Our Senior Team Members

Group Principal & CEO

Gerry McDonald CBE

Gerry became Principal of Tower Hamlets College in April 2013 following almost four years as the college’s Vice-Principal. Following mergers with Hackney Community College and Redbridge College, he became Group Principal and CEO of the combined New City College in April 2017. He subsequently led the Group’s mergers with Epping Forest College, Havering College of Higher and Further Education and Havering Sixth Form College.

Gerry is a qualified business studies teacher who has worked in the sector since 1993. He holds business degrees from the University of West of England and Aston and a PGCE from Manchester Metropolitan University. Gerry has worked in the sixth form and further education colleges in Birmingham and London, leading on business development, mergers, curriculum improvement, inspection and culture change.

Gerry is a co-opted committee member of the Association of Colleges London following his election to the main AoC board in December 2014. He also serves on the AoC’s national Employment and Audit Committees. Gerry still teaches business A Level and Level 3 BTEC.

Gerry was honoured with a CBE for his services to Further Education, in the New Year Honours 2025.

Group Executive Director: Human Resources

Peter Armah

Peter has over 20 years of experience heading up human resources, organisational development and change management functions from inception to conclusion in a variety of diverse and challenging public sector environments.

Prior to his current role, Peter was Director of Human Resources at Tower Hamlets College before the college merged to form New City College. His previous roles included several other senior roles in further education and in local authorities. His proven leadership skills complement a practical approach and keen commercial awareness.

Peter is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and also possesses a Masters in Human Resources Management and BSC in Chemistry.

Principal: Hackney & Tower Hamlets

Alison Arnaud

Alison has over 30 years of experience in education and has been with the College group since 2015. She has extensive knowledge of the further education sector and has also worked in schools, private training providers and universities. She joined Tower Hamlets College, from LSEC, working in various curriculum areas and eventually co-leading the Quality team.

Alison became Principal at Tower Hamlets in August 2016 and added Hackney to her responsibilities in January of 2019. Within the NCC Group she has responsibility for a significant range of curriculum areas and has an overarching remit of leading higher education and the NCC University Centre.

Alison has undertaken the Strategic Leadership Programme for Principals and CEOs at the Said School of Business, University of Oxford.

Principal: Rainham & BSix

Colleen Marshall

Colleen brings 24 years of experience in education to New City College, with a comprehensive background spanning schools, sixth forms, and the further education sector. Since 2016, Colleen has excelled in the role of Vice Principal at both USP in Essex and CCCG in London, where she demonstrated a strong understanding of the needs of both students and staff, serving diverse communities with dedication and insight.

A qualified Physical Education teacher with QTS, Colleen is deeply passionate about sports and is committed to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle among students. Her enthusiasm for teaching, learning, and assessment ensures that every student has access to the experiences and opportunities they deserve for success.

Having completed her A Levels at our very own Havering Sixth Form, Colleen is excited to bring her journey full circle as she joins New City College. Her leadership will focus on inspiring students and staff, upholding the college's high standards, and fostering a vibrant educational environment.

Interim Principal: Epping Forest & Redbridge

Jacqueline Mitchell

Jacqueline is an accomplished educational leader with over 30 years of experience in the further education sector, particularly within various sixth form and general further education colleges in London. She began her career in banking before transitioning into teaching, becoming a qualified teacher in Business and Finance. Jacqueline is passionate about vocational education, believing it plays a crucial role in igniting students’ love for learning and enhancing their life opportunities.

Jacqueline joined New City College in 2019. Throughout her career she has successfully managed a diverse range of curriculum areas, demonstrating her expertise in strategic curriculum management and her commitment to fostering a culture of excellence in teaching and learning. In her previous role as Deputy Principal at New City College, Redbridge Campus, she made significant strides in improving student experiences and outcomes.

Dedicated to promoting inclusivity, Jacqueline ensures that all student voices are heard and valued. She is committed to creating ambitious and inclusive educational environments that empower students to achieve exceptional results.

Group Executive Director: Communications & Student Support

Ruth Lomax

Ruth has worked in a number of London colleges since 1996 and has held roles on colleges’ senior management teams since 2006. She is a trained solutions-focused coach and holds the professional accreditation of Chartered Marketer.

Over the years, Ruth has contributed to countless regional and national initiatives with a clear focus on creating opportunity for individuals and communities. She is Chair of the Board of the Hoxton Trust, a charity that works to build people’s skills, knowledge and confidence and pride in their community.

Her responsibilities at NCC include management of the learner journey from first point of contact to enrolment and student support. She also plays a key role working alongside the CEO to deliver effective internal and external communications.

Group Executive Director: Curriculum Development and Managing Director of NCC Language Schools

Richard Surtees

Richard started his teaching career teaching English in Italy in 1990, then moved into UK Further Education, teaching ESOL, in 1999. Then, after 7 years as Head of Faculty for ESOL at Tower Hamlets College, he became Director of International.

As well as curriculum development, Richard's role includes managing New City College's language schools in Bournemouth and Oxford, broadening 16-18 students' study and work horizons through international work experience and partnerships projects, and the recruitment of overseas students.

Richard holds a Diploma in English Language Teaching and an MA in Applied Linguistics from King's College, University of London.

Senior team structure

You can see our senior team structure and responsibilities here.