ABOUT OBS
Leadership
Senior Leadership
Nick Sellers
Headmaster
Born in Porto, Nick Sellers attended OBS until he was 9, before continuing his education in the UK. After graduating from Oxford University, Nick worked briefly in commerce and marketing before deciding that his true vocation was in the world of education. Nick began his teaching career at The King’s School, Canterbury before moving to Eton College, where for 25 years he enjoyed a number of leadership roles including running languages departments and the Boat Club during a period of significant change and its preparation for the London Olympic bid. Nick was the senior rowing coach at Eton, coaching the school’s 1st VIII and senior squad as well as medal-winning international crews for the Great Britain junior team at the World Championships. More recently, he was a house master for 12 years, before taking on the role of Director of Admissions. Nick chaired various committees within the Eton framework, including groups associated with marketing, capital development projects and pastoral provision. He has also been a governor and Chair of the pastoral committee at a leading U.K. independent boarding and day prep school, as well as overseas governor at OBS, chairing the Education Committee and the Pastoral Subcommittee. A return to Portugal in 2021 represents a long-term commitment to OBS and its future for Nick and his wife Anna, who have three grown up children. Nick spends his free time wishing his garden would mow, prune and water itself.
Marta Luiz
Business Manager
Marta started her career in investment banking (corporate finance/M&A) and has worked in strategy, business development and strategic planning and control before she became the CFO of the renewable energy and metallic construction divisions of a Portuguese listed company. She earned a BA (1st Class Hons) in managment from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a MSc. in Accounting and Finance from Lancaster University. Marta became the Business Manager at OBS in September 2020. She is also a Member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee at Lancaster University and a Lecturer in Accounting & Finance in Católica Porto Business School. Marta lived in the UK for seven years until 2019, when she decided to move back to Portugal. During this period, she held the position of Financial Director in the Diocese of Westminster, helping to define the organization’s strategy and managing the accounting, financial, treasury and internal audit teams. She was also a Governor and Member of the Finance Committee at Westminster Cathedral Choir School, an independent school for boys in central London. Marta has one son and one daughter. She enjoys travelling and spending time outdoors with friends and family.
Jonathan Bridges
Head of Co-Curriculum and Accreditation Coordinator
A teacher of long standing at OBS, Jonathan Bridges is married with three children. He was born in the UK but completed his secondary and university education in Australia, attending Newington College and the University of Wollongong. Before joining OBS in 2003, Jonathan taught in both England and Australia, taking on management roles such as Personal Social & Health Education (PSHE) lead in London and IT Coordinator in Sydney. Jonathan has held numerous positions at OBS: he was appointed Head of Pastoral in 2018 and served the school in 2020-21 as School Board Coordinator (Acting Head). Jonathan is now the school’s first Head of Co-Curriculum, with the specific remit of further developing and improving all aspects of the school’s exciting co-curricular offering. Jonathan is an experienced Accreditation Team Member for the Council of International Schools (CIS) and has carried out multiple accreditation visits across Europe. Jonathan loves living in Porto and embraces the wonderful outdoor lifestyle that the school’s location affords. A dedicated life-long surfer, Jonathan can be seen catching waves at any one of the many local surf spots. He is a keen cyclist and camper as well as an avid reader. When he is not out and about with his children or bobbing up and down on the waves, Jonathan loves nothing more than spending a few restful hours with a good book.
Stacey Howard
HEAD OF Primary
Stacey Howard is originally from England and brings with her extensive experience of education and educational leadership from around the world, including expertise with the British National Curriculum and the IB Primary Years Programme. Before working at OBS, Stacey was a Headteacher in Switzerland, a Curriculum Coordinator, school inspector, and Head of Key Stage One. Stacey has worked in England, Dubai, Switzerland and Singapore. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education with Honours from Swansea Metropolitan University with a double specialism in Key Stage One and English. She also has a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Stacey is a strong believer in building trust within teams to ensure the highest standards of teaching and learning are met. She believes that this is integral to providing an education that develops a love of learning within the whole child. Stacey is an avid reader, book clubber, and cyclist.
Chris Payne
HEAD OF SECONDARY
Chris is a Bachelor of Science with Qualified Teacher Status having completed his teacher training with Greenwich University.Originally from Australia, Chris Payne started his career as a Tradesperson with Australian Defence Industries, building and maintaining Minehunters for the Royal Australian Navy. He has also worked on other major projects in the rail industry in both Australia and the UK. He is currently working on an Applied Masters programme with the University of London in partnership with UCL. Prior to joining OBS, Chris worked in education in a variety of leadership roles in the UK, Spain, and Australia. He has a passion for education and is a strong advocate for ‘lifelong learning’. Chris enjoys travelling, cooking and exploring the beautiful Portuguese countryside.
Board of Governors
Maria João Carrapato
Chair of the Board
Maria João Carrapato was re-elected to the Board of Governors in November 2021, having previously been Chair of the Board from 2014 to 2020. Director of Investor Relations and Sustainability at NOS SGPS since 2020, Maria João led the Investor Relations team of NOS since 2007 and prior to that was responsible for Investor Relations at two other Portuguese PSI20 companies, Sonae Indústria and Sonaecom between 2000 and 2007. She started her career as a financial analyst at Banco Português do Atlântico (1994-1995) and later moved onto the equity sales team at Banco Português de Investimento (1995-2000). Maria João was a founding member and the first Chairman of the Portuguese Investor Relations Society, founded in 2009 and in 2020 was elected President of the Executive Committee of the Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club. Maria João has a degree in Business Management from Universidade Católica Portuguesa (1994) and an MBA from the University of Oporto Business School (2004). The daughter of a British mother and Portuguese father, and herself with dual nationality, Maria João spent her early school years in the UK, until the age of 13, when she returned with her family to live in Oporto in 1984. Maria João has two children, both of whom completed primary schooling at OBS. Maria João has been awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen on the 2021 New Year’s Honors list, for services provided to British Education in Portugal.
Isabel Barros
Isabel Barros is CHRO, Executive Board Member at MC, Non-Executive Board Member at Sonae Indústria and Bright Pixel. In May 2023 she integrated the Board of GRACE – Responsible Business Association.
In the 2019-2023 Quadrennial, she was President of APED ( Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies) and Vice- President of the Executive Committee of CIP (Portuguese Business Confederation).
Since October 2022, she is Member of the Board of Católica Porto Business School Association and External Member of the Representatives Council of Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Porto University.
Since July 2022, she is member of the Editorial Board of Executive Digest Magazine.
Since November 2020, she integrates the Board of Governors of Oporto British School.
In 2019, she was appointed Vice-Chair of BCSD (Business Council for Sustainable Development), a non-profit association that aggregates and represents more than 90 leading companies in Portugal, which are actively committed to the transition to Sustainability. Also, in 2019, Isabel was awarded by the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) in the category ‘Excellence’ of the Leading Women Awards, focused on the recognition of women leaders with a differentiated contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In 2015, she was nominated a member of the Executive Board of Junior Achievement Portugal (JAP), the Portuguese counterpart of the largest and oldest non-profit organization for education in entrepreneurship in the world.
With a degree in Psychology from the University of Porto and an MBA from EADA Business School Barcelona and Nagoya International School Japan, Isabel Barros is often a speaker and guest teacher in forums on Talent Management, Development and Leadership, sharing her knowledge and more than 20 years of experience in these areas, in a national and international context.
Euan Mackay
Born in France of British parents in 1965, Euan was educated in England completing his studies at Birmingham University. Euan joined the wine trade in 1987 working for Tanners Wines before beginning his association with the Symington Family in 1990 with John E Fells & Sons. During this period, he continued his studies achieving his WSET Diploma and the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma.
He joined Symington Family Estates in 1996, as their Business Development Manager responsible for sales and marketing for France, the Benelux and Asia. In 2008, having moved to Portugal with his wife and two children a couple of years before, Euan was appointed to the board as Sales Director. He is now the Commercial Director responsible for the sales and marketing of all Symington Port and Wine brands worldwide.
In 2010 he was responsible for setting up together with the Fladgate Partnership, the Vintage Port Academy. The main purpose of this association is to promote the appreciation and knowledge of Vintage Port across Asia. The Academy is now in its 10th year with over 1000 members of the wine and spirit trade having attended its workshops.
He is also involved in various other associations including the Factory House in Oporto where he was the Treasurer in 2015 and the Oporto British School, where was Chairman of the Statutory Audit Board.
Euan’s two children attended OBS before going to Boarding schools in the UK.
Rodrigo Pinto Ribeiro
Rodrigo is a Senior Partner at Oliver Wyman with 24+ years of experience in strategy consulting. Rodrigo joined Oliver Wyman in London in 1999, and during his tenure at the firm he has held multiple positions including those of Head of European Bank Restructuring, Head of Iberian Financial Services and member of the firm’s Partner Review Committee. He currently leads the firm’s activities in Portugal.
During his time at Oliver Wyman, Rodrigo has advised leading Iberian, European and Brazilian institutions on a broad range of strategy, business, capital management and funding/liquidity issues. Rodrigo has also acted as an advisor to governments and regulators in several European jurisdictions on crisis related issues, including on bank restructuring and the management of distressed assets.
Prior to joining Oliver Wyman Rodrigo spent 3 years working for the Sonae group on strategy and M&A related roles.
Rodrigo holds an MBA (Dean’s List) from INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France) and a Degree in Economics from the Faculty of Economics of Porto (Portugal). He is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Rodrigo is a an OBS alumnus, and his two children are currently both attending the school.
Jimmy Scragg
After reading Classics at Oxford University, Jimmy began his teaching career at Oundle School. From there he moved to the Classics Department at Eton College, where he also ran the boat club and was a CCF Officer. He went on to be a Housemaster for over eight years, heading a group of six other HMs. During that time, he covered the Director of Welfare role and worked as Ofqual’s lead reviewer for the current GCSE and A level examinations in Classics. He was on Eton’s professional development, academic development and staffing committees and chaired the Common Room’s representative body. Jimmy has been a prep school governor, chair of governors at an academy in a deprived area of Slough, and a director of a multi-academy trust.
Jimmy is currently Deputy Head at Marlborough College.
Charlotte Symington
Charlotte grew up in Porto and attended the OBS from 1990-1996, followed by secondary education in the UK. Charlotte started her working career at the Royal Bank of Scotland in the UK, organising RBS corporate events in London and aboard. Subsequently, Charlotte has worked in the PR and marketing sectors, including White Cube, one of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries. In 2013 she joined John E Fells, a major UK fine wine importer and distributor, as Senior Brand Manager representing her family’s wines in the UK. Charlotte returned to Porto in 2018 to join her family business, Symington Family Estates where she is responsible for their four major port brands and brand management team. Two of Charlotte’s three children are currently at the OBS.
Natasha Bridge
Natasha was born in February 1963, educated in Oporto at the OBS until the age of 13, followed by Boarding school and Exeter University in the UK.
With executive roles in PR and Marketing in UK wine trade until 1994, Natasha returned to Oporto in 1994 to work for the family company, The Fladgate Partnership and was a Head blender for the group until 2013. She continues as Non Executive Director for The Fladgate Partnership.
Natasha trained as yoga instructor in 2014/15, Master in 2018 and was a yoga teacher at OBS for both children and staff from 2015-2019.
Natasha’s three children were born in Porto and educated at OBS and in the UK.
Álvaro Nascimento
Full Professor of Economics and Finance, and the rector of Universidade Fernando Pessoa. More than 30 years teaching economics and finance, having served before at Universidade Católica Portuguesa and Universidade do Porto. Nonexecutive director in several companies’ boards (from retailing to finance) and nonprofit organisations. Research interests in Industrial Organization, Competition and Regulation, Corporate Behaviour and Finance. PhD in Banking and Finance – Cass Business School (London) – and a MSc in Internal Trade and Finance – University of Lancaster (UK), and research fellow at London on regulation and competition Business School. Álvaro is the Chair of Education Committee and his daughter was a student at OBS.
Luís Loureiro
Luis Loureiro came to Porto in 1991 to study Architecture. He joined Tecnopor in 1997 and worked in several projects in the equipment and industrial area until 2003, while developing at the same time a freelance activity. During this period, he received several awards for his work, namely the Municipal Prize of Heritage from Montemor-o-Velho.
He joined Symington Family Estates in 2003, in the Património Department, becoming responsible for maintenance, projects and works in Vila Nova de Gaia and Douro and having subsequently assumed the position of Head of Department of Gestão do Património. In 2019 he was appointed to the board of directors as Director of Património, a position he currently holds further to being chair of the company’s Coordination Committee.
During this period, he continued his studies, taking the General Management Course at Porto Business School in 2016-2017.
The works developed at Symington have been published in several specialized magazines. He is the author and responsible for numerous works and projects carried out at Symington. His and his team’s work at Symington has received several awards and prizes, having been invited and selected to participate in various exhibitions, publications and to present their work at various conferences and seminars. These works, which include the rehabilitation of Graham’s 1890 Lodge, have received national and international recognition.
He is also affiliated with other associations, including the Factory House in Porto, where he is a Representative Member.
Our Students Leaders
Head Boy and Girl | Primary and Secondary
