Ed Smith

Non-Executive Chairman

Ed Smith, joined the Student Loans Company as the Non-Executive Chairman on 1 November 2010. Ed is Pro Chancellor and Chair of the Council at the University of Birmingham, Chair of the World Wildlife Fund-UK, a member of the Competition Commission and a Non-Executive director at the Department of Transport.

He was formerly a senior partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers and was Deputy Chair of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, as well as Chair of their Leadership, Governance and Management Strategic Advisory Committee.

Ed Lester

Chief Executive

Ed Lester was appointed as Chief Executive of the Student Loans Company on 1 January 2011, having joined the Company as interim Chief Executive on 28 May 2010.

Prior to his appointment he was working with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), and has been the CEO of NHS Direct, CEO of Motability Finance Ltd, Treasurer of Marathon Oil Company UK Ltd and Head of Corporate Finance at Forward Trust Group (HSBC).

Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell

Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell joined the Student Loans Company in March 2011. She is a psychologist with a distinguished academic background specialising in research on leadership, identity processes, risk communication and military cultures.

She is currently the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, having been appointed in 2001. As Vice-Chancellor, she is both the academic leader and chief executive of the university. Professor Dame Breakwell has served as a director, chair or board member for a number of organisations including the Higher Education Career Services Unit.

She has also acted as an advisor to a range of government departments, multinational corporations and not-for-profit organisations.

David Edelman

David Edelman joined SLC in August 2008. He is currently the Managing Director of a small company which supplies data sets to banks who need to comply with Basel II, and the principal consultant with a niche consultancy specialising in credit scoring and control.

Previously he had been an academic statistician and had spent 17 years in retail banking ending as Risk Director of the Royal Bank of Scotland's Own Brand Businesses.

Sally Smedley

Sally Smedley joined SLC in August 2008. She has had a career mainly in HR, ending as HR and Communications Director with British Energy from 1999 to 2006, following similar appointments with East Midlands Electricity and BOC Group.

She is currently a consultant and a member of the National Trust Appointments Committee and the Doctors and Dentists Review Board, and has recently completed two terms as Non-Executive Director with Remploy Ltd where she was Chairman of the Remuneration and Appointments Committees.

Michael Yuille

Michael Yuille joined SLC on 1 April 2010. Michael is a qualified chartered accountant by profession with 23 years experience as Director of Finance in the Higher Education sector. He has also worked in the private sector with PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG in accounting, audit, and consultancy roles.

Michael has served as Chair of the British Universities Finance Directors Group, and has served on board of Clydebank College of Further Education. He is currently a non-executive director of the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust where he chairs the audit committee.

Willie Gallagher

Willie Gallagher joined SLC on 1 April 2010. Willie has a career in customer services and change management within the UK energy and transport sectors as Executive Chairman of tie ltd and Customer Services Director at Scottish Power plc where he dealt with volume processing for 3 million customers.

For the past 10 years Willie has been the Director of his own consultancy business Touchdown Services Ltd. He has developed a portfolio of non-executive roles and is also currently appointed to the Board of the Scottish Qualification Authority and the Court of Edinburgh Napier University.

Rob Kennedy

Rob Kennedy joined the Student Loans Company on 25 June 2010. He is a qualified chartered accountant by profession and a member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, with experience in both the public and private financial sector.

Rob is currently the European Director of Finance at Optos plc, a listed medical device company. Prior to this he spent four years as the Director of Finance at Dundee University. Before joining the University Rob held senior Finance Director positions within both large private companies and international plcs. He also spent three years working for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a management consultant.

Chris Andrew

Company Secretary and Head of Assurance Services

Chris Andrew is Company Secretary of SLC. He provides a secretariat to the Company's Board of Directors and Executive Management ensuring that all necessary Corporate Governance requirements are complied with. He joined the Company in 1999 as Head of Audit, having previously worked at KPMG as a Senior Audit Manager.

In addition to his responsibilities as Company Secretary, he is the vice-chair of the Finance and Governance Board, which ensures that the Company establishes and complies with appropriate arrangements for corporate governance, financial management and control, and all relevant legislation.

He is also responsible for the Assurance Services Division, which encompasses the areas of Corporate Assurance, Internal Audit, and Legal & Compliance. He became a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in 1990.

David Wallace

Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategic Development

David Wallace was appointed Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategic Development in February 2011, having joined the Student Loans Company as Interim Chief Operating Officer in 2010. David deputises for the Chief Executive and coordinates the day to day operation of the Student Loans Company when required.

He is also responsible for service development and student finance strategy and policy development with BIS and Devolved Administrations, Change and Programme Management and assisting in creating and developing the Student Loans Company's role in the wider higher and further education landscape post Browne and the impending White Paper.

A Chartered Accountant, David has previously held a number of senior positions within Abbey National plc and was Chief Operating Officer for Santander's Insurance and Asset Management Division.

He was also CEO at one of the UK's largest domestic outsourced contact centre and business process outsourcing service providers and a founding member of the Scottish Government's Financial Services Advisory Board and its precursor, the Financial Services Strategy group. David is currently a Governor of Court at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Derek Ross

Director of Operations

Derek Ross was appointed Director of Operations in February 2011 having previously held a variety of executive roles since joining the Student Loans Company in 1999. In this role he is responsible for operational delivery of student finance payment and repayment services for the four UK Governments and Higher Education Institutions.

Before joining SLC he was a practising solicitor for 15 years in private legal practice and in-house. He is a member of the Law Society of Scotland and, in addition to his legal qualifications, Derek holds a Masters degree (MBA) from the University of Glasgow.

Derek also sits on the Board of the Darlington Local Strategic Partnership and is a Trustee of Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau.

Les Campbell

Director of Finance and Administration

Les Campbell joined the Student Loans Company as Finance Director in May 2007. He is responsible for all aspects of Finance, including Financial and Corporate Services.

Before joining the Student Loans Company, Les was the Director of Finance at Glasgow Housing Association for three and a half years. Prior to that, he was the Group Financial Controller at British Energy plc for seven years, having previously worked with Scottish Power plc and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

He is a board member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the non-departmental public body responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland. He is also a council member of Quarriers, the charity dealing with the disabled, people with epilepsy and young people.

Les is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Taroub Zahran

Director of People and Transformation

Taroub Zahran is Director of People and Transformation at the Student Loans Company and is responsible for all aspects of organisational change and development, human resources and learning and training.

Taroub joined SLC Interim Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development in April 2010. Her career to date has been in public service organisations working in a range of human resources, organisational development and general management roles in the voluntary sector, NHS and then as Director of Organisational Development and Chief Executive of Glasgow Housing Association, Europe's largest housing provider.

Taroub was a Board member of Quality Scotland and won the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development ASA HR Excellence Award in 2005.

Jenifer Stirton

Director of Marketing and Communications

Jenifer Stirton joined the Student Loans Company as Director of Marketing and Communications in February 2011. Jenifer is responsible for all communications including media, publications, customer feedback and customer experience, communications with stakeholders and Public Affairs.

Before joining the Student Loans Company, Jenifer was Director of Communications at NHS Lothian. Prior to that Jenifer worked for NHS Scotland and the Scottish Office where she was responsible for leading and implementing a number of major change projects..

Jenifer is Treasurer of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)and an executive member of the UK board of the (CIPR). Jenifer was made a Fellow of the CIPR in 2008.

Gordon Simpson

Chief Information Officer

Gordon Simpson joined the Student Loans Company as Chief Information Officer in March 2011. Gordon is responsible for all aspects of ICT service delivery at SLC, including developing an operating plan for ICT investment which will fully align with the emerging Government ICT Strategy..

Before joining the Student Loans Company, Gordon was UK IT Director working for Iberdrola, a major International Utility Company. Prior to this Gordon was Operations Director at ScottishPower, one of the top 6 Utility companies in the UK, with responsibility for all back office functions and ScottishPower's Metering Business..

During his time at ScottishPower, Gordon successfully led the implementation of many change initiatives including a major Billing Systems Transformation programme to support market deregulation. Gordon is also a graduate of ScottishPower's leadership programme sponsored by Wharton University.

Matthew Hilton

Represents the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Matthew Hilton was appointed Director, Financial Support for Learners at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2011.

Martin Boyle

Represents Scottish Ministers - Head of the Higher Education and Learner Support Division

Martin Boyle has been head of funding for Learners at the Scottish Government since March 2009 having previously held posts in Transport and Skills.