Hugh has led the Elliot Foundation, a primary-only trust of 36 schools, since its inception in 2011. A passionate advocate for educational equity and inclusion, Hugh has over three decades of leadership experience spanning the private, public and third sectors. He champions a collaborative, values-led approach to school improvement that prioritises community, creativity and the holistic development of every child. Under his leadership TEFAT schools have gone from 36% ‘Good’ or better to 94%. 

Before Elliot, he ran education businesses across Europe for IIR (now Informa) and the Reed Group and in the 1990s set up his own training business in Russia. He has served as a Trustee for the Sea Cadets, the Chartered Institute of IT and several academy Trusts. He was a member of both the British Council’s and the Education Policy Institute’s advisory boards. 

He speaks five languages, most of them quite badly, is an enthusiastic cricketer and footballer, an occasional pub pianist, and sometime contributor to Schools Week, TES and the odd educational journal.