Archbishop Bernard Longley
Bernard Longley, 9th Archbishop of Birmingham, is Chair of the Bishops’ Conference Department of Dialogue and Unity and Episcopal Liaison to the Travellers’ Issues Working Group.
Archbishop Longley also sits on the Mixed Commission of the Conference of Religious. Archbishop Longley was appointed by Pope Benedict as a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization and the co-Chairman of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), with oversight of the third phase of Anglican-Catholic dialogue.
Bishop Timothy Menezes
Bishop Timothy was the Dean of St Chad’s Cathedral from 2019 to his ordination as Bishop in July 2024, and also served as Parish Priest at Sacred Heart and St Margaret Mary, Aston, from 2022.
He was the Vicar General for several years and also the Archbishop’s Secretary. He was also installed as an Ecumenical Canon at Lichfield Cathedral in July 2022.
Following his Ordination in 1995 to the Sacred Priesthood he served at St Michael’s, Wolverhampton; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redditch; St Thomas More, Coventry.
He studied for the Priesthood at St Mary’s College, Oscott, and the Venerable English College, Rome.
Canon Jonathan Veasey
Canon Jonathan Veasey is a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham and serves as Parish Priest of Sacred Heart and Holy Souls in Acocks Green, Birmingham, and as Vicar General.
Canon Jonathan has served as Director of the Diocesan Education Service leading the strategic development of Catholic education for the schools of the Archdiocese.
He currently serves as the Chair of the Diocesan Academy Strategy Board and as a lead trustee for Catholic education.
Christopher Loughran
Chris has recently completed a 30-year career with Deloitte, the international professional services firm. Joining the embryonic management consulting division of Deloitte (then Touche Ross and Co,) in Birmingham in 1987, he has worked both nationally and internationally with the firm. He was admitted to partnership in 1993, led the Technology Consulting practice from 2002-2010 and returned to Birmingham in 2010 to assume the role of Senior Partner for the Midlands Region from 2010-2015. He served as an elected member of the Board of Partners from 2010-2016.
He has served on the Board of Marketing Birmingham from 2011 to 2017 and its successor, the West Midlands Growth Company from 2017 to 2020. He was Deputy Chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership from 2015 to 2020 and Chairman of Midlands Connect Steering Group from 2017 to 2020. Chris served as High Sheriff of the West Midlands in 2018/19 and was made a Deputy Lieutenant in 2019.
Having retired from Deloitte in 2018, Chris now serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the CBSO Development Trust and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Charity. He is President of Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club (where he was previously Chairman for ten years) and Honorary President of Birmingham’s oldest musical theatre company, BMOS.
Kari Gordon
Kari is an education specialist and author with her own educational consultancy company. She has a Master’s Degree in Education. She was Head of Heritage Education for Warwickshire County Council and lectured in Education at Warwick University.
Her consultancy work has included projects for local and national arts and heritage institutions.
She has extensive governance experience in both primary and secondary sector in Catholic schools. Until 2023 she was Catholic Mission Director of Our Lady of the Magnificat MAC. She is currently a member of the Archdiocesan Education sub-committee.
Kari is dyslexic herself and passionate about inclusion, raising the aspirations and achievements of children and young people and sharing the joy of her faith. She has four children one of whom is severely disabled. She is an active member of the SVP and worships at St Francis Parish in Kenilworth.
Eric Kirwan
Currently Chief Operating Officer for the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Responsible for the curia offices incorporating safeguarding, finance, property, HR and communications, diocesan education service, governance and compliance. Prior to this Chair of Board of Directors at Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Company, Alcester.
Experienced CEO and Managing Director, having held a number of positions in both UK and European based companies with full profit and loss responsibility. Comfortable and capable in growing and transforming organisations.
Steve Bell
Steve is a dedicated Catholic leader, guided by the principles of servant leadership. He is the Director of Education at the Archdiocese of Birmingham with a remit to implement the Archbishop’s vision to move all 236 diocesan schools into a smaller number of large, strong and flourishing Catholic multi-academy trusts. Previously as CEO of the first Multi-Academy Company (MAC) in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Steve led16 schools and oversaw exceptional educational outcomes, with all schools rated good or outstanding by OFSTED and CSI/S48, and performance surpassing national averages. A National Leader of Education, Steve has served on the Department for Education’s Expert Advisory Group and the Leadership College for Government’s CEO Connections programme. Additionally, Steve is a trustee of Formatio and is known for his expertise in strategic planning and leadership.