I have spent twenty years deeply involved in political issues around the globe and in the UK. I have observed dozens of elections working for the OSCE in areas of conflict, in post-revolutionary situations and in emergent democracies. These have taken me throughout the former Soviet Union, the Balkans and Africa.

As a teacher at Merchant Taylors' School for almost a decade, I inspired my pupils to extend their acacdemic progress well beyond their expectations. Educated at the Universities of Exeter, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Oxford, I specialise in making academic rigour accessible. The Independent Schools’ Inspectorate praised me as an outstanding teacher in an exceptional school (2013). During my tenure as head of department, student enrolments in Politics trebled, results were consistently outstanding and many of my pupils went on to read Politics or related subjects at Russell Group universities.

I am passionate about community service and charity work. In 2012, I was awarded the Paul Hope Award, a national prize for running an exceptional school-based charity and, along with my tireless teams of student volunteers, I led the fundraising of nearly £150,000 for disabled teenagers. Most recently, I have worked to establish charitable links between schools in India and England. In my more formative years, I worked for a South African rural development charity and for schools in Egypt and Romania.

Prior to my life as a teacher and election observer, I worked in the City as the international risk manager for one of the world’s largest banks. I regularly briefed politicians, board members and pressure groups on corporate social responsibility and similar topics.

A committed global traveller with a taste for adventure, I have enjoyed visiting over 80 countries. These expereinces provide me with much story telling ammunition, not the least of which arises from my time hitch-hiking from Cairo to Cape Town.