Notable Alumni
Emilia Wickstead (Sir James 1998 - 2002)
'a designer known for dressing some of the most high-profile women in London society' - Vogue
British-based and New Zealand born, Emilia spent her formative years in Milan, where she attended the Sir James Henderson, the British School of Milan. Subsequently she gained a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing at Central Saint Martin's London with Honours in 2007.
After graduating, Emilia worked at fashion houses Giorgio Armani, Proenza Schouler, Narciso Rodriguez and Vogue in New York and Milan. Before returning to London to establish her own label in 2008 by opening her first store in Belgravia.
Originally commencing as a made-to-measure atelier, Emilia’s collections are currently seasonal ready-to-wear and showcased at London Fashion Week from SS12.
Emilia Wickstead is stocked in retailers globally including Net-A-Porter, Selfridges, Matches, Harvey Nichols and Moda Operandi alongside of her flagship store which opened in 2014, on London’s Sloane Street.
In her own words:
'Being at Sir James Henderson was a time when I was in my element - especially Art class with Mr Cooper who gave me a new focus, the confidence to be as creative as possible and helped me to grow and pursue what I found challenging. He also had a superb way of challenging me as his student every day and I thrived on this and learnt so much! Separate to this, my other teachers too helped me truly excel from being not so confident a student in my work. School became challenging in all the right ways - I found my feet in a very new and diverse culture and environment and I feel so incredibly lucky to have been taught by such a brilliant faculty of teachers who made me feel very comfortable and again confident in my work - Miss Braithwaite and Mr Orford I couldn’t not mention. They were incredible.'Emilia Wickstead - Website
Maurizio Giuliano (Sir James 1991 - 1992)
A top UN envoy, currently Director of the UN Information Centre in Rio de Janeiro
Born in Milan, Maurizio attended the Sir James Henderson, British School of Milan. He went on to study PPE at Oxford and completed an MPhil in Latin American Studies at Cambridge.
In April 2017 Maurizio was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as Director of the United Nations Information Centre for Brazil, located in Rio de Janeiro, making him the most senior official of the United Nations Secretariat in this vast South American country.
Since Maurizio first worked for the United Nations as a volunteer in 2000 in Timor-Leste, this is the fourteenth country where he has served for this global organisation – mostly in conflict or post-conflict contexts.
The post entails conveying information and messages to Brazilian audiences about the work and positions of the United Nations at global and domestic levels, as well as promoting Brazil’s continued engagement in the Organization’s peacekeeping, political, development, humanitarian and other work. While the relationship between Brazil and the United Nations has traditionally been and remains excellent, making the United Nations visible in such a vast country can be challenging
In his own words:
'Being at Sir James Henderson was a time when I really had no clue what to do afterwards. Studying for the first year of A-levels, I chose Mathematics and Physics – but ended up taking my exams in three languages and went on to study social sciences – with an exciting gap year in the middle. I have very fond memories of those subjects, of Mr. Leech the Headmaster and all his staff. I remember keenly the cozy ambiance in the courtyard and a sense of thriving multiculturalism – something that enabled me to be in an international environment without leaving my native city.'
Article on Maurizio Giuliano's Appointment - Corriere della Sera
Pietro Cicuta (Sir James 1979 - 1988)
Renowned Cambridge academic with expertise in Biological Physics and Soft Matter
Born in Milan, Pietro attended the Sir James Henderson, the British School of Milan for nine formative years. He graduated from the Universita degli Studi di Milano in 1999, with a Laurea in Physics, 110/110 cum laude. He was awarded a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge in 2003.
Apart from two short spells as visiting student and researcher at Stanford University, Pietro has worked at Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory as Oppenheimer Research Fellow, Lecturer and Reader since 2003.
Now a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and a Reader in Physics, Pietro works in the Cavendish Laboratory's Biological and Soft Systems Sector. The 21st Century has already seen major expansion in interdisciplinary research between physics and biological and medical sciences. Pietro's team seeks new answers to pressing topical questions, by using quantitative physical approaches (a combination of experiment, theory and computer simulation) and developing new technology, while working in non-traditional multidisciplinary teams.
In his own words:
'I have the fondest memory of my years at SJHS, which at the time was split into Primary and Senior Schools, in separate locations. Of Primary School I remember the enthusiasm of all the teachers, singing, the exciting quick mental maths tests, and tireless playground running... plus an unexpected and slightly surreal water pistol exchange between our form teachers on one very hot day before Summer break. The Senior School had an amazing set of science and maths teachers, and I owe them a lot. But everything was done very professionally and with lots of thought, and I can see how the huge attention given (and required of us) in music and art gave me methods and confidence that became useful later elsewhere. I still meet regularly with quite a lot of friends I made at SJHS, now scattered far and wide!'
Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi (Sir James 1988 - 2003)
'distinguished multi-talented Renaissance woman & member of the Women Film Critics Circle' - Critical Women on Film
Chiara spent her formative years in Milan, where she attended the Sir James Henderson, the British School of Milan from Nursery to Year 13. A true polymath, she is a storyteller, painter, film-maker, screenwriter, journalist and film critic for both Italian and English speaking audiences in the world of culture and cinema.
Chiara works as a freelance journalist for television, radio, print and online. She is also a visual artist and has exhibited her artwork around the world.
Last year she was offered a visiting professorship at the Istituto Europeo di Design of Milan in the Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts. She is currently in charge of the publicity and PR for the Socially Relevant Film Festival in New York.
In her own words:
'At SJHS I had the chance to cultivate a diverse selection of subjects; as much as the extra-curricular activities, I recall studying English Literature, French, Spanish, Psychology, Art, Theatre Studies and being engaged with my beloved choir, which still remains one of my fondest memories. All faculty was exceptional in making sure students cultivated their aptitude, within a multicultural environment. Had I not attended SJHS I wouldn't have had the open-mindedness to wear many hats, and become the multifaceted woman with wanderlust I am today, continuously seeking that same international community I grew up in.'
Gabriele Lombardo (Sir James 2003 - 2011)
A London-based actor, movie and theatre maker working across the performing arts industry
Born in Milan and raised in Ireland, Gabriele completed his secondary education back in his hometown at the British School of Milan, from Year 6 to Year 13. He then attended the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where he trained as a performer, specialising in collaborative and devised theatre-making under the guidance of directors from renowned theatre companies such as Complicite.
Since graduating in 2014 Gabriele has performed on the stage at the world famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in a The Scotsman Fringe First Awards winning show, as a guest in a handful of episodes on the much loved and long-running TV soap Eastenders, and in a variety of collaboratively made theatre and dance-theatre pieces on the indie scene. He has also provided the movement for computer-animated-imagery (CGI) characters on children's TV shows, and is now working to establish his own independent ensemble of theatre makers alongside his personal acting career.
In his own words:
'Everyday I experience the impact that Sir James has had on me as I practice my profession: as an actor I am constantly asked to fit in to one of the 'casting boxes' that the industry provides, but the international environment of SJHS which I was a part of for so long means that I am seen for American roles as much as I am seen for Italian roles. I always have to explain that my 'hybrid' accent and mixed cultural identity is thanks to the school that I went to! This works to my advantage as it really helps me to stand out in a very competitive world. At SJHS I was given the opportunity to test as many paths as possible before deciding what I wanted to do, and experiences such as choir, MUN and school productions still hold a special place in my heart. When I finally decided I wanted to train as an actor I received much support from tutors at the school, in spite of it being a road less travelled. For this I am very grateful, and I hope that every aspiring artist/performer/musician is as lucky as I was to have someone at school to validate their desire to make art.'
Shant Oknayan (Sir James 1983-1998)
Top Business Development Executive, Group Director at Facebook, Middle East and North Africa
Shant Oknayan is currently the Group Director at Facebook in the Middle East and North Africa. Nominated a “Top 50 SME Executive” in 2013 by Start-Up Arabian Business, Shant holds an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a Masters with honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College London.
Shant has over 17 years of experience in leading strategy & business development, with subject-matter expertise in digital and investment strategies for governments and corporations, having most recently headed up Google’s market development for small & medium businesses in the Middle East and North Africa.
Shant’s understanding of the start-up space saw him co-found GlamBox, the first and leading beauty e-commerce company in the MENA region with venture backing from regional institutional investors, and nominated a “Most Promising Start-up in the UAE” by Forbes Middle East in 2015, 2016 and 2017. GlamBox was acquired by a consortium of Saudi Arabia-based investors in late 2017.
Shant was also Google’s Head of Strategy & Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, and prior to that spent 8 years as a management consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, leading business technology and digital strategy projects for governments, large organizations, and investment firms both in the Middle East and Europe.
In his own words:
'I have the fondest memories of my 15 years at SJH, from the playgrounds of Via Mancinelli to the current beautiful facilities, passing by the "urban" school setting in Viale Lombardia. The school shaped me into the person I am today, with what I can only describe as "light-hearted seriousness"; its focus on academic excellence across all subjects taught in an informal manner by knowledgeable and approachable teachers. And all of this in an inclusive environment, epitomized by its international staff and student body. When I look back, I can't help but smile at the thoughts of the various concerts, sports days, field trips, pantomimes and wonderful day to day interactions with staff and students alike.'
Deborah Bonetti, (Sir James 1979 - 1986)
Director at Foreign Press Association, London
Deborah was born in Milan and attended the Sir James Henderson school until the first year of her A Levels. To complete her studies, she went to Cambridge and sat her A Levels in English Lit, French, Italian and Art there. She came back to Milan to study Public Relations at Accademia di Comunicazione but then returned to London to work as a journalist (starting as deputy correspondent for Gazzetta dello Sport) and read English at Birkbeck (UCL). She later took a sabbatical to study for her MA at UCL, and kept writing, moving over to the broadsheet QN-Il Giorno. She rose through the rungs of the Foreign Press Association by becoming its Vice President (2014-2016) and then its President (2016-2018) before taking over a more executive role as Director at the beginning of 2018 – the first Italian national and the first woman to do so. She continues to write for QN-Il Giorno, reporting mainly on politics, culture and current affairs.
Her job at the FPA entails putting together the programme and activities of the Association, which is the oldest association of foreign journalists in the world, having just celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2018. It is also the largest, with around 500 members representing over 250 news outlets (from El Mundo to Corriere della Sera, from Le Figaro to CNN, from the Asahi Shimbun to Rede Globo) and more than 60 countries around the world. She regularly attends PMQs in the Press Gallery in Parliament, as well as all the Brexit votes, and organises briefings with top politicians (Keir Starmer, Stephen Barclay, Tony Blair, Nicola Sturgeon, Chuka Umunna, Anna Soubry, Sinn Fein leadership etc) as well as press trips to areas of interest, such as Belfast (to celebrate the Good Friday Agreement’s 20th birthday in 2018) and Liverpool (for the opening of the Beatles Story Museum).
In her words:
“I remember fondly my time at SJHS and I am still in contact with many of my old classmates, through Facebook etc. Most are not in London, but we still manage to meet up whenever possible. The school was a very special place when I was there, truly international and way ahead of its time in terms of making everyone feel welcome – no matter where they came from. It taught me a lot and gave me the courage and resilience to follow my dreams. Some standout teachers that I have never forgotten include Miss Sessions (her geography classes were legendary), Mr Cooper (a truly inspiring art teacher) and Mr Wright (I loved taking part in the choir, and orchestral group - it was huge fun)”.