Russell Keith Hobby CBE (born 22 January 1972 [1] ) is the CEO of TKAT, The Kemnal Academies Trust. Russell was previously the CEO of Teach First from 2017-2025.
He was born in Abingdon-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. His father, a plasma physicist for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. His mother was a qualified primary school teacher. He attended a comprehensive school, the John Mason School. He went to Corpus Christi College, Oxford to study PPE, leaving in 1993.
He became General Secretary of NAHT in September 2010. [2] He was re-elected General Secretary in January 2015. [3] In May 2017, he was appointed CEO of Teach First. [4]
Russell replaced Dr Karen Roberts, as CEO of TKAT in September 2025.
Hobby was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to education. [5]
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