PEOPLE & CAREERS

Peter Clucas was appointed as a Governor on the 1st September 2014 and is the current Chair of the Governing body.  Peter is also the current President of the King William’s College Society, the school’s alumni organisation.  He attended King William’s College (Junior/School House) and is a qualified practising Isle of Man Advocate with Cains Advocates where he was the Managing Director until July 2024.  He is currently a senior Consultant in Cains’ Litigation Division.  Peter also holds a Diploma in Anti-Money Laundering and is a member of the International Compliance Association.  Peter also Vice -President of the Isle of Man Law Society.  Peter has held a number of Non-Executive directorships and is currently a director of a family owned holding company which has interests in the design and manufacture of specialist lighting solutions for military and commercial use.  Peter represented the Isle of Man for a number of years for hockey and still enjoys running and, time permitting, skiing.  He is married to Cathy and has two step-daughters, the elder of whom attended King William’s College.

If you wish to contact the Chair of Governors, please write to Mr Peter Clucas, c/o King William’s College, Castletown, Isle of Man, IM9 1TP.

Elaine is a Buchan Old Girl, educated at the Buchan School from 1964 – 1973.  Her children are former pupils as are many other members of her family.  Elaine Chairs the Compliance Committee and the Buchan Nursery Operations Committee and has been a Governor and Trustee of the school for over 28 years!  Elaine is a graduate of UMIST in Management Sciences and a Chartered Accountant, and worked in the fiduciary services industry for over 30 years.  She is a Certificand of the Institute of Risk Management, a Fellow of the RSA and is involved in a family business which commissioned and runs a hydro power installation at Roach Bridge Mill near Preston.  Elaine is a Company Secretary and Council Member of Housing Matters which is an IoM registered charity.

Steve and his family moved to the island in 2009 from Jersey where they had lived since 2000.  With the move, Steve became a partner with chartered accountants Deloittes which gave them the opportunity to choose the Buchan and King William’s for the children’s’ education.  In 2013 Steve became a Governor and Chair of the Finance Committee.  Steve is a director of a consulting business for regulated offshore financial services company.  The family loves the island and its varied landscape which provides for great walks with their dog.  For Steve’s other passion – skiing, he has to travel to the Alps, although it has been known for Snaefell to have some snow.

Paul is a consulting actuary who has held various roles including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Actuary for a number of Manx, Irish and UK insurance companies.  He lives in Ballasalla.  Paul Chairs the Safeguarding Committee.

Lynne is a retired GP of 40 years with extensive experience of General Practice, GP Commissioning and Primary Care Trust management, and liaising with local Hospital Trusts. She is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and a Licentiate Royal College of Physicians. Lynne has experience in both the private and public sector and in executive and non-executive director roles. She was a non-executive director on Health Authority, Primary Care Trust and Hospital Boards and was Chair of Governors at Moreton Hall School, Oswestry and currently Chairs a Manx Charity. Lynne is married with 2 children and her hobbies following her retirement are travel (she worked as medic on the Tran Siberian and Llasa – Beijing railway), golf and tennis.

Daniel is a member of the Finance & General Purposes Committee and Chair of the IT and Digital Strategy Committee. He is a Partner at PwC UK and the firm’s Charities Leader and Government & Health Industries Audit Leader. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Public Finance Accountant, and he holds the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting. He is Chair of the ICAEW Charity Committee, a member of the Charities SORP Committee and a member of the CIPFA Charities and Public Benefit Entities Forum.  In addition, Daniel is a Trustee and the Honorary Treasurer of UK Youth and the Senior Independent Governor of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. He was awarded an MBE in HM The King’s Birthday Honours 2023 for services to Charity and to Young People.

Alwyn Collister was born in the Isle of Man and has lived in Castletown all his life. He worked for the Post Office on leaving school and spent three years in the Royal Air Force in National Service. Alwyn was first elected to Castletown Commissioners in 1976 he was elected again in 1979 and six times since that date.  He was elected to the Board of Education for Castletown in 1992 until 2007 when the elected board was dissolved.  He was Chairman of Governors of Ballakermeen High School and the Isle of Man College for a number of years and has been a Governor and Trustee of King William’s College since 1997.  Alwyn joined the Douglas Choral Union in 1962 and was President in 2010 he acted on stage for over 30 years, he has been awarded a life membership.  He has been married to Joan for 56 years, they have two children, four grandchildren and a great grandson.

Christine has over 30 years’ experience in independent school leadership as a Head and Deputy Head. A musician and educationalist, she was educated at London and Cambridge universities, holding choral awards at Royal Holloway College (London) and Jesus College (Cambridge). She subsequently gained an MBA from Exeter University.  Christine is proud to be Manx and is a trustee of a Manx music charity.  In addition to her commitment as a Governor and Chair of the Education Committee to King William’s College and The Buchan, she is an ABRSM examiner for practical and performance exams in the UK and overseas.

Sheila is a progressive, personable and driven individual with a career spanning three decades, progressing from Trainee Accountant to CEO, to leading three management buyouts.  Sheila has never compromised on the values at the heart of organisations or of herself as a professional and business leader.  Her dedication and commitment extend to additional endeavours including roles serving as a school governor and Patron and Trustee of various charities.  Sheila is very much a people person and loves to spend her spare time with her family and friends and traveling.

Henrietta Hammonds was appointed as a Governor on 15 March 2024, and Chairs the Sub-Committee on the proposed sale of the Westhill Site.  She attended King William’s College from 2003-2008.  After KWC, her journey began with a Master of Arts with Honours degree in International Relations from the University of St Andrews.  She then completed a post-graduate degree in Real Estate and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2015.  She is a specialist valuer and experienced expert witness.  In 2020, she became the youngest female Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2020, and in 2024 was awarded Valuer of the Year at the Enfranchisement and Right to Manage Awards.  She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Member of The Property Institute, and is on the Advisory Committee of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners. She lives in London with her husband and son, but has family on the island and visits regularly.

Jon McGowan, a distinguished alumnus of King William’s College, brings a wealth of entrepreneurial and leadership experience to the Board.  Jon Chairs the KWC Development Sub-Committee.  As Group Chief Executive Officer at MAC Group, Jon has demonstrated remarkable vision and strategic acumen, propelling MAC Financial to become the largest Independent Financial Advisor on the Isle of Man.  His dynamic career includes significant achievements, such as leading a management buyout of Aon’s pensions business and launching successful ventures under the MAC Group brand.  Jon’s leadership prowess is further evidenced by his tenure as the youngest president of the Chartered Management Institute’s Isle of Man Branch and his role as a Non-Executive Director on various prominent company boards.

“As an OKW, I was delighted to return to college as a Geography teacher in 2012. From my teenage years I remembered the friendly environment around college and was keen to return to the school in a different role. I was pleased to see the strong sense of community had not changed. What I enjoy the most about teaching at KWC are the relationships I am able to develop with my students and colleagues. Having smaller class sizes means I am able to get to know each student as an individual and have a greater holistic understanding of their abilities, needs and personal interests.” 

“I love my job and the people I serve. Each one a unique creation with mental, physical, spiritual, emotional as well as educational and wellbeing needs. The privilege of being the Chaplain at King William’s College and The Buchan School is that it is to the whole community and not just those who attend the services. Much of the ‘Call to Pastor’ is modelled on the Good Shepherd who cares for each sheep. As Chaplain this is about presence, being eyes and ears to their story and responding to the needs of individuals.”

“Having worked in the Bursary for three decades, it has always been a pleasure to watch the pupils grow and flourish here. It gives me greater pleasure to see their children now joining our close knit family community and I am proud to play a part in their future.” 

“Working at KWC and the Buchan School has made me feel part of a large family as everyone is so welcoming. The excellent pastoral care ensures that all pupils are nurtured to achieve highly.”