Head of the Manipal City & Guilds Joint Policy Advisory Group,

With   thirteen   years’  experience  in   international   policy analysis, research and advice,  the  last five of which have been focused on skills development issues in a diverse range of contacts, Chris has  a wealth of experience on which to draw in his role as  Head of the Manipal City & Guilds Joint Policy Advisory  Group (JPAG).  With eight years in the UK public sector and five working for City & Guilds, the guiding force behind Chris’s career to date has been a commitment to public  service,  quality  policy  making  and  the  sharing  of international experience to mutual benefit.

Chris graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1999 with a degree in Social and Political Sciences. On graduation he entered the UK Diplomatic Service, serving first in London as Desk Officer for Yugoslavia in the aftermath of the conflict in Kosovo. In 2001 he took up his first overseas posting in Seoul, as Political Secretary, where he covered domestic politics and human rights issues and helped organise a visit to Korea by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In 2004 Chris moved on to become Economic and Social Affairs Secretary in The Hague, The  Netherlands.  His  broad  portfolio  in  this  role,  including  health,  education  and economic policy, gave Chris the opportunity to reconsider those areas of public life that most interested him. It was during this time that he first became interested in the area of vocational education and skills.

In  2008,  Chris  decided  to  leave  the  diplomatic  service  and  pursue  his  passion  for education. Initially taking up a role as policy advisor with the City & Guilds Centre for Skills  Development  (CSD), he was twice  promoted  in two  years to  become  CSD’s Senior Manager for partnerships. During his time with CSD he published numerous policy papers on skills issues and helped develop skills projects in England,  South Africa, Ghana and India.

In 2011, Chris was appointed to lead the set-up of the Joint Policy Advisory Group in Delhi. The challenge of setting up a unique new initiative, and the chance to live and work in India, were irresistible. Since arriving in Delhi, Chris has become a well-known figure in skill development circles in India, speaking at numerous conferences, publishing a number of papers and completing work for major international clients; he has also achieved a Post Graduate  Certificate  in  Educational  Enquiry  with  the  Open  University.  Under  his leadership, JPAG is now a team of five committed and talented professionals with an expanding output.

Chris is passionate about the power of all kinds of education to change people’s lives and about the potential of vocational education to offer new opportunities to  millions  of Indians. He is proud  to be able to play a small role in improving this vital facet of India’s future prosperity.