Shabir Ismail, Principal/CEO
Shabir joined Leicester College in October 2010 and brings nearly 30 years of experience in the Further Education sector. Throughout his career, he has held key roles at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) and worked as a consultant supporting other colleges.
Beyond education, Shabir is deeply committed to community engagement. He has held numerous non-executive positions across secondary and primary schools, the NHS, the Leicester Riders Foundation, and the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). He currently serves on the board of East Midlands Housing (EMH) Association and a local primary school.
Shabir has also played a vital role in regional development, having been part of the executive team at the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and a member of the Leicester Safeguarding Children Partnership Board.
A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics. He has a passion for education and the community we serve.
Amanda Scott, Director of Human Resources
Amanda joined the College early in 2025 as Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining Leicester College, Amanda served as Director of Human Resources for a Multi-Academy Trust in the Leicester region. She also brings previous leadership experience in business management from the private sector. Amanda is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree, a Diploma in Business Management and currently serves as a governor at a primary school in Leicester City.
Louise Hazel, Director of Governance and Policy
Louise was appointed as Director of Governance and Policy in 2016 having previously held a policy and planning role at the College. Before joining Leicester College she worked for the Further Education Funding Council.
Louise has several years’ experience as a school governor in both primary and secondary schools as well as experience as Company Secretary for a City school. She is currently a governor at a Leicestershire secondary academy.
Randeep Sami, Deputy Principal for Curriculum and Quality
Randeep Sami brings more than two decades of experience in further education as a teacher, leader, and senior executive. In his role, Randeep provides strategic leadership across curriculum planning, teaching and learning, and quality improvement, ensuring provision is ambitious, inclusive, and focused on delivering strong outcomes for learners, employers, and communities.
Before joining Leicester College, Randeep held senior leadership roles at Birmingham Metropolitan College, including Vice Principal, where he led large and diverse curriculum portfolios spanning 16–19 study programmes, adult provision, apprenticeships, and higher-level technical education. His work has consistently focused on strengthening curriculum intent, improving teaching quality, and embedding robust quality assurance frameworks that support staff development and learner success.
Randeep began his career as a teacher, delivering ICT and Business Studies across all levels, from entry and level 2 programmes through to advanced study and higher education. He also has significant experience in Teacher Education, supporting the development of new and aspiring teachers and contributing to the improvement of teaching practice across organisations. This grounding as a practitioner continues to shape his leadership approach, ensuring strategy remains closely connected to the realities of the classroom.
He holds a Master’s degree in Education and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute for Further Education. Randeep is passionate about curriculum design that meets local and regional skills needs, high-quality teaching that transforms life chances, and creating a culture where staff feel supported, challenged, and empowered to deliver excellence.
Zubair Limbada, Deputy Principal Finance and Corporate Services (CFO)
Zubair spent 10 years at De Montfort University, where he served as Deputy Director of Financial Control. Zubair also brings valuable governance experience from his time as a Governor at Leicester College, including as Chair of the Audit Committee.
In his role as Chief Financial Officer, Zubair will provide strategic oversight of the College’s finances and corporate service areas, including MIS, IT, Student Services, Marketing, and Estates and Facilities. His focus will be on financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and ensuring our infrastructure supports outstanding teaching, learning, and student experiences.