Afsheen Nawaz

I have been extremely fortunate to have met some incredible colleagues and mentors on my career journey who have helped, nurtured and supported my development. Nick Harland (previous Deputy Clerk of the Goldsmiths’ Company) played an instrumental role in introducing me to the Company and the many ways it continues to contribute to national life. 

As a non-trade member I often get asked about my association with the Goldsmiths’ Company. My initial encounter with the Company was in fact through the Education Committee of which I am now an active member. The Company was hugely supportive in funding an internationally focused educational research project which subsequently formed the bedrock of my educational expertise.

The support I received at that stage of my career catapulted my profile in global educational initiatives and as a result I have contributed to shaping educational policy and debate with some of the greatest and most influential minds in the field. It was truly a humbling experience to come full circle and be asked to use my skillset to contribute as a member. My experience of being a direct recipient of just one of the many great initiatives the Company supports has never left me and it is now a huge privilege for me to give back that same support that I once received.

When I became a member, it was clear that I belonged to a collective cause that is so much bigger than any one individual. The strength in numbers of like-minded individuals with the willingness to make a positive contribution to society is deeply moving. I feel incredibly proud and honoured to be a member of a Company that has the spirit of philanthropy and service at its core, helping to improve lives for nearly 700 years.