{"id":238380,"date":"2025-11-24T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=238380"},"modified":"2025-11-21T17:33:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T17:33:42","slug":"paul-smith-to-be-a-ceo-again-with-move-to-emet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/paul-smith-to-be-a-ceo-again-with-move-to-emet\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul Smith to be a CEO again with move to EMET"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A former regional schools commissioner is set to take the reins at a 24-school academy chain, his third CEO role and fourth trust role in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Smith, currently the Northern Schools Trust\u2019s chief education officer, has been named East Midlands Education Trust\u2019s<\/a> (EMET\u2019s) new chief executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be the third CEO role he has taken, having led big chains Future Academies and the White Horse Federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith said: \u201cI am excited to lead the next phase of EMET as we create world class opportunities for children, staff and communities in Nottinghamshire, Nottingham City, Derbyshire, Derby City and Leicestershire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe in the power of education beyond exam results, and I am committed to ensuring that all children have the best experience, education and future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith made headlines in 2015<\/a> when he was the first RSC – now called regional directors – to quit to take up an academy trust leadership role. He had been in post for less than two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had been recruited to become the new CEO of Future Academies, set up and chaired by Lord Nash, the academies minister at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven years later, he moved to White Horse<\/a>. He left the trust in March last year, before taking his current role at Northern Schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMET said his appointment \u201cmarks a significant moment\u201d for the trust as it \u201clooks to build on its strong foundations and strengthen its position as a leading voice in the sector\u201d. The chain has 24 schools on its books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chair Ann Witheford added: \u201cWe are delighted to have appointed someone of Paul\u2019s calibre as our next CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis depth of experience across school, regional and national leadership will be a significant asset to the trust as we continue to strengthen outcomes for children and communities…and lead EMET into an ambitious new chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former regional schools commissioner set to lead 24-school Midlands trust, it has been announced<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311204,"featured_media":238379,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[32,679],"post-theme":[3304],"class_list":["post-238380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-academies","tag-movers-and-shakers","post-theme-movers-and-shakers"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t