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Winter 2024

Welcome

Concordia

Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HT Telephone: +44 (0)1923 820644 Email: alumni@mtsn.org.uk www.mtsn.org.uk Editor: Nick Latham development@mtsn.org.uk Contributing editors: Emma Bindloss, Hamish Stewart, Jonny Taylor Photography: Patricia Rayner, Sonal Galaiya, Emma Bindloss, Hamish Stewart Designed by: 3Sixty Creative www.3sixty-creative.com Front cover photo: Lower-Sixth student Jai Elangovan performing as Tony in West Side Story . Printed by: Lavenham Press

Merchant Taylors’ School Choir rehearsing at St Paul’s Catherdral before the Triennial Service

Dear Reader

T his year’s magazine celebrates several MTS legends, current and former. Joan Stubbs has played a leading role in many major school music events over the years, including this year’s Triennial Service, and has had an impact on the lives of countless OMTs; she describes preparing for the big occasion. Life in Hell , a rather foreboding title, refers to the backstage area behind the Great Hall, affectionately referred to as ‘Hell’; it features OMTs who worked behind the scenes — the ‘Spanner Men’ — and Julian Slator, another beloved SCR alumnus, talking about the unseen work involved in putting on such impressive school productions over the years. We also celebrate the life of John Pallant, as he turns 80, and the huge impact he made on the school, transforming the sporting provision at Merchant Taylors’. We welcome the school’s new Archivist, Isabel Hesketh, who writes about her first hundred days in the role; and the Development section celebrates the generosity of the school community and describes the opportunities there are to be involved in the life of the school now. This issue features articles on a range of topics by OMTs, to whom we are extremely grateful for their contributions. I cannot let this opportunity pass without thanking Jon Rippier. He edited Concordia for over a decade and did a wonderful job. I am most grateful to the many people who have been involved in preparing this issue of Concordia, particularly Emma Bindloss. Nick Latham Editor

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In this issue

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The Jets of West Side Story 2024

4 Head Master, Simon Everson, reflects on the real value of education. 8 Former Director of Physical Education, John Pallant , celebrates his 80th birthday at the end of December and Jonny Taylor , with the help of John’s former pupils, marks the impact he had on generations of boys. 14 Marcus-Alexander Neil (2001–2008) answers the question ‘Carbon trading and offsets — what good do they do? Discuss.’ 18 Russell Fishman (1990–1995) reflects on the rise of Artificial Intelligence in the AI era. 20 Joan Stubbs reveals the planning behind music for the large occasion. 24 Ian Douglas (1948–1955) reflects on his travels as a geographer. 28 Julian Slator and the “Spanner Men” tell tales of backstage at Merchant Taylors’ School drama productions in Life in Hell . 34 Isabel Hesketh reflects on her first hundred days as the Merchant Taylors’ School Archivist. 38 News from Merchant Taylors’ School 40 News from Merchant Taylors’ Prep 42 Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Nick Latham , gives an overview of this year’s activities. 46 The Roll of Benefactors celebrates the generosity of the Merchant Taylors’ School community. 50 The Events Roundup reviews a busy year of reunions and gatherings. 52 Forthcoming Events gives details of school and OMT Society events in the coming months. 54 News from OMTs around the world in Class Notes . 58 Obituaries

We have made every attempt to locate copyright ownership of archive photography but have not always succeeded in doing so. Any owner of copyright of individual images is invited to contact the editor.

Supporting MTS To find out more about how you can support the school, please go to: https://development.mtsn. org.uk/supporting-MTS

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Head Master Simon Everson reflects on the real value of education

Of course, this ignores the ways in which independent schools support a wide network of state schools, both primary and secondary. Independent schools want every child to benefit from that ‘tie and crest’; each has a vast array of activities and partnerships. At Merchant Taylors’ up to a thousand state school pupils have used our facilities over the course of a week. We assist state schools with applications to Oxbridge and medical colleges. We train staff at other schools to teach Science and Maths. Local primaries take part in orchestras, joint musical events and in special learning days. Sixth Formers visit local primary schools to offer teaching in robotics, Latin and Computing. We also offer our facilities and support outdoor activities in our school grounds. With the advent of VAT, I am even more mindful of my school’s duty to provide value for money. The judgment of whether something is good value is not objective. It is not associated with some sweet spot on a graph where two lines of numerical value cross. It is to do with perception, opinion and even a sense of shared endeavour. We are dependent upon a delighted parental body who remain willing to pay their child’s school fees. The Governors have agreed to lower our school fees to mitigate the extra 20% the VAT will add to a fee; the effect on parents will be equivalent to an extra 15%. A good way to express the idea of good value is ‘a dram’ of whisky. Imagine that a guest arrives in a Scottish home, and hospitality is called for. A dram is the exact amount of whisky that the guest is pleased to receive, and the host is pleased to pour. It is not defined in terms of fluid ounces, but in terms of shared hopes, expectations and obligations. Good value, for a school like ours, is determined by a complex interplay between what parents are prepared to pay, against what they expect their child to receive, modified by what the school is able to offer.

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I ndependent schools are very much in the crosshairs of the government. We face a future in which the government intends to add VAT at 20% to the cost of school fees. Further, they intend to do so in January 2025, at exceptionally short notice. One might reasonably ask why they have picked out independent education as a focus of their dislike. In our society, all kinds of luxury and even advantage can be bought and sold. No one sensible is proposing that we add VAT to private medicine — indeed, private healthcare will probably be used to support the NHS. Nor is there a clamour to get rid of first-class travel or five-star hotels. However, purchasing an excellent education is perceived to be in a different category from buying a nicer holiday or faster healthcare. The purchase of a better education is seen as an advantage that will echo through the life of the child, transforming his or her life opportunities for the better. It is the archetypal gift that keeps giving. To quote the lyrics of The Jam’s song Eton Rifles (referring, of course, to Eton College), ‘What chance have you got against a tie and a crest?’.

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“Of course, this ignores the ways in which independent schools support a wide network of state schools, both primary and secondary. Independent schools want every child to benefit from that ‘tie and crest’; each has a vast array of activities and outreach.”

challenges and develops self-esteem, friendships, resilience, loyalty, team building, leadership – the ‘soft’ skills that are so important to the growth and development of the pupils. Schools like Merchant Taylors’ offer something very rare: success without excessive pressure; high levels of achievement, without sacrifice in breadth and depth. Underpinning it all is our core principle: to learn well, each child must be happy. One hopes that parents will still feel that they enjoy value for money.

I am very aware that school fees are probably the biggest discretionary expenditure in the lives of the parents. Given such sums, no wonder that the parents’ expectations are so high and that further fee increases are so unwelcome. In return, Merchant Taylors’ offers much. We enjoy exceptional academic success; the pupils here make progress well in excess of expectation. They leave us with excellent qualifications, but also as well-rounded, confident, creative young men. A huge range of extra-curricular activities

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should simply absorb the VAT. However, if I were to cast around for cuts in order to pass the savings on to parents, I must do so within a small percentage of the overall school budget. I would have to make very deep cuts in this discretionary spending for it to have any significant impact on the overall budget. The students would notice the difference. Schools are not factories; teachers are not assembly-line workers. An efficient manufacturing process will produce an acceptable product at the smallest cost. If factory A can make a passable widget 50% more cheaply than factory B, then factory B will

School leaders are constrained in their provision of good value by the ways school finances are structured. Most of school expenditure goes on fixed costs. Of those fixed costs, the great majority is spent on staff salaries. The percentage will vary between schools but will be usually somewhere between 60% and 80% of expenditure. State schools will tend to be at the higher end of this range. In addition to staff salaries, there are other fixed costs. These include the maintenance of grounds or playing fields, regular refurbishment of buildings, the regular upgrade of IT resources and any contracts that the school has signed. The government has blithely said that schools

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“At present Merchant Taylors’ is hugely oversubscribed and continues to grow in popularity. A recent survey of parental opinion made it clear that the school is considered ‘good value for money’ — a pleasing outcome, as we live or die by that assessment.”

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children will carry away from their education, when they have forgotten all they once knew about quadratic equations and Boyle’s Law, will be the intangibles. Have they learnt how to lead? Have they learnt how to serve? Have they learnt how to foster friendship? Have they learnt to trust themselves? Have they learnt to trust others? Have they learnt how to learn? And above all, the overarching question: have they learnt how to be happy? If we can deliver that, then we will have achieved value for money in the pupils’ education. I still hope for a change in the attitude taken by Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education, towards independent education. At present it seems to be encapsulated by the words of Sherlock Holmes describing Sebastian Moran, Moriarty’s right-hand man: ‘He was educated at Eton and at Oxford, so Watson, bring the gun’. How much better if we could ally the resources that the private and state sectors can bring to bear. What if we were to consider the possible future partnership between the NHS and private health as a possible model for the future of our children’s education?

soon go out of business and the widget market will be cornered by factory A. The education of children is more complex. It is not about producing an acceptable product as cheaply as possible. It is about the transmission of wisdom between the generations: the intellectual and moral development of children. Such a process needs time, personal attention, high expectations and care. That is only possible if the context is right. popularity. A recent survey of parental opinion made it clear that the school is considered ‘good value for money’ — a pleasing outcome, as we live or die by that assessment. A private education is certainly not cheap, and we never forget the sacrifice that parents make on behalf of their children in placing their faith in the school. When I ask parents what they want for their child they tell me that their overriding priority is that their son is happy. We know that we have to move heaven and earth to allow our pupils the best opportunity to find academic success. However, we also know that the things the At present Merchant Taylors’ is hugely oversubscribed and continues to grow in

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John Pallant at 80 S port lies at the heart of the public-school ethos and Merchant Taylors’, as one of the ‘Clarendon Nine’, is no exception. If one were to look at the history of modern games at MTS, then two figures stand out as the architects of sport today. The first was Frederick Bampfylde, who served the school from 1875 to 1918, when modern cricket and rugby were formalised and playing grounds acquired at Bellingham. His association was to last the rest of his life, as he mentored the newly formed Old Boys’ association and he is still remembered by his donation of the Bampfylde Shield to School Athletics. If Bampfylde laid the foundations for school sport, then John Pallant was the inspirational figure to take the School’s games into the modern era. Like his illustrious predecessors, JNP’s association as teacher, coach and supporter of the OMT Society has lasted over 50 years. As he

prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday, I met up with him to reflect on his long career. The early days John is a talented all round sportsman. At primary school, he played soccer as a goalkeeper for Nottingham under-11s on the City and County grounds. He would have been a tough challenge to beat. During his secondary school days at High Pavement Grammar he avoided playing rugby in his first year to focus on football, until spotted by a new PE teacher who persuaded him to play rugby where his speed could be put to better use. He played in all of the back positions, including fly half, but was put in the forwards when he was promoted to the First XV two years early. He went on to play for England Schools, in the same team as former MTS Head Master Jon Gabitass.

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England team to face Ireland, 1967; JNP is fifth from the left on the back row

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John and Margaret, June 2024

At High Pavement, he went to the schools’ AAA, winning the intermediate boys’ hammer. From school, John went to study at Loughborough where he played alongside John Taylor and Gerald Davies, two greats of the all-conquering Welsh side of the 1970s. It is hard to believe, but John played at inside centre alongside Gerald Davies. ‘Alongside’ is a little misleading as, according to John, Davies had to stand several yards back from John because of the difference in their running speeds! John was always happier playing at No 8, where he could control a game and be in the action at all times, but that did not stop him taking on kicking duties, in the good old days of the ‘toe punt’. In 1966 John was invited to an England trial and played for the Barbarians on Easter tour in Wales. He was subsequently scouted again in 1967, and as the invitations multiplied it became inevitable that he would wear the red rose of England. He played three times in that year’s Five Nations, with mixed fortunes. He remembers the brutality of the French match at Twickenham where he was short-armed by the French fullback, losing a tooth after five minutes. Minutes later, one of the England’s locks picked up a dead leg, but as there were no substitutions allowed, he had to remain on the pitch. This forced John to move to the front of the lineout where he had a field day! He enjoyed himself more against Scotland, despite being in the second row. Although, in common with many top-flight sportsmen, he struggles to remember the details of the games, as they were played at such pace, he recalls sitting in the changing rooms at the old

Twickenham being overawed by the occasion and even more so when he went on to the pitch by the roar of the crowd. There was no line-up for the national anthem: players stood wherever they happened to be on the field. John was victorious against Ireland (he tried chasing Mike Gibson and got nowhere near him) and Scotland but lost against the streetwise French. He was playing in a different era; there was little preparation, the team gathered on Thursday afternoon and had two practice sessions mostly involving some sprinting, piggy back and wheelbarrow races. No moves were

go back to top-flight rugby, but only for the Old Boys; it was clear that he had found his home.

practised and John felt that team organisation was better at Nottingham than with the national side. He counts himself lucky to have missed the final match against the Welsh in Cardiff where the English came up against the animosity of the home crowd and an inspired Keith Jarrett. John remembers seeing his good friend Dave Rollett remove his shirt to reveal a back covered in scratches and bite marks.

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In 1968 John overlapped with Jackie Brown, the Head of Sport who had led the department for 29 years. Brown was a committed gymnast from a different era: the gymnastics display on Speech Day was a legacy of the Charterhouse Square days. John recalls that many practices, such as recording the weight and height of every boy at the start of the year, were out of date. These practices included the PE staff changing back into suits for lunch and an eclectic offering of activities ranging from boxing to ballroom dancing, the latter even accompanied by a glitter ball! Above all, the school gymnasium, with its wooden flooring, ropes and climbing bars, looked more like something from the 19th century, and the open-air swimming pool would have suited the present wild-swimming trend very well. The First XV was being run by another long-serving member of staff, Frank Spragg. John took over the reins in 1969 and concentrated on improving the boys’ general fitness with lots of outdoor activities, cross country and the dreaded bleep test, and he sought to recruit more rugby coaches, such as Bob Prescott, to the SCR. John’s own rugby coaching was based on his time at

The Challenge of Merchant Taylors’

John took up teaching when he returned to Nottingham from Loughborough, working in a tough city school for two years and playing at the weekends. Player welfare was not a major issue in the late 1960s; in his final season John had already played 54 games before Christmas and decided to give up playing fixtures away from Nottingham. That took its toll, and with a wedding to his beloved Margaret to plan, he seized upon a letter written to his former college from Brian Rees, the Head Master, seeking a Head of Games for Merchant Taylors’ School. Rees was offering three times JNP’s current salary, and one sight of the facilities was enough to convince him that his future lay at Sandy Lodge. To sweeten the deal, Rees suggested that John give it ‘five years and then go back to rugby if you want to… ’ John did

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JNP gets his tackle technique perfect against France

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The inspirational Nigel Smith

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Loughborough, focusing on the development of individual skills through demonstrations and games while improving fitness. OMT rugby was thriving, but the school’s fixture list was proving too challenging so it was reorganised to create a gentler start to the season and allow teams to gel. There were coaching sessions for the SCR and Derek Herriott (1950–1953), an OMT and first-class referee, was employed to shed light on the darker recesses of the law book. For many, John’s greatest innovation was the pre season trip to Malvern, which led to the infamous Malvern waddle after a week of long runs and hill sprints. Everyone who attended those weeks will have their own story: the three-course lunches with their inevitable impact on afternoon sessions; and such legends as Rob Morris and Paul Overton showing their talent — or lack of it. The trips did much to bond the senior squads together and a place on a trip was sought after: John was creating a buzz around the sport. Nigel Smith (1975–1980) remembers those trips as very tough but that no-one complained as the team would ‘run through brick walls for John’. I asked John about the players who left a lasting impression. Richard Brooman (1966–1974) was the first to win a Blue during his time (two in fact) and Bob Marsden (1972–1978) was unlucky to be on the bench for rugby (he more than made up for this with a Blue in cricket). Alex Cadwallader (1994–1999) went on to play for Newport and London Welsh, and Robin Laidlaw (1971–1976) was the best scrum half John worked with. Then there was Nigel Smith (1975–1980), described by John as ‘awesome’. The 1979–80 season was probably the greatest during John’s time as First XV coach, despite a disastrous Malvern trip that had seen a pre season thumping by King’s Worcester. Under Smith’s inspirational leadership, the side won 11 of its fixtures and were beaten only by (whisper

it) Haberdashers’ and St Paul’s. Smith went on to write affectionately that ‘The Boss’ had suggested the team would be lucky to win three, and that that produced a team spirit determined to prove him wrong. The relationship between Smith and Pallant was interesting. JNP caught his First XV captain with a bag of alcohol on a CCF training exercise and felt duty bound to report him to the Head for suitable punishment, but not before lending him a magazine to protect him from the cane. Smith then reported back to JNP so that they could pick the First XV for Saturday’s match. level. Trips to Europe were a regular feature and, again, will have created lasting memories for those who took part. I was lucky to accompany John on several of them: the 1988 Barcelona trip was memorable for the hotel view on to Las Ramblas and the exotic activities opposite; and no-one who went to Canada in 1992 will forget the matches on the plains and the wonderful hospitality of our hosts with whom the boys were billeted. John initiated the era of personalised The side played two matches on tour to Scotland at half term and John took touring to a new

combined to form an impregnable duo on the fives, badminton, squash and tennis courts. They would set the ‘Mars Bar Challenge’ to any boys willing to take them on at badminton — the challenge being to score a point rather than win. Simon Burrows won the National Fives Championship pairs competition in 1980, and it was a great source of pride when he and Mark D.J. Ingram defeated JNP/GPC. John tolerated the endless pranks that Geoff played, whether it was a whoopee cushion, toothpaste-filled shoes, vaseline in rugby boots, or even itching powder in a jock strap! As a pair they raised Physical Education and coaching to a level where it became apparent that without proper facilities the boys’ development would be held back. With the support of a fundraising campaign, a new gymnasium and swimming pool were introduced in the 1980s — a tribute to the greater ambition of Pallant and Colley to provide a wide range of games opportunities so that there was something for everyone (though it must be said that I never saw anyone other than GPC using the balcony’s climbing wall). John’s leadership is best summed up by Bruce Paxton: The arrival of John Pallant brought the era of suitable real-world standards to the sports coaching at MTS (and the beginning of the demise of the enthusiastic amateur!). This spread through the multiple sports played in that era, much to the benefit of results, the fun of achieving and a general better level of fitness. Thank you. The All-Round School Master John played his role in the wider life of the school, as all members of the SCR do. He was in the CCF for 12 years. He recalls many cadets who went on to illustrious careers, among them Air Vice Marshall Michael Harwood (1971–1976), General Sir Richard Barrons (1972–1976) and Simon Humphreys CBE (1979–1985). He also has fond memories of CCF camp with the likes of Bruce Ritchie. He recalls an RAF camp on Anglesey where a night exercise started at midnight. The officers had to defend an aeroplane while the cadets were challenged to ‘attack’ it by sticking pieces of paper on the fuselage. Officers Pallant and Ritchie positioned themselves by the wheels to settle in for the night, only to wake up the next morning to find the plane covered in paper. John was a meticulous tutor as well, counting a young Michael McIntyre (1989–1993) among his charges. Bruce Ritchie became a close friend alongside David Mash, ‘RAGS’ Stokes, Dennis Trebble, Andy Goff and many others. John was a great mentor to new colleagues, such as me, whom he took under his wing from day one. Chris Whitby recalls John helping him to police the lunch queue — always the test of a new teacher:

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Clive Chase (1969–1974) loved his shirt and apparently can still get into it!

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kit – jumpers, bags, ties and team shirts that were a reward for representing the school. There was even a highly prized First XV colours scarf which was also popular with the girls at St Helen’s! A personal favourite is the First XV rugby shirt of the early 1970s with the V flash, a great shirt that had to be discontinued after a member of the Merchant Taylors’ Company complained to Francis Davey, the Head Master, that they were too much like Rugby League shirts. Association, another innovation by John in 1973 that went on to spawn other parental support groups over the range of school activities. John’s drive, enthusiasm and — let’s face it — charm were hugely popular with the parents who turned up to support not just on the touchline but also at such events as the Annual Supper Dance which, despite the nerve-wracking efforts of the boys as waiters (a tradition that continues today), raised significant amounts of funding for tours and equipment to support rugby at the school. Geoff Colley — the best of partners For the best part of three decades, Physical Education meant the partnership of Pallant and Colley. On the surface they were something of an ‘odd couple’: one large, taciturn and a stickler for organisation; the other a live-wire, constantly looking for a prank. Simon Burrows (1975–1980), former Head Monitor, described them as a classic double act. He and Nigel Smith respected the way that John and Geoff would not talk down to the boys. But they shared more than just an office; they were both formidably talented athletes blessed with the ability to turn their hands to any kind of sport. Their skills complemented each other but they None of this would have been possible without the fundraising efforts of the Supporters’

It was just very, very boisterous and the noise quite clearly got through the door to the Rec

Kieran Clifford (1987–1989) who captained the First XV writes:

room, which was opposite the dining-hall entry, where staff used to gather before lunch. The next thing I know is the door opened, John came out, all 6ft-however-many-inches of him standing upright. He surveyed the queue, put two fingers in his mouth and gave a loud whistle. The queue stopped, looked at him and went quiet. He turned round, went back into the Rec room. Job done. After retiring from MTS John returned as an invigilator for many years. Lesley Slator, Examinations Officer, paid the following tribute: In his usual considerate way, JNP’s warm humour helped to keep the ‘Walking Dead’ team going; invigilation is hardly exciting after all! He was perfect for the job, warm and cheery to nervous older students queuing up for a dreaded but important paper, with his rugby fame never questioned by younger boys! Cliché it may be, but he always went the extra mile and went home last at the end of the day. An imposing figure with a soft side For many boys, their first meeting with John was an intimidating experience, given his height and stature. He had rapidly acquired the nickname of ‘Tonka’ , reflecting the sturdy and indestructible toys that boys of the era grew up with. But OMTs came to see that John was a caring and kind mentor. David Locke (1970–1976) writes: I remember John spending what must have been half an hour trying to persuade me to jump off the high diving board into the old outdoor swimming pool. I was terrified of heights and still am, but he had the patience to get me to do it and not to make me feel like a complete flaming idiot, for which I’m ever so grateful.

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In 1989 we went on tour to Barcelona, led by JNP. One day we visited a coastal town and a magnificent restaurant owned by a chap who had played for France. He and JNP had played against each other. The restaurant was marvellous, the setting beautiful, but what was great was that two warriors on the field could have a long chat over a glass of wine many years later. I joined John to coach the Senior Squad in the late 1980s and, of course, the level of rugby was intense. But in January we used to work together with the Upper Thirds. Here I saw the other side of John: not only was he incredibly skilful and light on his feet, but he absolutely loved working with the junior boys of all talents, having fun and bringing out the joy of the game. I should add that that sense of fun once resulted in my ending up in the mud being bundled by the entire year group, popping a rib cartilage and missing out on the London Marathon. But it was worth it for the laughter and joy of these sessions. The future John has been married to Margaret for 56 years and has two children, Simon and Rachel, and five grandchildren. He is looking forward to a family reunion, particularly as Simon lives in Australia. He continues to keep in shape by swimming and playing badminton. He also continues to watch rugby, though he feels the modern game and the England side are not as good as they could be. Anyone who knows John will vouch for the incredible loyalty he has to his friends and colleagues: he attends reunions from his playing days and is a regular at the Merchant Taylors’ year group reunions, taking great pleasure in reuniting with rugby players and having a team photo. Once he is your friend, he is a friend for life. Happy birthday, John, and many happy returns.

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Jonny Taylor

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Carbon Markets Marcus-Alexander Neil (2001–2008) answers the question ‘Carbon trading and offsets — what good do they do? Discuss.’

I was relatively confident that Mr I have left MTS, but the following brief reflections on the carbon markets suggest otherwise. Before discussing the role carbon markets play in the global effort to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement (namely net-zero by 2050 and limiting global warming to 1.5 o C), it is important to establish our progress to date and the potential consequences of failing to meet these targets. Ahead of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29) in November, the UN Environment Programme shared its 2024 emissions gap report highlighting a ‘massive gap between rhetoric and reality’. With the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due for submission in early 2025, the report calls for a serious raising of ambitions: countries must cut 42% of greenhouse Rippier and Mr Taylor no longer had the right to set me homework now

gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and 57% by 2035 if the world is to get on track for 1.5°C. A failure to increase ambition and delivery would put the world on course for a temperature increase of 2.6-3.1°C over the course of this century, leading to catastrophic impacts to the environment and human health (World Health Organisation, 2023). It remains technically possible to get on a 1.5°C pathway, with solar, wind and forests holding real promise for sweeping and fast emissions cuts. However, it will require strong private sector action and a minimum six-fold increase in mitigation investment. G20 nations, particularly the largest-emitting members, will need to do the heavy lifting. In practice, this equates to consumers, corporates and governments adopting practices which avoid, reduce or capture carbon and other GHG emissions, either voluntarily or in accordance with government policies and industry

regulations. Increasing investment in renewable energy generation, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, increasing the efficiency of energy systems and so on. However, put bluntly, the private sector is ill-equipped and not incentivised to take these steps unless GHG emissions are given a monetary value, so that the cost of inaction (money out) or benefits of effective action (money in) can be included on the balance sheet, and this is why carbon markets are so important. There are two sides to the carbon market, but both are built on the same principle: one carbon credit, or emissions allowance, is equivalent to one tonne of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) - a metric measure used to compare the emissions from various GHGs on the basis of their global-warming potential. By assigning a monetary value to emissions, the carbon market sets a price for these negative externalities which may otherwise be ignored.

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Compliance markets or emissions trading schemes (ETSs) require organisations covered by the scheme to purchase emissions allowances (EAs) on an annual basis – EAs essentially represent the right to emit a tonne of CO2e, and the more you emit, the more emissions allowances you need to purchase. As such, organisations are incentivised to emit less. The oldest and one of the world’s largest ETS has operated successfully in Europe since 2005. The EU ETS adopts a “cap and trade” principle, reducing the number of allowances, or cap, annually in line with the EU’s climate target, ensuring that overall EU emissions decrease over time. By 2023, the EU ETS had helped bring down emissions from European power and industry plants by approximately 47%, compared to 2005 levels (European Commission, 2024). Allowances are sold in auctions and can be traded, and the price of allowances is determined by the market itself (which is subject to robust oversight rules set by the EU) and provides a clear incentive for organisations to reduce their emissions. As the supply of allowances reduces over time, their price should rise, increasing the cost of compliance and thus making the shift to lower carbon alternatives (such as using renewable power or switching diesel HGVs to

electric alternatives) comparatively more affordable for organisations covered by the scheme. In addition, revenue generated from the sale of the allowances in the initial auction is then distributed amongst member states in support of their investment in renewable energy generation, low-carbon technology development and energy efficiency projects, further reducing emissions. 36 ETSs are now in place covering 58% of global GDP, and in 2023 revenue from ETSs surpassed $100 billion (World Bank, 2024). While this sounds promising, only 18% of global emissions are covered by ETSs (Statista, 2024), meaning that the majority of global emissions do not have a market-based mechanism driving progress towards net-zero. This may, in part, be due to the politics associated with drafting and implementing ETS policies which maintain a fair and functioning market and do not stifle economic growth or competition; not to mention other competing sectoral, national and international government agendas. While a further 22 ETSs are under development or consideration (International Carbon Action Partnership, 2024), many organisations and sectors are taking proactive voluntary action.

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is the second, far smaller side of the carbon market. corporations can choose to purchase carbon credits (again representing one tonne of CO2e) to offset their emissions, perhaps in support of a 2030 net-zero target. Unlike compliance markets (which gives corporations the right to emit a certain volume of carbon) VCM credits are generated by developers who invest in projects which actually avoid, remove or capture CO2 from the atmosphere. This can be through reforestation, afforestation, mangrove conservation, mineralisation, renewable energy generation, the installation of household or community devices (such as clean burning cookstoves) or direct air capture to name a few. One of the major appeals of these projects are the co-benefits. Nature-based projects often have a transformative effect on biodiversity, ecology and local wildlife. In 2023 a total of 246 nature-based projects currently cover a total area of 30 million hectares, roughly the same as Italy’s landmass (IETA, 2023). Many have a significant and immediate impact on people: 2.6 billion people, or 1 in 3 globally, lack access to safe, clean cooking fuels and technology (Clean Cooking Alliance, 2022) and the installation of clean burning cookstoves, funded by the sale of the carbon credits

they generate, can have a transformative impact on the health of some of the poorest rural communities. And as many of these projects are based in less economically developed countries, the VCM can have a significant developmental impact by facilitating the flow of capital from high emitting companies directly to poorer local economies – contributing towards a more just energy transition. The issues with the VCM, however, are numerous. Firstly, it is unregulated, meaning that the methodologies used to calculate the amount of carbon avoided, removed or captured are rightly subject to challenge and continual improvement. There are independent registries, rating agencies and integrity standards which aim to provide buyers and the public with indications of veracity and quality, but for many doubts remain. Secondly, carbon credits from the VCM have not consistently been used by companies to offset emissions which were hard to abate, but instead used to offset emissions which could have been reduced or avoided and to position companies, brands and products as more sustainable than they are – greenwashing. Lastly, many of these projects directly impact vulnerable communities, and are based in countries with difficult working environments from a political perspective, leading to a host of social, operational and financial risks. The lack of regulation and high potential margins make the VCM an interesting proposition for investors and developers depending on one’s risk appetite and has attracted a small but not insignificant number of fraudulent actors. As a result, public confidence in the VCM is at an all-time low, with many potential corporate buyers feeling that the uncertainty and reputational risk posed by the VCM outweighs the potential benefit. Around 10,000 companies have made science-based net zero commitments in recent years (Science Based Targets, 2024), but an increasingly small proportion of these companies, namely Alphabet, Microsoft, Salesforce and Netflix continue to buy large volumes of carbon credits to offset (primarily scope 3 ) emissions and to deliver against their social and environmental impact or ESG strategies. Despite this, without the reputational benefit, the business case for purchasing voluntary credits is difficult to make, and as a consequence the VCM shrank by 61% in 2023 (Allied Offsets, 2024) and only covered 200MT or 0.5% of global emissions last year. For context, the International Energy Agency has forecast the global demand for low carbon hydrogen and carbon capture and storage will avoid or reduce emissions by 15MT and 192MT respectively by 2035. These projects are incredibly capital intensive and will take ten years to have the same impact on reducing carbon emissions as the VCM has today (International Energy Agency, 2024). The VCM has its faults and vocal detractors; at its current size, it is not the answer to the climate crisis, but nor is it in anyway a barrier to progress.

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Interestingly, some ETSs and compliance schemes (namely the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement which sets out how countries can pursue voluntary cooperation to reach their climate (NDC) targets) allow for certain VCM credits to be used to meet compliance. As such, the two sides of the carbon market are beginning to merge, and many hope that this will help to drive standards across the VCM, drastically increase demand, and as a consequence, accelerate the positive co-benefits which are inherent to the projects themselves. So where does this leave us? The severity of the climate crisis demands a step change in our approach to almost everything (most notably energy generation, manufacturing, agriculture and transport), and the carbon markets are only one small element of this transformation. Investments in low-carbon technologies, services, processes and products which allow society to avoid or reduce emissions must be made; ETSs must grow in scope and scale; and the VCM must evolve so that more organisations feel able to engage with this relatively nascent but potentially hugely impactful market. Time is of the essence, but 1.5 o C is still in touching distance, and I very much hope we will meet this global challenge with the help of the next generation of smart, inquisitive and driven OMTs; if you will allow it, this is the homework I would like to set for you.

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Beneficiary of a Burn ‘Jikokoa’ cookstove in Kenya

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Artificial Intelligence in the AI Era

Russell Fishman (1990–1995) is Senior Director, Global Head of Solutions Product Management, at NetApp, an American-based software developer. He specialises in advising clients in AI, virtualisation and modern workloads.

advancement in computational power, made famous by companies like NVIDIA. Hugely powerful, accelerated computing solutions (such as Graphics Processing Units, or GPUs), when deployed together at scale, have the ability to use enormous volumes of digital data to train neural networks (more commonly referred to as models) through a technique called Machine Learning. These models are then used either to forecast future events and outcomes (Predictive AI) or to create new content using natural language (Generative AI, or GenAI). We have already experienced the impact of Predictive AI in various aspects of our lives, perhaps unaware that it was playing a role. Some of the more visible examples include

Whether online, on television or in print, Artificial Intelligence is saturating the media. Given this rapid rise in coverage, the infiltration of these new technologies into our daily lives and the reaction of the capital markets, most people might assume that AI is a relatively recent invention. However, it has been almost 70 years since modern AI research was born at a Dartmouth College workshop, and the original concepts of self-operating machines and artificial beings in fact go back to classical antiquity and the poets Hesiod and Homer. One might ask why in 2024 we find ourselves in what some term the ‘AI Era’? It has resulted from the convergence of a number of factors, but the most important has been the rapid

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That is where NetApp, the company I work for, comes in. Since its founding 32 years ago, it has striven to revolutionise the way companies store and manage their various forms of data. As market leaders in helping its customers build intelligent data infrastructures to harness the power of their data, it has become a key part of overcoming data impediments and getting AI out of theory and into practice. It is extremely exciting to be part of a company that is so integral to this AI revolution. * My interest in technology started early. Thanks to the rapid rise of affordable and accessible home computing in the UK in the 1980s — who can forget systems like the BBC Micro (part of the Computer Literacy Project) and the ZX Spectrum (from the pioneering Sir Clive Sinclair) — I taught myself to code in my early days at Northwood Prep. By the time I arrived at Merchant Taylors’, I was picking up programming jobs in my spare time for extra pocket money. The school played a pivotal role in nurturing this interest and I quickly found an affinity with what was then the Computer Club, tucked away behind and above the stage in the Great Hall. There was a frontier spirit to its endeavours. I recall both the then Head Master, Mr Gabitass, and my tutor, Mr Le Rougetel, realising that computing would be an ideal career for me, even when I thought it might be just a hobby. After university, I began my journey in IT at Electronic Data Systems (later Hewlett Packard). I spent a decade working and living in three continents, before moving to Cisco Systems, then NetApp, and now lead the Product Management organisation for its solutions business, with a focus on AI. Merchant Taylors’ School provided me with a foundation that, over the years, I came to appreciate was exceptional in its breadth and that instilled a sense of assured confidence, while ensuring my value system was both well developed and grounded.

intelligent product suggestions for on-line shopping, artist and track suggestions on music streaming services, and financial fraud detection and prevention for credit cards. The benefits of Predictive AI have been accruing slowly over the last decade to keep us safer, healthier, wealthier and happier. However, it was not until early 2022 and the emergence of ChatGPT by OpenAI that Generative AI started to come to the fore. Only now is it beginning to build economic and societal impacts of seismic proportions. Most industry commentators expect the impact of Generative AI to be in the same league as the introduction of the personal computer and the World Wide Web and far more visible than the rise of Predictive AI because GenAI is able to tackle repetitive processes to achieve huge efficiencies and drive entirely new revenue models. Examples include writing code based on the description of a desired outcome; customer-service chat bots that can resolve problems faster and with higher customer satisfaction; and real-time market analysis to enable optimal trading strategies. Expectations of GenAI have been heightened by a continuous stream of bullish macro-economic predictions, for example a report by McKinsey of June 2023 in which the impact of GenAI on revenue by industry was estimated to be anywhere from 50% to 460%, while labour productivity could stand to gain by as much as 0.6% per year to the end of the next decade (2040). But this revolution faces significant head winds that are slowing the adoption of AI and its associated macroeconomic impacts. All this computing power is nothing without the right data, delivered in the appropriate fashion to keep the system going; it is akin to an internal combustion engine and its need for fuel. Implementation of AI depends on the following: working out what data exist, and where, then unifying it into a ‘data lake’; organising and preparing the data so that it is usable; getting the data into the AI training ‘engines’ and training a model; moving and running the models in production, then learning from their performance to drive further fine-tuning cycles.

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L ife in the Music Department is never dull; there is always something in preparation, whether it is an Informal Concert involving a handful of boys, a larger occasion like the Joint Concert, or one of the less frequent set-piece events like the Triennial Service, the Merchant Taylors’ Company Joint Schools’ concerts and the occasional Lord Mayors’ Show. All our concerts require careful planning, but the larger events need much more detailed preparation. Music for the Large Occasion

The three-yearly interval between the Triennial Services gives a sense of continuity but also allows clear recall of how things were done last time. Apart from the daunting task of moving the school community from Sandy Lodge to St Paul’s Cathedral, with the necessary risk assessments in place, other considerations involve the structure and content of the service, which involves readings, prayers and, of course, the music. Plans for the repertoire begin as soon as the previous service has finished: the choir anthems need to be suitably grand, yet accessible both to performers and

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those listening; the choice of well-known hymns is crucial so that everyone in the cathedral feels able to participate; and the inclusion of Taylors’ Brass is designed to enhance and create a further layer of celebration. Once the music has been selected, rehearsals begin. Members of the Choir practise twice weekly — a sectional rehearsal with individual voice parts to learn the notes, followed by a full rehearsal with the whole choir to put the different musical lines together. I think of music as being the ultimate team sport: each

musician needs to have the skills for their own part and, when they meet together, they consolidate their own skills as well as hearing and reacting to the musical lines from the rest of the group. It is always an exciting moment when the choir, brass and organ rehearse together for the first time, a few days before the service. The first few minutes are nerve wracking as the disparate elements are brought together, and then when all the parts interlock it is a wonderful feeling knowing that everyone is working together towards the best possible performance.

Merchant Taylors’ Company Remembrance Concert, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 2018

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the Manor which was still — just — a boarding house. On the day of the concert a fleet of coaches arrived at school and ferried the musicians to the Merchant Taylors’ Livery Hall for an early lunch before a final rehearsal at the Barbican. All went well and the concert showed that such an event involving all the Merchant Taylors’ Schools could be a real success. Looking back at the programme recently, I spotted the following familiar names of participants that day: Eleanor Trafford (WGS), Cheryl Clarke (MTGSC) and OMT Andrew Bruce (1998–2003), who are current MTS staff, as well OMT Edward Walter (1997–2002) who is Deputy Head Co-Curricular, Operations and Partnerships at St Helen’s School, Northwood. The two other Company concerts, at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, in 2016 and Symphony Hall, Birmingham, in 2018, followed a similar pattern, but on these occasions pupils from Merchant Taylors’ School Northwood travelled by coach to the venues, necessitating several nights’ stay in a hotel. Performing with musicians from other schools was an interesting experience; although everyone had learnt the same music, their interpretations differed, and it was vitally important for those leading the joint rehearsals to put everyone at ease before getting to work on the nitty gritty aspects of building a coherent and musically convincing performance. At all three concerts it was heartening to note how keen and committed the students were to create something really special. The concert in Birmingham in 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the World War I Armistice, with nine schools taking part. This

I have had the good fortune to be involved in three Merchant Taylors’ Company concerts, which bring their own specific requirements as they involve several schools. Preparations begin years in advance, and once the venue and date have been agreed the specific details can be worked out. The Millennium Concert took place in the Barbican Hall and celebrated six centuries of the Merchant Taylors’ Company’s involvement in education. Wolverhampton Grammar, MTS Northwood, Foyle and Londonderry College, MTS Boys Crosby and MTS Girls Crosby were represented. Their respective Directors of Music worked together to produce a programme of music that spanned the centuries since the foundation of the first school by a Merchant Taylor in 1512, and culminated in a world premiere of a fanfare composed by OMT Simon Lasky (1988–1993). The first half of the concert involved the different schools performing their bespoke repertoire, while involving instrumentalists from all of the schools to create a true sense of collegiality. The second half was a performance of Haydn’s Nelson Mass in which all pupils either sang in the choir or played in the orchestra. Once the musical details were finalised, working out the logistics (travel, accommodation, rehearsal venues, catering and dress code) was a task in itself. Merchant Taylors’ School Northwood was the obvious venue for rehearsals, and the day before the performance about 150 student musicians rehearsed intensively in the Great Hall, Exam Hall and Recital Hall. Most visiting pupils were accommodated by MTS parents as ‘home stays’ and their teachers stayed in

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Above: Programme cover for the Merchant Taylors’ Company concert of Remembrance Left: Merchant Taylors’ School Choir at St Paul’s Cathedral