Our Governors

The Governors OF BURY GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Working with our school community, Governors are committed to balancing traditional values with excellent, forward-thinking educational practices in a caring and collaborative family of schools, where pupils and staff flourish and succeed. This, combined with a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities, enables our pupils to be ambitious, confident, tolerant, respectful and well-rounded young people, extremely well-prepared to meet life's future challenges.

The Governing Body consists of local men and women who possess a broad span of experience and skills. They are dedicated to setting the strategic direction of the School and maintaining the School’s high reputation.

Please see all members of the Governing Body listed below and their biographies.

Richard Smyth - Chair of Governors

Richard is a BGS Old Boy. He qualified as a solicitor in 1977 and after gaining wide experience in serious financial criminal law, specialised in regulatory law, spending much of his career as a partner with global commercial law firm DLA Piper.

His work at DLA Piper covered a wide range of contentious regulatory matters, including health and safety, competition, export controls, money laundering and international sanctions, with clients ranging from professional individuals to global multi-nationals. Richard retired from legal practice in 2020.

In 2016 he joined the Board of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust as a non-executive director and currently chairs the Audit Committee and is also a member of the Charitable Funds Committee.

Richard is married with two grown up children. In his spare time he enjoys the Pennine countryside where he lives, playing his piano and sailing.

Richard joined the Governing Body in January 2023.

Nicola Smith - Vice Chair of the Governing Body

Nicola is a career teacher and educationalist. She has navigated the path from a classroom-based arts specialist in Salford and Bury Schools, Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher to that now of Principal.

Her current role is that of Joint Principal at Chetham’s School of Music, the foremost Specialist Music School in the UK. She has experience in all aspects of School life and Leadership - Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Data, Behaviour and Welfare, Safeguarding, Community and Stakeholder Engagement. She believes in professional caring relationships with staff, students, parents and all stakeholders so that each person can thrive. Nicola joined the Governing Body in 2021.

Pete Lee - Chair of the Finance & Estates Sub-Committee

Pete was educated at BGS and then graduated with an Economics degree from The University of Hull in 1992.

He went on to qualify as a Chartered Management Accountant, working in a number of businesses across a variety of sectors including manufacturing, professional services and technology. He is currently Chief Operating Officer at Purple, an early stage software business based in Manchester.

Pete is an active member of the school community having one son who is currently at the Senior School, and another who left in 2021. He joined the Governing Body in 2018. In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling, football and travel.

Tim McDougall - Chair of the Education Sub-Committee

KUI MAN GERRY YEUNG OBE DL - Chair of the External Relations Committee

Gerry’s present public roles include President of Disabled Living, Trustee of the recently created Palace & Opera House Trust and Envoy of Manchester China Forum. He is also working closely with RHS to create the first genuine traditional classical Chinese Garden in UK.

He was born in Guangzhou in China, grew up in Hong Kong, came to Manchester as a teenager, completed his education in UK, graduated from University of York and joined what was to become a landmark family business, Yang Sing Restaurant, at its inception.

A successful restaurateur for over 40 years, he has recently retired from the hospitality industry, but maintains his business interests in property development and educational exchange between UK and China.

Describing himself as a Chinese Mancunian, Gerry has been actively involved in the commercial, educational, charitable and cultural life of Greater Manchester, as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, for many years. In terms of education, his most relevant experience is as a long-standing former governor of both Withington Girls’ School and University of Manchester.

He was awarded the OBE in 2003, elected as President of Manchester Chamber of Commerce (2003-2004), made a Deputy Lieutenant in 2007, and was High Sheriff of Greater Manchester in 2017-18.

Daniel Long - Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee

Daniel graduated in Law from Lancaster University in 2008 and went on to join local law firm Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall where he became equity partner in 2014.

Daniel heads up WHN’s Commercial Department which covers dispute resolution, commercial property and corporate law and Daniel specialises in resolving commercial landlord and tenant disputes on a day to day basis. He joined the Governing body in 2017.

Daniel is a BGS Old Boy having finished Sixth Form in 2005 and he comes from a family with strong ties to the school. A bursary recipient, Daniel was successful in both his academic career and in sport while at BGS. Daniel is passionate about making independent education available to as many children as possible. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, football and travel.

Dr Fazal Dad - Member of the Governing Body

Prior to joining Blackburn College as the Principal and Chief Executive in January 2019, Dr Fazal Dad gained 30 years’ experience in Further Education, previously working in three different FE Institutions in the West Midlands.

Posts held by Fazal included Part Time Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Head of Department, Assistant Principal and Deputy Principal. Prior to this, on leaving school, Fazal completed an apprenticeship in Electrical Engineering and worked in the private sector for eight years in the Electrical Engineering Industry.

Fazal has two Masters’ Degrees and a PhD in Leadership and Management from Worcester University. He has participated in a range of expert panels across the country and has helped to shape national policy on Study Programmes, Professional Teaching Standards and the Post-16 Maths Review. Fazal is also a QAA Board member and a part-time Ofsted Inspector.

Fazal was appointed to the Governing Body in March 2024.

Suzanne Gauge - Member of the Governing Body

Suzanne Gauge was educated at BGS and is a former Head Girl of the School.

She graduated from Leeds University with an Honours Degree in French with Spanish and went on to obtain a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Suzanne spent her career in Sales and Marketing within the Travel, Insurance and Textile Sectors. Her last position was that of Group Sales Director for a multinational firm specialising in the production and distribution of work-wear, corporate-wear and military fabrics.

She joined the Governing Body in 2015 and has two children at the School. She is an active member of the BGS Old Girls' Association and has been its Secretary since 2009.

Sophia McNeill - Member of the Governing Body

A fundraising professional with over 14 years’ experience in the higher education sector, Sophia relocated to Manchester in 2011 leaving her role at Queen’s University Belfast to join the Royal Northern College of Music as Development Coordinator. In 2012 Sophia joined The University of Manchester as Regular Giving Officer before moving to Manchester Metropolitan University in April 2014 as Development Officer progressing to the role of Development Manager in 2016.

Sophia has proven success in managing a portfolio of stakeholders and generating financial support mainly at five and over figures, predominantly from corporates, Trusts and Foundations. Passionate about philanthropy and creating lasting social change, in particular through education, she has a driving desire to support those who are under-represented.

Sophia was appointed to the Governing Body in November 2022.

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