Trust Leadership

Lakmini Harkus

Chief Executive Officer 

I trained to teach science in secondary schools and progressed in my career as a science teacher, head of science, lead practitioner, headteacher and before joining Palladian, one of His Majesty’s Inspectors. In this role, I inspected more than 100 providers and saw some of the most wonderful schools we have in England. This included three of our very own Palladian schools. I am keen to use all the skills and knowledge I have gained throughout my time in education and put these to good use in a role that will make a difference to the children and families we serve.

I am committed to championing high quality teaching, inclusive practice, and a spirit of collaboration across our trust so that each school continues to thrive in its own unique context while benefiting from our shared expertise. I also believe in nurturing an environment where people, staff and children alike, feel empowered to reach their potential.

Clear communication, developing others and acting with integrity are all very important to me. Alongside this, I believe wellbeing and balance are important in helping everyone do their best. It also models how to create the foundations of a healthy life to the children we serve who watch our every move. Together, I believe we can build on the strong foundations already in place and create even greater opportunities for our children, staff, and communities. 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, returning to ballet, and exploring favourite walking spots in Wiltshire. I have two cats, Dizzy and Blossom.

Julia Finch

Chief Finance & Operations Officer

I have worked in the education sector now for some 20 years after starting my career in banking and then working in the commercial sector in financial and business leadership roles. I have also had the privilege to have lived overseas in Germany, Hong Kong and Brunei experiencing different cultures and lifestyles.  

I joined the education sector after returning to work following the birth of my daughter and have never looked back since. I love working in the school environment as you cannot predict one day from the next. Being involved in providing strong business services to ensure the best outcomes for all students is important to me and following my first school position as Bursar in Buckinghamshire in 2004, I studied to become qualified as a School Business Manager. My passion for this role and the value it added then led me to become a trainer for the National College of Schools Leadership. It was a pleasure to see so many people develop their careers in schools, many of which I am still in touch with to this day. 

It is clear the dedication that all staff have to their roles here at Palladian and it is a pleasure to be part of the Finance Excellence team.  My core goal as Director of Finance is to ensure we are we getting the best value for money from all resources within the Trust, making sure we are effective and efficient in all we do leading us to giving the best opportunities to all students.

In my spare time I love travelling, eating tasty food (I am married to a Chef!) and attending live theatre performances and music events. I also like adrenaline sports, such as horse riding and skiing. 

Michelle Royce

Co-Director of People

I am an HR Leader with over 10 years of generalist HR experience - from working in a variety of commercial organisations, including Financial Services, Hospitality and Fintech before moving into Education in 2022. I graduated from the University of Bristol with a 1st in Law and I have a strong background in UK Employment Law. I then went on to complete my Level 7 CIPD.

I started my career at Palladian as an HR Partner for the Trust’s Secondary School. In June 2023 I moved into a Central HR Operations role before becoming the Co-Director of People in March 2024. In this role, I am responsible for the HR function across the Trust. I work closely with the other Co-Director of People, Directors, School Leaders and the Central HR Partners to deliver the Trust's HR strategy.

I enjoy spending time with friends and family and doing fun things with my two young daughters and husband. We especially like to visit Cornwall with our sausage dog, whenever we have the opportunity to go.

Heleana Bouyamourn

Co-Director of People

I have 20 years experience within an HR generalist setting, across multiple sectors in finance and tech, covering the UK and Europe, education and adult training.

Whilst working in Swindon, I volunteered with a local charity on their Board of Trustees providing HR support, progressing onto their Chair within the five years I was with them. Each organisation brought a similar range of HR requirements, however working with the teams to positively add value is the motivational part of my role.

I joined Palladian in 2024 as Co-Director of People during a period of growth and change. We have a team of brilliant HR Partners that work alongside myself and the other Co-Director of People to advise, coach and support school leaders and line managers throughout the full employee lifecycle. The Trust has strong values and a culture that resonates throughout each area; I am excited to be a part of their future and to help them grow more as an employer of choice.

In my spare time, I like to travel, anywhere near the sea. I have a Patterdale Terrier named Queenie, who as the name suggests is a diva, but she is the sidekick to our road trips and loves a beach as much as I do.