Trustee Board
Guiding your union
Our Trustee Board monitors, guide and ultimately takes responsibility for the way that the students' union operates. Our trustees are made up of the full-time members of our elected Officer Team, appointed current students (or 'student trustees') and appointed external trustees who bring a wealth and breadth of experience.
Together, they help form the strategic direction of De Montfort Students' Union (DSU), ensuring we meet the needs of all of our members at De Montfort University (DMU).
Geoff Kershaw
SME and Large Corporates Professional
Chair of the Board
With over 25 years of experience working in SME’s and large corporates, Geoff brings a wealth of commercial, change management and leadership experience to the board. He has worked in the UK and internationally for Walgreen Boots Alliance (formerly The Boots Company), as part of the strategy development team at Barclays Bank and latterly as Managing Director or Thorntons Retail, part of the Ferrero UK Group.
Currently Geoff runs his own business as an SME mentor and consultant, he is co-founder of a Dubai based Retail and Wholesale business and a Non-Executive Director of The Retail Summer School Ltd.
Phil Gilks
Higher Education Professional
Phil has developed a career within the sector that spans both universities and students’ unions. Currently the Chief Executive of City University of London Students’ Union and the co-chair of the City, University of London Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team. Phil started his journey in students’ unions as a student staff member before being elected President of Brighton Students’ Union. He has since worked for the University of Chichester Students’ Union and both the students’ Union and University at Queen Mary University of London.
Phil has joined DSU as an External Trustee to give something back to the sector and help DSU in the next steps along its journey. Phil is particularly interested in supporting DSU to develop and implement its new strategy, ensuring future success.
Laura Arends
CEO, Big Difference Company
Laura is Chief Executive of Big Difference Company, the charity that produces Leicester Comedy Festival, and has a background in arts marketing.
Beverley Shears
Beverley Shears was appointed as an independent governor in August 2020. She Chairs the People and Culture Committee and is a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Beverley’s career has seen her carrying out a number of leadership and HR-related roles, including Head of Customer Experience for the Olympic Delivery Authority, Director of Offender Management East Midlands at the National Offender Management Service, Group HR Director for the Ministry of Justice and Department of Constitutional Affairs, and Deputy Managing Director and HR Director for Stagecoach South West Trains Ltd. More recently, Beverley has founded her own change consultancy, Blue Amaranth Consultancy Ltd, which provides advice on coaching, service transformation, organisational development, and people engagement strategies.
Beverley has non-executive experience on the board of the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, the British Transport Police Authority, and the Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust.
Luke Martin
BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Luke made to decision to become a student trustee to be part of helping the SU bounce back from the pandemic as well as he could. He is eager to continue to explore some of the great work going on to make this happen.
DMU gave him the opportunity to study after the A Levels controversy of 2020 left Luke ineligible for his first choice of Uni. He is grateful to be a student of DMU and is glad he came, as the opportunities that have been made available to him have been much more impressive than those he is aware of from other Universities.
Mehul Parekh
PhD Law 2nd Year
Mehul became a student trustee to better serve his fellow students at the university by helping to make sure that decisions made within the union are within good faith and for the collective betterment for all students.
He chose DMU as his place to study as he loves the vibrant and diverse student and academic community which identifies and celebrates the individual success and abilities, whilst working towards the common goal of personal development through education.
Stephanie Glazebrook
LLB Human Rights
Stephanie is an active member of the DMU and DSU community and applied to be a trustee to have an influence on the direction the Students' Union takes. She studies LLB Human Rights, is a course rep for the third year running, and academic zone representative and society chairperson for the second year running. Areas of interest include legal, regulatory, and development of the SU to ensure it continues to serve students effectively.
Benjamin Smith
LLM Legal Practice
Ben is a third year BSC Mathematics student and has been involved in the Students' Union throughout his time at De Montfort University, holding the position of Welfare Executive for the 20/21 and 21/22 academic years.
His decision to become a trustee was so he could continue to develop the great work that DSU does and contribute to the community of DMU that he loves.
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Amir Iqbal
Union Development Executive
Deputy Chair of the Board
Amir is a first term officer and is a DMU graduate in Accounting and Finance. He was elected as the Union Development Executive Officer.
He has been a student ambassador since his first year at university and has gone on within the student union to being a committee member for various societies, to being a final year course rep for his course.
Amir aim for this year as an executive is to help make the student’s union more accessible to the student community. This includes improving the union’s interaction in social and academic aspects that students are facing and giving students a platform to project their voice.
Nyashadzashe Gnuwo
Academic Executive
Nyashadzashe is a first term officer and 2nd year student of Advertising and Marketing Communications, elected as DSU’s Academic Executive for 2021/22..
Heavily involved with activities in the union and a student ambassador for university, Nyasha has also become an on-campus brand ambassador for GSK. Nyasha has a desire to make a positive impact during his time at DMU, assisting students to have a memorable experience.
Nyasha’s goal is to bring more awareness to students about what the union and university can do for them, and the services available for students to access. Making sure the student voice is heard to make positive change within the union and university.
He has a love of meeting new people, socialising, watching and playing sport, especially rugby. Nyasha will return to his studies on conclusion of his time as Academic Executive Officer.
Meera Dasani
Equality & Diversity Executive
Meera is a first term officer and studied an undergraduate degree in Business and Management. While studying for her degree Meera was a course rep and sat on the academic zone of student council. Meera was also part of the Employability Mentoring scheme and Student Action Committee. Meera’s aim for the year is to make all students feel part of the university and feel they are equal. Also, to represent, support and listen to students to enhance their student experience.
Aashni Sawjani
Opportunities & Engagement Executive
Aashni is a first term officer and MA Advertising and PR Management student, elected as DSU’s Opportunities & Engagement Officer for 2021/22.
Also, a Graduate of BA LLB Law, MA Investigative Journalism and MA LLM Legal Practice Course, Aashni has a wealth of student experience and professional knowledge. Being involved with the union, through her time on society committees, MyUniPal rep and Student Ambassador, she has fully seen the impact the union has had on the university experience.
To Aashni, being an exec means having access to staff and facilities she may not have as a student, being able to form those networks allows her to utilise everything to make a true difference. To be able to celebrate diversity in a space that allows everyone to make mistakes, grow and achieve success is what drives Aashni to better the student experience for all
When not dancing, find Aashni dancing or on a road trip, she is all laughs, discussions, food and music. Aashni will return to her studies on conclusion of her time as Opportunities & Engagement Officer.
Aliya Amin Khan
Welfare Executive
Aliya is a first term officer and studied an undergraduate degree in Business information system. While studying her undergrad Aliya was a course rep and part of student council, academic zone and open zone. While carrying out her role as welfare executive aliya will be focusing on improving mental and physical health of students on campus, to ensure inclusion and diversity is represented. In Aliya’s spare time she loves spending time with friends and watching movies.