Karen Napier, chief executive officer, English National Ballet
In 2013 Karen Napier took up the position of Chief Execuitve Officer at the English National Ballet. Prior to this, Napier joined London Business School in the newly-created role of Associate Dean of Advancement in 2009. Following a restructuring of the Advancement Group, the School entered the silent phase of a £100 million comprehensive campaign. This campaign supported and expanded the School's world-class research, academic programmes and facilities, with a goal of securing London Business School's long-term future in an increasingly competitive global market.

Simon Lerwill, development director, King Edward's School, Birmingham
Simon Lerwill has been Development Director at King Edward's School, Birmingham since January 2009. During this time the school has set up a new alumni relations programme and raised over £5 million, mainly for bursaries. Prior to this he worked in both major gift and annual fund fundraising at the University of Birmingham. Previously he has also worked for a fundraising consultancy. Lerwill was the recipient of the CASE School's Engagement Award last year.

Shaun Horan, director of campaigns and supporter engagement, University of Reading
Shaun Horan took up the newly created role of Director of Campaigns for the University of Reading this year. He is leading the University's first ever institution-wide fundraising appeal, with an ambitious set of goals aimed at increasing funding and supporter engagement. He has responsibility for all fundraising and supporter related activity. He also has experience of leading and growing PR, Marketing, Events and Student Recruitment teams as well as fundraising. He is Vice-Chair of the CASE Europe Board and is a former Chair of the CASE Europe Conference.

Horan has a wealth of experience across several sectors, beginning his career as a Barrister, before leaving law for the voluntary sector, and spending a decade concentrating on the developing world. He switched to higher education in 2004 accepting the post to establish fundraising at Reading. Over the past eight years, the University has raised around £50 million from a standing start.

Fiona Kirk, director of development and alumni relations, London School of Economics and Political Science
Fiona Kirk joined the LSE in early 2008 as Director of Development and Alumni Relations, inheriting an established department of over 30 staff which has now grown to 40. Her fundraising career includes five years heading up the function at the Science Museum, where she dealt primarily with corporate sponsors, followed by two years as Development Director at English Heritage and five years at Imperial College. She is a Law Graduate and Chartered Accountant and her early career was in Accountancy.

Isabel Penne, director, Leuven University Fund, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Isabel Penne studied at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, before becoming its Alumni Co-ordinator in 1984 for the Alumni Lovanienses, incorporating 30 study-related alumni groups. After organising the University's 575th jubilee celebrations in 2000-01, Penne joined the Leuven University Fund. She has been director of the fund since 2006 and leads a team of eleven. The Leuven University Fund raised 13,500,000 EUR in 2012 for a great variety of projects at the university and its hospital.

Penne has been a member of CASE since 1991. She was a board member of CASE Europe and was a member of the Commission on Alumni Relations at CASE Washington. She has participated in many planning committees for CASE Europe Annual Conference and seminars. She was involved in setting up CASE Lowlands (Holland and Flanders). Penne has lectured at seminars in Holland, Sweden, Germany, France and the UK.

Chris Watts, director of marketing and student recruitment, Northumbria University
Chris Watts is Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at Northumbria University where he has worked for nine years and where he is responsible for overseeing the student experience from initial enquiry to graduation. In this his key responsibilities include: UK/EU and International marketing intelligence; marketing; student recruitment; and, admissions. Watts is a member of the Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM), Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) and the Universities Marketing Forum (UMF).

Beatrice Caston, development director, International School of Düsseldorf (Germany) and head of admissions, communication and development
Beatrice Catson has lived and worked in different countries and, besides her current responsibilities at ISD, she is very actively involved in several international and local organisations, including the Alliance for International Education, the European Council of International Schools, Open Cities, and others. One of her life's endeavours is the furthering of international cooperation and problem solving through education, better international understanding and cross-cultural communication. 

Kate Robertson, director of development and alumni relations, University of Nottingham
Kate Robertson graduated from the University of Liverpool (Chester College) in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts Combined Honours Degree in History and Drama (2:i). She completed a dissertation on state versus private support of theatres, from which her career in fundraising was launched.

Robertson spent 14 years fundraising in arts in the UK, including positions with English National Opera, Tate Liverpool, Arts and Business (North West), the Royal Academy of Arts and Somerset House, covering the full spectrum of individual, trust and foundation and corporate support. She moved to the Higher Education sector in 2004 when she joined the University of Liverpool to establish the University's first in-house Development and Alumni Relations office. In September 2009, Robertson moved to the University of Nottingham to lead their £150M campaign. She has been a member of the UK's Higher Education Ross Group of Development Directors since 2006.