Over the past 12 months, Stephen has helped significantly expand the scope and impact of Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) as it evolved into the Centre for Education Operational Excellence.

Under his leadership, the organisation has been repositioned as a comprehensive professional development body.

Stephen has driven major initiatives including the School Business Professional Standards, the school resource management adviser programme, and the trust CFO mentoring pilot, alongside research into operational excellence and equality, diversity and inclusion across the sector.