Emma Swansbury

Emma leads the Finance and Estates function as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Finance & Estates Partner.

She oversees the Trust’s finance team, including Finance Business Partners and Accounts Clerks, as well as the Estates function, which is supported by Cluster Facilities Managers. Together, these teams ensure that LST’s financial planning, resource management and estate operations are efficient, compliant and aligned with the Trust’s strategic priorities.

The Finance and Estates function is responsible for delivering strong financial stewardship, effective budgeting and forecasting, and high‑quality estates management across all academies. As a team, they bring expertise in financial strategy, audit and compliance, procurement, capital planning, risk management and the development of safe, well‑maintained learning environments.

Emma brings extensive experience from across the education sector, having held senior leadership roles in both primary and secondary settings, including Trust Business Manager and CFO positions. She holds a BA (Hons) in School Business Management, is a Chartered Manager with the Chartered Management Institute, and is an active member of the Schools North East Business Managers Council.

Working at a strategic level, Emma ensures that financial and estates operations enable the Trust to deliver on its mission of transforming lives through extraordinary education.