In addition to her current duties as President at De Montfort University Kazakhstan, Sakina has also been Former Deputy Director General, Academic Director and Project Director in a variety of educational projects and institutions both in the UK and abroad. She has more than 25 years of experience in managing improvement programmes, as well as devising and overseeing activities and management in the field of education. Her experience covers both government initiatives to reform education and the implementation of programmes led by private investors.

Hugh is the founding CEO of NPCAT, one of the largest multi-academic trusts in the UK. With more than 15,000 students and more than 2,000 employees from 38 academies, which, according to the Ministry of Education, NPCAT ranks 6th in England.

Over his 29 years of experience, Hugh’s previous positions include Director of Academic Programmes and Operations, he led several education reform programmes, as well as developing and opening new schools around the world. Hugh played a key role in the development of one of the leading educational improvement agencies in the Middle East, and his teams of educational improvement consultants provided support to educational institutions in the region.

In addition to overseeing the creation of the AIFC and IAC Courts, Chris also serves as judge for the enforcement of court decisions of the AIFC Court. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, he is a member of the AIFC Legal Advisory Council, which reviews and approves AIFC legislation. He is a member of the Working Group on Judicial and Legal Reform of the Supreme Council for Reforms under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He is a member of the International Council of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which advises on the reform of Kazakhstan's courts and dispute resolution. He is an Honorary Professor at KAZGUU University, Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as a member of the AIFC Academic Council and the AIFC Academy of Law Advisory Board, which advise the AIFC Bureau of Continuing Professional Development and the AIFC Academy of Law.

In 2020, he was awarded the Jubilee Medal of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for "significant contribution to the formation of statehood, strengthening of sovereignty and socio-economic development of the Republic of Kazakhstan". In 2021, for his "contribution to the development of international cooperation", he was awarded the "Medal of the Chief Judge of the Republic of Kazakhstan" by Chairman Z. Assanov.

Heather, in addition to being the current Vice-Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at De Montfort University, has also held senior positions at other universities and had a professional career as a chartered accountant.

In the past, she was the Master of Livery of Worshipful Company of World Traders and maintains good ties with the international trade and business community. She worked as a specialist adviser on a Separate Committee on Transport of the House of Commons and was a member of several international expert groups on maritime transport. Currently, she is a member of the editorial board of the journals "Maritime Policy and Management" and "Research in the field of transport business and Management".

Heather is an elected member of the Board of the Charter Association of Business Schools and Chairman of the Committee on Learning, Teaching and Student Experience. She has also published a number of articles in the field of business education.