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

Director of People

I am an HR leader with broad experience across a range of sectors, including Financial Services, Hospitality, Fintech and since 2022, Education.

I graduated from the University of Bristol with a First-Class degree in Law. I am CIPD level 7 qualified and an accredited workplace mediator.

I joined Palladian as an HR Partner for the trust’s secondary school, before moving into a Central HR role. In March 2024, I was appointed Director of People. In this role, I lead the Trust’s HR function by working closely with the Central Leadership Team, school leaders and HR Partners to deliver the People Strategy. This supports colleagues to thrive and achieve outstanding outcomes for pupils.

My passion is creating positive workplace cultures with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two daughters, who keep us very busy! Our favourite place to go is Cornwall. We visit there regularly, as a family and with our Miniature Dachshund, Dexter.