Stephen King

Stephen is a Chair and board level adviser with over 20 years’ experience supporting organisations operating in complex, publicly visible and high accountability environments.

He works with boards and senior leaders to strengthen governance, improve the quality of board discussion and support confident well-judged decision making – particularly during periods of change, scrutiny or transition. His approach is values-led and grounded in lived board experience, with a clear focus on what will make the greatest difference.

Stephen is Chair of New College Durham and an approved External Board Reviewer for the Association of Colleges, delivering independent governance reviews across the FE sector. He is also an academic tutor in people management and leadership at the University of Sunderland, alongside advisory work, through his own consultancy business, with colleges, trusts and public bodies.

His background includes senior executive leadership roles, extensive non-executive and trustee experience, and work across education, culture, place-based partnerships and selected transport strategy. He is often brought in where clarity, judgement and discretion matter, and where governance needs to support, rather than constrain, effective leadership.