Our Governance Board

Board Chair and Director of the British Council in Spain since July 2015, with previous leadership roles for British Council operations in the UK, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. He has additionally worked across UK government and has extensive experience in corporate and charity governance roles both in the UK and other countries, including as Chair of the Advisory Board for the British School of Washington DC. 

Steven has worked in education for over thirty years and his focus has been on the teaching of English to adults and young learners (ELT). He worked for many years in the Middle East as a teacher, trainer and business manager, before moving to Spain where he is currently the Director of English for the British Council’s teaching centres. His specialist area is teacher training and development. He is working on projects around Special Educational Needs and Diversity.

Director of Finance and Resources of British Council Spain since 2013. Previously held several positions in commercial companies in the areas of Finance, Controlling, Administration, Internal Audit and Business Consulting, as part of more than 25 years of professional experience with a multicultural international exposure. Born in Mexico has also lived in Switzerland and is resident of Madrid since 2005.

Pilar Elegido Fluiters. Human Resources Director Spain and Portugal. From 2008 to 2015 Pilar has also led on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Child Protection in Spain.Ph.D. Doctorate in Business Administration (2016) with the thesis “Diversity in the DNA of the organisations. The British Council’s diversity management model”. Pilar has a deep knowledge on the Education sector in Spain. She was Human Resources Director during six years in a private university.

Since 2012, she has also held the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Eden Academy Trust. In her position as Senior Adviser at the British Council, Susan provides sector expertise and advice to a wide number of educational programmes involving ministries of education, school leaders and teachers across approximately 40 countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She has a particular interest in leadership and professional development and inclusion.

Ms. Mercedes Hernández Estrada joined the school for the 18/19 academic year. Her previous role was CEO of Pioneer Educational Trust in Windsor and Slough and executive principal. She has worked in UK schools since the late 80s after completing her Philology degree and CAP at Oviedo University. She has been a Lead Practitioner for Curriculum Design and Leadership and recently, as National Leader in Education, she has supported schools, the Spanish and UK ministries and the Comunidad de Madrid.

Ms. González is the secretary of the Board. Arabella joined our school as Bursar in March 2013 and has since been responsible for the Finance and Resources departments of the School. She has more than 20 years of experience in company management across the UK, Spain, USA and Hong Kong.

School London Committee. Mark Robson joined the British Council, and the Executive Board, in November 2007, initially as Director Operations with oversight of the British Council’s overseas network, as well as of its global English & Exams business and UK-based contract and project delivery unit, C&P (now P&P). In November 2010, he took up the new Executive Board post of Director of the British Council’s English strategic business unit.

School London Committee. Rebecca took up the role of British Council Regional Director Europe in 2015. She is responsible for over 2,000 staff across 30 countries. Since the EU referendum in the UK her professional life has focused on the cultural relations between the UK and the rest of the EU, working with Ministries and heads of Cultural Institutions across the EU to protect the strong links that currently exist, and advise the UK’s official departments dealing with the Brexit negotiations.