The business was disposed of swiftly: 3 directors reappointed, and Annual Report and Accounts approved.
The Headmaster, Dr Nigel Brown, provided an update on the building renovation project. The building work should begin shortly. Meanwhile the school is using two venues 25 mins apart – the school’s existing annex and a primary school not yet fully occupied. The teachers are walking between the two so that students don’t have to. They are getting plenty of exercise as a result! The Headmaster further noted some practical difficulties and the anticipated duration of the building work.
Dr Brown reported that the ECF scholarship student (for year 4, 5 and 6), Maxine Janecek, is an exceptional student and is having a fantastic time at ECP.
The IB results this year have been exceptional with ECP ranked best in the EU. Interest in ECP is growing every year.
On the topic of scholarships, the Headmaster noted that he is looking to increase fundraising efforts with the aim of boosting scholarship funds from 8% to 10% of income. He also highlighted the exceptional life changing scholarships funded by ECP alumnus Jan Barta.
The AGM enjoyed two speeches by ECP alumni.
Petra Freddi (1999) was a student in ECP’s first year. She remembered how an advert shown her by her grandmother had ignited an interest in a British education. Without telling her parents, she applied and, following a successful interview, was offered a full ECP scholarship. She reflected how important her ECP experience was in shaping her life both educational and professional. She had a successful career in Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers as well as with private equity. Having spent much of her career in Hong Kong and Singapore, she is now based in London working for the Milken Institute.
Yegor Lanovenko (2010) reflected on how his family history, with grandparents peasants near Odesa but determined he should go to university, led to him becoming an ECP student and to where he is now. After graduating from the University of Bristol, Yegor embarked on a career in finance working for JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank and now private equity. He also created Opora, the largest Ukrainian charity in the UK, assisting Ukrainian war refugees. His efforts have not gone unnoticed: he was invited to a reception at No. 10 for key people dealing with the refugee crisis.
