Neil Leitch
Following a career in the financial sector, which culminated in Neil chairing the Finance Industry Standards Association, he joined the Alliance as a volunteer and in 2008, was appointed as its CEO, overseeing its rebrand to the Early Years Alliance in 2019 – a change that reflected its ambition to give a united voice to all involved in caring and educating young children.
Neil has fronted numerous sector campaigns on fair funding, the mental health of the early years workforce and notably, Rewind on Ratios (which saw the reversal of government plans to relax adult-to-child ratios in early years settings). He has provided evidence to multiple government inquiries, and played a pivotal role in developing the two-year-old early entitlement offer.
Neil was recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours list, when he was awarded an OBE for services to education and has received honorary doctorates in education from the University of East London and Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln in recognition of his tireless advocacy for the early years sector.