Governors
Greg Dyke
Chairman
Greg Dyke, former Director of Programmes and Chief Executive of London Weekend Television, Director General of the BBC (2000 to 2004) and Chairman of the British Film Institute (2008 to 2016), is currently one of three vice presidents of BAFTA. He was Chairman of the BFI at the time the Government closed the British Film Council and handed most of its responsibilities, including the distribution of lottery money for film, to the BFI. Dyke was also Chancellor of the University of York for 11 years, when the university doubled in size and opened its new department of Theatre, Film and Television. He was also Chairman of Britain’s biggest theatre company the Ambassador Theatre Group between 2010 and 2016 and is currently Chair of the Trafalgar Entertainment Group.
Sophia Wellington
Course Leader MA Screenwriting, Head of Screenwriting and Staff Governor
Sophia Wellington began her film career on the floor – literally: placing marks for Richard Gere as a camera assistant. After years in the camera department, working on a number of Anglo-American features, Sophia moved into the cutting room where she is, to her knowledge, the only (living) assistant editor to get an apology out of Harvey Weinstein.
Sophia moved into script development in 2003 when she joined World Productions to develop a feature slate for their production deal with Sony Columbia. During this time, she worked with a variety of writers and directors on films including Layer Cake and Becoming Jane.
Another move, this time to Singapore where Sophia taught screenwriting for the Graduate Film and Dramatic Writing programmes of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia. Returning to London in 2015, Sophia combines teaching with writing and script development whilst maintaining her links with the South East Asian film industry. She runs feature workshops for the Cinemalaya Institute in Manila and recent script consultancy credits include Remittance (2016) a low budget feature exploring the life of migrant workers in Singapore and the upcoming Polis Evo 2, (2018) a high octane, Malaysian action movie.
Amanda Nevill
Vice Chair
Amanda was the CEO of the British film institute from 2003-2020, the Lead body for Film and the Moving image in the UK. Responsible to government, and acting as a voice for the industry – domestic and inward bound, she was responsible for the continued development of the overall ecosystem to protect the UK’s competitive position and ensure it remained the most culturally rich, creatively exciting and prosperous territory to nurture further growth, including inward investment (value £1.7bn), and export (value £1.7bn).
She now has an active non-exec career including as strategy advisor to Olsberg SPI, is a Board member of the first Saudi Film Commission, where she also chairs their Executive Committee, is on the Council of York University; and is a listed Business Mentor for Mentore.
She was received a CBE in 2015 and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society; has an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Bradford University; Honorary Degree of Doctor from the University of York and Honorary Degree from Norwich University of the Arts 2018. She received the Veuve Clicquot Social Purpose Award in 2018; The Barclays Businesswomen in Film and Television Award 2016 and the BIFA Special Jury Prize 2019. In 2020 she was made a Fellow of the BFI.
All of the above, she says, is trumped by two daughters and five grandchildren.
Joan Watson
Governor
As well as a career in Film, Television and PR spanning 35 years, Joan has also worked as a consultant in change management and in numerous ethical roles. She has extensive experience in media production, strategy, operations, facilities, finance, and people management. In addition to working at Carlton Television (ITV), Joan’s roles also include running a community Film & Television studio and stint at the UN.
Throughout her career, Joan has consistently worked in tandem with National and International not-for-profit organisations, predominately with children and young people. These include Children in Need, Vinspired, Leap, Stars Foundation, Global First Aid, Abene Karantaa and Academies of Inspiration.
Joan is a founding member of the Green Economics Institute and a practising psychotherapist.
Kemal Akhtar
Governor
A deeply proud and committed LFS Alumnus, Kemal was born in London, the son of a barrister and a social and race relations worker.
Kemal earned a degree in History and French from the University of Sussex and a 2nd year degree in Cinema et les Etudes Audio Visuel from Le Sorbonne, Paris III, Kemal trained as a journalist at The Guardian and has been published by the Times, Telegraph, Time Out amongst others. He graduated with an MA Filmmaking from the London Film School in 2007. His 4th term film ZOHRA, won a many awards including a UK Film Council Race in Media Award, and competed at over 40 international festivals including Brief Encounters, Cannes, and San Francisco. The film also closed the 50th Anniversary of the London Film School celebration at the NFT. Kemal also won a Kodak Commercial Award while at school.
Kemal has completed three feature films BHOPAL: A PRAYER FOR RAIN with Martin Sheen and an international cast (as associate director and producer). He was a co-producer of documentary SHADOWS OF LIBERTY alongside LFS graduates Director Jean Philipe Tremblay and Daniel Cantagallo. The film was produced by the Bertha Foundation and Doc Factory. His newest film as director and co-producer is MANDELA'S CHILDREN, a documentary about Nelson Mandela, made in partnership with his grandson Kweku, his family and with the co-operation of the Mandela Foundation. It features Mandela’s last interviews. The film is edited by the BAFTA award-winners of SENNA, Chris King and Gregers Sall.
Kemal is currently in development with a new documentary and a new narrative feature.
Nick Humby
Governor
Nick was the Finance Director of Thames TV/Pearson TV (1990 to 2000) , Manchester United including MUTV(2002 to 2007) and TopUpTV (2007 to 2010). From 2011 he worked as a Board member at the LTA, FA, ASA and British Basketball. He is currently a Trustee of the charity Richmond Theatre Trust and a director of Trafalgar Releasing Limited (the leading distributor of Live Events to cinemas in U.K.). He is a passionate theatregoer seeing over 100 regional, Fringe, Pantomimes and West End shows in each of the last two years as well as a regular visitor to the cinema.
Olivier Kaempfer
Governor
Named as one of Screen International’s ‘Future Leaders’ 2015, BAFTA-nominated producer Olivier founded the London-based independent production company Parkville Pictures in 2007.
Parkville Pictures' films have gone on to receive a string of international awards and nominations, and in 2016 was selected for the BFI ‘Visions Award’, the third edition of the BFI’s prestigious company feature development slate fund.
Olivier's first feature project BORROWED TIME, made as part of the Film London and BBC Films' 'Microwave' scheme, was released in the UK in September 2013 via a groundbreaking Direct Distribution model supported by the BFI's 'New Models' P&A Fund.
Olivier Executive Produced Parkville’s Indie Spirit Award nominated APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2014, before its international theatrical release in early 2015.
Olivier produced Parkville’s third feature SPACESHIP, which was funded via Creative England, BFI, and BBC Films’ iFeatures feature production scheme. SPACESHIP was selected for it’s World Premiere at the 2016 SXSW film festival, followed by its UK and US theatrical release in 2017.
Most recently Olivier Executive Produced Parkville Pictures' fourth feature, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, the follow up feature with Director Desiree Akhavan (APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR), which completed principle photography in November 2016 in New York, starring Chloe Grace Moretz (KICK-ASS and Sasha Lane (AMERICAN HONEY).
Alongside his Parkville Pictures work Olivier was appointed Senior Executive for Film London’s award-winning Microwave feature production fund in January 2014. He oversaw the relaunch of the scheme in May 2014 in partnership with BFI and BBC Films, with six films to be commissioned for production and delivery by 2018.
Suzy Black
Governor
Suzy graduated in 1998 from University College London and subsequently gained a Masters from London School of Economics in 2001. She has been involved with the LSE’s Court of Governors since 2004 as a school governor and member of the remuneration committee.
Since 2014 Suzy has been the Group HR Director at Guardian News and Media with executive responsibility for the People and Culture. Before joining GMG, Suzy was the Chief People Officer at Lloyd’s of London, the world’s specialist insurance market, conducting business in more than 200 countries. In her early career, she held senior positions across a diverse range of businesses including ICI, Barclays, MSN UK, The Women & Equality Unit and The London Assembly.
Suzy has also previously been a board member of The Fawcett Society one of the UK’s leading charities campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights at work, at home and in public life.
William Macpherson
Governor
William brings a wealth of experience to London Film School following a successful executive career as CEO of a number of professional education and skills development organisations.
William was CEO of QA, the leading technology education business between 2008 and 2019 during which time the company achieved very significant growth. Prior to that he was CEO of Kaplan International, The Financial Training Company and Wolters Kluwer Professional Training. He is Chair of Learning Curve Group Limited, Chair of Hatcham College Academy and a non-executive director of Wilmington plc.