Anthea Simmons is a vicar’s daughter and the eldest of six children. She grew up in Cornwall where she was pony and book-mad. After a highly-successful City career, she ‘retired’ to the country to bring up her son, ride, garden, write, paint and teach. More recently she has become involved in a social enterprise dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion in the UK’s board rooms through an apprenticeship scheme. This works brings her into contact with people from all backgrounds and has sharpened her awareness of the need for access to opportunity. She lives in East Devon with (in the holidays) her Chemistry undergraduate son Henry, and her polydactyl ginger cat, Caramac.
