Mr Martin Humphreys has been appointed Principal of King William’s College and The Buchan School, taking charge in time for the start of the Autumn Term in September 2010.

Mr Humphreys first career was in Investment Banking, specialising in Corporate Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge, where he took a degree in History.  After Cambridge, he qualified as a Barrister before becoming a ‘happy convert’ to teaching in his early thirties. His teaching career began as a member of the History Faculty at Eton from where he moved to Shrewsbury School in 1995.

He will move to the Island from his current role at Shrewsbury School as Head of Communications and Marketing, a role he has undertaken since 2008.  His career at Shrewsbury began in 1995 as a teacher of History, and he was quickly promoted to the role of Housemaster.  At Shrewsbury, he has combined his senior management role with a continuing commitment to his vocation as a teacher of History.  Highly regarded in the UK, Shrewsbury can boast Charles Darwin, Michael Heseltine and Michael Palin amongst its former pupils.

Nigel Wood, Chairman of the Governor’s of King William’s College said: "Martin Humphreys will bring an exciting dimension to the hugely talented Common Room at King William’s College and The Buchan School. We as a Board have a fiduciary duty to seek to offer the very best in independent education to our pupils in order to prepare them for life.  Martin brings business experience, the law, academia and experience of two of the finest schools in the UK to the Island. This, combined with his passion for education and huge sense of fun, will I suspect, be a potent and defining combination for the school."

Mr Humphreys and his family will move to the Island during the summer holidays.  Speaking about his appointment, he said: “Francesca and I are really looking forward to working with the talented and dedicated staff at King William’s College and The Buchan School to continue to provide an excellent and broad educational experience for girls and boys.  Both schools enjoy a beautiful and unique setting – a wonderful environment from which to prepare young people for life. My role as Principal will be to keep the schools strong, flexible and forward thinking.”