north as Preston, York and Cumbria.
Outside of work, Richard is a very keen swimmer and enjoys spending time with his 12 year old twins and 3 year old Viszla, Max.
Richard Lucas
Known for an unwavering commitment to improving standards as a teacher, headteacher, Director of Education and as Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael has helped to improve the lives of many generations of young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. As Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Children’s Services and Skills, between 2012 and 2016, Sir Michael was pleased at the end of his tenure, to report that nearly two million more children and young people were being educated in good and outstanding schools than when he took up his position in 2012. In 2000, he was knighted by the Queen for Services to Education. Previous to his appointment as HMCI, Sir Michael had been a very successful head teacher of a number of schools in Inner London. He became particularly well known for Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, East London, where he transformed one of the worst schools in Britain into one of the best, sending large numbers of children to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge.
Sir Michael Wilshaw
Ross has supported hundreds of clients in finding exceptional senior leaders at all levels. He has built strong relationships with Schools, Trusts and Local Authorities which mean they return to work with him time and time again.
Outside of work Ross is a keen sportsman and loves to travel.
Ross Laird
With over 35+ years experience working within recruitment Carl brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge working at the highest levels . This comes wrapped up in a strong interest in innovation and educational services.
Carl Nichols
Anna has over 26 years of experience in the education sector, including 17 years working in a variety of Senior Leadership roles from Assistant Headteacher to Executive Headship; responsible for strategic and operational leadership of schools. She fully understands the numerous rewards and challenges that leadership brings.
Passionate about education, Anna strongly believes that leadership in schools is a gift and is imperative to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential whatever their backgrounds.
As an Associate Consultant for Academicis, Anna provides extensive personal experience, knowledge and understanding of leadership roles to the Academicis team, in a supportive manner.
Anna Pattenden
Mike Abraham has worked in independent education since 1976 and his early career was exclusively in boarding prep schools, at Dover College Junior School and Bromsgrove School. In 1982 he became a Deputy Head at King’s Junior School in Worcester, the Cathedral School where he was also the assistant housemaster. In 1985, at the age of 30, he was promoted to Headmaster at King’s Junior and Housemaster of the chorister boarding house.
Mike went on to be the Founding Headmaster at Yarm Prep School growing the school from 0 to 340 pupils over 10 years. He has also been a head at 3 other Prep Schools. He is now a retired member of IAPS, a former ISI Inspector, a Governor of a number of very different schools He retired as a Head in April 2010 and since then he has worked as an Educational Consultant offering advice and support to schools on recruitment, mentoring and appraisal, inspection compliance and marketing.
He has worked specifically in leadership recruitment in independent education since 2011 when he joined TES Prime in London. There he worked in a wide variety of schools from The Hall in Hampstead to the British School in Nicosia. Over the course of the past fourteen years, he has successfully completed over 120 leadership recruitment processes in both state and the independent sector.
Mike Abraham
Alpha is a qualified teacher, school governor, and Town Councillor in her hometown in Bedfordshire. She holds a first-class honours degree in Sociology with Cultural Studies and a PGCE in Primary and Early Years Education.
Alpha transitioned into executive search recruitment at Academicis after a career pivot, moving from teaching to headhunting for hard-to-fill roles within the independent healthcare sector. Her passion for improving outcomes for children is clear in her work as a school governor, where she plays a key role in shaping the educational experience. Alpha is committed to helping schools recruit inspiring leaders who will make a lasting, positive impact on both students and the wider community.
Alpha Parish
Will has spent over 15 years of his career working in retail finance. He has leadership experience across Risk, Credit underwriting and Sales, developing a passion for training and development.
Will began his recruitment career in 2014 and quickly established himself as a leading search consultant in the world of financial services recruitment. Will has successfully placed a number of senior leaders into many of the UK’s leading banks, finance houses and insurance companies.
Will is delighted to have joined Academicis and looking forward to the challenge of working in the extremely rewarding sector of Education.
Outside of work, Will enjoys nothing more than spending time with his family. He has a love for running and often drags his wife and 2 boys around the local Parkrun on a Saturday morning. A terrible golfer and keen drummer.
William Bridge
Cressida Johns
Neil has operated within the recruitment and executive search industry across a variety of sectors nationally. With 20 years’ experience he has successfully delivered assignments for clients from management to senior Board Directors.
During this time, he has also provided career coaching and outplacement services both independently and for customers of the Dept. for Work & Pensions, helping hundreds of professionals and executives seeking a career change, or who have been made redundant.
Neil is excited to have joined Academicis, and he is looking forward to applying his extensive experience and knowledge to the Education sector.
Outside of work, Neil has a busy family life, a daughter and a son requiring a regular taxi service! He enjoys reading, good food, holidays with his family and socialising with a tight-knit group of friends in his home city of Chester.
Neil Massie
Before Joining Academicis in January 2020 Tracy had worked at TES for 16 years starting on teacher recruitment, moving to the International team and then for the last five years on the Leadership team as it merged with TES Prime. Outside of work Tracy’s passions are Photography, MotoGP and live music.
Tracy Laverack
Joanne is a highly skilled Executive Assistant and Office Manager at Academicis. She began her career in investment banking in London and has since gained extensive experience across both blue-chip corporations and smaller independent firms, where she enjoys making a tangible impact. Joanne excels at coordinating schedules, supporting teams, and thinking on her feet.
Outside of work, Joanne is a proud mother of two grown-up children: a daughter who has followed in her footsteps as an EA in London, and a son currently studying biomedical science at university. She also has a beloved third “child,” Ruby—a fluffy Australian Shepherd who keeps her on her toes.
Joanne Carr
Gemma has 20 years of marketing experience, having gained a BA Hons in Illustration at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth in 2003. Gemma has worked with various brand including Clintons and Proctor and Gamble
In her spare time as a mum of three, Gemma likes to keep fit either using her Peloton, running or walking her rescue dog Aria. Gemma is a creative at heart and can often be found working on an interior design project at home.
Gemma Armes
Max is the Academicis office dog, he’s our youngest team member at only 10 months.
Max is often found snoozing in his bed in Richards office or following us around in the hope we might offer him some food! Max’s best attributes are definitely his cuddles and the ability to make us all smile as he is just so handsome!