Our Leadership Team

Meet our dedicated Leadership Team, committed to delivering excellence in education and supporting every student’s success at Sandwell College.

Our Leadership Team

Our leadership team brings experience, passion, and a student-focused approach to ensure the highest standards of education and support at Sandwell College.

John Tew

Chair of the Governing Board

John is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and retired Managing Director of a West Bromwich based insurance brokers. He has extensive commercial and financial expertise gained over many years on boards of various organisations including education and charities.

A past President of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce he now combines his outward facing time as a governor with work with a substantial local charity as a co-opted member focusing on governance and with Sandwell Local Authority as an Independent Person dealing with complaints.

John originally joined the Board of Governors in November 2007 and served as Chair from May 2008 until July 2017. John rejoined the Board in March 2019 and is Chair of the Search & Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

Lisa Capper MBE

Principal & Chief Executive

Lisa joins Sandwell from Stoke on Trent College where she was instrumental in transforming the quality of provision and financial health, securing significant partnerships and profile for its continued success. This included national awards for learner voice, £20m capital and an increase in enrolments and achievement. Its ‘Skills Ready Future Ready’ strategy, the sector-skills hubs, and dynamic partnerships meant that 96% of young people progressed to positive destinations. Prior to this she was Director and Principal of Nacro, the national social justice and education charity, turning it around to Ofsted Good in 2019, creating a respected voice and campaigns on issues relating to disadvantaged young people such as the ‘Learn Without Limits’, and a national youth-voice Knife Crime report. Prior to Nacro she was VP in an Ofsted Good Further Education (FE) College group and ED of a successful Academies Trust.

Lisa was a senior civil servant in FE in the Departments for Education and Business for over 10 years leading on the ‘Skills for Life’ campaign, National Skills Academies and CAVTL (commission on adult education), and the prestigious Worldskills London 2011. In 2024 she was a finalist for Woman of the Year Awards, putting FE in the spotlight.

In January 2021, she was awarded an MBE for Services to Young People.

Asa Gordon

Deputy Principal Curriculum and Skills

Joining in November 2024, Asa Gordon is the Deputy Principal at Sandwell College, bringing with him 20 years of experience in the Further Education sector. Most recently, he worked as Vice Principal for Curriculum at Bradford College, where he played a key role in developing a forward-thinking and inclusive curriculum strategy for all. Since 2023, Asa also served as a Trustee at Bradford Academy, actively supporting its mission to transform life chances for learners.

Over the past 20 years, Asa has experienced a range of leadership positions within the education sector, with key focuses including apprenticeships, adult and higher education curriculums and study programme quality. He has also established a wide range of strategic partnerships as well as leading external initiatives to further enrich the learning environment, but also widen student opportunities.
Above all, Asa has always strived to ensure that high-quality provisions exist, through first-class teaching in an inclusive framework so learners’ goals can not only be achieved but exceeded.

Emma Brannen

Senior Vice Principal Quality and Student Success

Emma joins The Sandwell Colleges as Senior Vice Principal, Quality and Student Success, bringing over 20 years of experience in further education. Previously Vice Principal at Stoke-on-Trent College, she led award-winning projects in student participation and inclusivity, driving curriculum development, quality improvement, and student achievement.

Emma also served on the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Board for Stoke City Football Club, helping create opportunities for underrepresented groups. At Sandwell, she will oversee curriculum strategy and quality assurance across all campuses, working with staff and stakeholders to enhance teaching, learning, and employer partnerships.

Her commitment to excellence aligns with the College’s vision to deliver outstanding opportunities for learners and the community.

Robert Pickup

Executive Director of Finance & Resources

Rob joined the college in 2023 with significant board-level financial leadership and business transformation experience. He graduated with a BA in Accounting and Finance in 2001 and has since created and implemented sustainable financial strategies in public/not-for-profit sectors, driving value for money and optimising ROI while inspiring optimal service changes and cost-effective decision making. With multiple years of experience in the NHS, Rob’s recent career includes Chief Financial Officer at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – a £210m organisation, Interim Director of Operational Finance at NHS England – Midlands and Director of Finance, Performance and IMT at Dudley & Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Leveraging his senior leadership experience, Rob is also Audit Committee Chair and People Committee Member for the Hospice Charity Partnership.

Becky Beaty

Executive Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development

Becky is responsible for Human Resources and Organisational Development and joined the College in 2018 having served the education and skills sector in both public and private sector settings for over 12 years in a range of senior HR roles. Initially specialising in recruitment and people development she is a Chartered Member of the CIPD, holds an honours degree in French & Linguistics, a Masters’ degree in Human Resource Management and is licensed to practice the delivery of psychometric testing and profiling.