Pauline Perspectives 2026 – Speakers

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	Alina Rocha Menocal Originally from Mexico, Alina is an internationally recognised expert on politics and governance. She is the Director of the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice (TWP CoP), a global network of policymakers, researchers and practitioners hosted by the University of Birmingham that seeks to foster more peaceful, open and inclusive states and societies. Until June 2022, she was a Principal Research Fellow on politics and governance at the global affairs think tank ODI, which she joined in 2005 and where she remains a Senior Research Associate. From 2016 to 2020, Alina also served as Senior Democracy Fellow in Applied Political Economy Analysis at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Alina has also worked closely with a variety of international organisations on how they can work in more politically aware ways, including the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development office, the United Nations Development Programme, Global Affairs Canada, and USAID among others. She has published extensively on issues related to democracy and governance more broadly and holds a BA in political science from Yale University and a Masters and MPhil with a focus on democracy and political and economic development from Columbia University.
	Hugo Nilsson Hugo Nilsson is an Undermaster at St Paul’s School. He has been Head of Politics at both St Paul’s and Emanuel School. He runs Polecon Society, and helps out with pupil selection at Pauline Perspectives. Hugo is the U16A football coach and enjoys playing padel with his colleagues.
	Maia Maia is a Year 12 student who studies English, Economics, Maths, and Further Maths at SPGSl. Outside from academics, she is a keen debater and will be representing England at the World School Debating Championships in Kenya this Summer. Maia runs Law, Economics, and Art History society at school, plays the oboe and piano, and hopes to study Law at university.
	Henry Henry is a Year 12 student at SPS, studying Maths, Chemistry, Politics, & Economics. He is passionate about politics and won the Dove Essay Prize for his essay on whether legitimacy or results are more important for democracy. Easily the best student in Mr Nilsson’s politics class, he is a casual debater and has attended various competitions and MUN conferences. Henry has wasted many hours debating politics with Zen.
	George Panayides George is the Managing Director of Enesel Group Limited, a shipping company that owns and operates oil tankers, bulk carriers and container ships. He is currently focused on the many geopolitical events affecting the shipping industry such as decarbonisation, economic sanctions, closure of the Red Sea, piracy and global military conflicts. For many years, George also taught at the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (where he is a Fellow) preparing students for their professional exams. George studied History and Politics at Edinburgh University. Whilst at Edinburgh, George was elected the President of the Debating Union for two years and represented the University at numerous debating competitions including the World Championships. George is the father of a son at SPS and a daughter currently studying Medicine at St George’s Medical School in South London.
	Robin Walker Robin spent 14 years as MP for Worcester, 6 as a Minister and 2 as Chairman of a Select Committee. Prior to his career in politics, he studied at St Pauls School, and Balliol College Oxford where he won a scholarship in Ancient and Modern History. Starting his own internet business, he briefly worked as a headhunter and then in financial communications for Finsbury, where he rose from executive to partner and worked on some of the biggest M&A deals and IPOs of the 2000s. Elected to Parliament in 2010, he led cross party campaigns on school funding, served as PPS to 3 Ministers and was the Junior Minister in the Department for Exiting the EU for 2.5 years, responsible for Citizens Rights, the Withdrawal Agreement and the potential deal to be done under Theresa May, he subsequently served two years as a Northern Ireland Office Minister and in 2021 was made Schools Minister, where he authored a White Paper and oversaw the return of exams after the pandemic. Resigning from the Government in 2022, he returned to the backbenches and won a cross party election to become Chair of the Education Select Committee. He stood down from Parliament at the 2024 election and returned to advisory, where he now leads the Education and Natural Resources practices for Cardew Group, a boutique strategic communications agency. Robin lives in Parsons Green with his wife Charlotte and their two children, Hermione 7 and Frederick 4.
	Beatrice Beatrice studies History, English Literature, Latin and Biology in year 12 at SPGS and is hoping to study Law at University. Outside of academics, she is interested in music, playing bass guitar in school jazz groups, and tennis. She has been debating since year 9 and coaches the junior debaters.
	Zen Zen is a year 12 student and studies Politics, History and Geography. He is passionate about politics and works with local politicians. He is currently researching the impact of government policies on regional inequality in the UK in collaboration with an Oxford university department. He also enjoys sports, playing cricket, squash and fives, which he represented the school in at nationals. Zen regularly beats Henry in political debates.