OUR STORY
Education For Industry Group was established in 2024 with a clear-cut objective: to reshape lives, careers, and industries through specialised educational training. Our belief is rooted in the notion that industry-specific education fosters seamless connections between individuals and businesses, driving efficiency like no other.
With a proud alumni network exceeding 20,000 graduates across various sectors including fashion, retail, beauty, and hairdressing, we've been instrumental in nurturing top-tier talent. Our partnerships with esteemed brands ensure that our curriculum is enriched with real-world industry insights, enhancing the learning experience.
At Education For Industry Group, we are staunch advocates of inclusive education, firmly believing that everyone deserves access to opportunities, irrespective of background or circumstances. We are committed to breaking down barriers, promoting equality, and ensuring fair access for all students. Our core mission revolves around enhancing student engagement, retention, and progression, driving us forward with unwavering dedication.
GOVERNORS
The EFI Group Board of Governors comprises of 10 members including the Principal and CEO, who has overall responsibility for the Group, with strategic responsibilities that include:
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• The educational performance of the Group and its students’ progress;
• Overseeing the financial performance of the Group, ensuring excellent value for money; and
• The safety and wellbeing of its staff and students.
A key strength of the Board is that it comprises a mix of educationalists, senior executives from industry and other professionals. These are non-executive roles and all Governors give their time voluntarily.
Lee is CEO of EFI Group. He has been Principal of FRA since 2014. Lee started his career as an IT Manager and later retrained as a teacher. Over the past 14 years, Lee has held senior leadership roles and Principal positions in private and public education providers, developing qualifications and apprenticeships (in the IT, beauty, jewellery and retail sectors), alongside a number of other commercial ventures.
LEE LUCAS
CEO & Principal
Kim is Chair of the EFI Group Board. She played a lead role in establishing the FRA and has overseen its success to date, developing its reputation and its relationships across the retail industry. She previously had a successful career in HR with companies including Selfridges, Dorothy Perkins and Arcadia. More recently, she has run her own consultancy business, assisting companies with their strategic planning and leadership development. She has also held various non-executive and trustee roles, including as a governor of Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School.
KIM LONGMAN
Chair of the Board
Simon is currently Director of Trade and Supplier Planning for Argos, responsible for all elements of Customer and Commercial Planning and developing strategic supplier partnerships. Having worked for Sainsbury’s since 2004, Simon has held several leadership positions across Multi-Channel Merchandising, Trading, Planning, Supply Chain, Strategy and Business Transformation. Simon is also an accredited Master Coach and hugely passionate about developing talent
SIMON WILLIAMS
Governor
Laura has spent the last 4 decades within the fashion Industry. Her experience spans across both start-ups and large global retailers and manufactures such as M&S, Next PLC, The Courtaulds Group and La Senza. She has now retired from her former position as Lingerie director for M&S (2018-2024) where she joined as Head of Buying in 2014. Her strengths are in Leadership, transformation, commercial buying, consumer insight and data analysis as well a passion for product design and development.
LAURA CHARLES
Governor
Fiona is the Chief Commercial Officer at The White Company, bringing over 25 years of experience in the fashion retail industry. Her career spans senior leadership roles at some of the UK’s best-known brands, including ASOS, where she was Executive Vice President – Commercial, and BrandAlley, where she served as Chief Trading Officer. She is passionate about supporting the next generation of retail talent and driving innovation across the industry.
FIONA GAUGHAN
Governor
Sally has spent over 20 years working in finance within fashion retail. She spent 13 years at Arcadia starting as an analyst in the Oxford Circus store and progressing to Finance Director of Dorthy Perkins and then BHS. She then moved to M&S where she spent six years as Finance Director of the Clothing & Home half of the business. She now runs her own consultancy business and is a trustee for two other charities.
SALLY HARRIS
Governor
Susanna Kempe is the CEO of the Laidlaw Foundation, Chair of the Laidlaw Schools Trust and CEO of Laidlaw Scholars Ventures. Prior to leading the Laidlaw Foundation she was a Global Partner at Brunswick, the communications and crisis consultancy. Susanna has over 20 years senior leadership experience in global B2B and media businesses; including as CMO of Informa plc, CMO and Chief Strategy Officer of Emap Ltd, CEO of Emap Networks, owner of World Retail Congress; and CEO of WGSN, the world’s leading trend forecaster.
SUSANNA KEMPE
Governor
Vanessa was influential in shaping the ASOS brand and now has a team of over 200. She was promoted to Design Director of both Womenswear and Menswear in 2018 and is now the Executive Vice President (Creative). Vanessa oversees all creative across ASOS.com, product, studios and content. She sits on the Board of Governors of CreativeUK, is a Patron of Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) and joined the Fashion Minority Alliance in 2020.
VANESSA SPENCE
Governor
Linda has a range of non-executive roles in the creative industries and education. She is the former Vice Chancellor of Ravensbourne University London (2015/19) which specialises in the design, content, screen and technology disciplines. Previously, Prof Drew was at the Glasgow School of Art, as Deputy Director and a Dean at the University of the Arts London where she led Chelsea College of Arts. She studied Fashion at Saint Martin’s School of Art and has a PhD in Educational Research from Lancaster University.
Prof. LINDA DREW
Governor
Zareer has nearly 20 years’ experience working in senior finance roles in luxury retail. Zareer qualified as a chartered accountant at Deloitte and spent 7 years working across Audit and Consulting. He then moved to the Richemont Group, where he joined Alfred Dunhill as Head of Finance and supported the brand’s expansion into Europe and the US. Zareer is currently Finance Director at Peter Millar UK Limited and also a Fellow of the ICAEW. Zareer is Chair of the Education For Industry Group Audit Committee.
ZAREER GHADIALLY
Governor
SOCIAL IMPACT
Social value is defined as the social, economic and environmental impact that we create as an organisation and the value this creates for people, communities, businesses and economies. Social impact refers to the outcomes that our beneficiaries experience through the products and services we deliver and the beneficiaries are defined as our students & staff, the local community, the industries we serve and the wider economy.
The purpose of a Social Value Report is to evidence the social impact and social value that we create for students, communities, economies and the and the industries we support. Most of the work EFI Group does has a deliberate, but oftentimes invisible impact on individuals, our industry and our sector. To see the most recent report for the Fashion Retail Academy, please click below.
We're immensely proud of our outstanding industry network across the EFI group brands. Collaborating with hundreds of renowned brands spanning fashion, retail, makeup, and beauty, we ensure the highest standards of education and training for our students.
Tailored to meet industry demands and employer standards, our courses empower graduates to excel in their careers. Throughout their academic journey, students benefit from unparalleled industry support, including personal mentors, immersive industry experiences, brand-driven projects, as well as talks and masterclasses led by prominent figures in the fashion world.
