Introducing FEL’s Non-Executive Advisor Kurt Hintz: Supporting Excellence at the FTA Leicester

Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) is delighted to highlight the contribution of Kurt Hintz, who serves as a Non-Executive Advisor on Fashion-Enter’s advisory board, providing strategic guidance and educational oversight across the Fashion Technology Academy (FTA), including its growing campus in Leicester.

Kurt officially joined the newly formed Non-Executive Board on 16th December 2025, bringing with him nearly 30 years of leadership experience in further education, curriculum development and college transformation. His appointment strengthens FEL’s commitment to delivering outstanding skills training and ensuring learners across Leicester benefit from high-quality teaching, industry-focused learning and clear progression into employment.

Working closely with Jenny Holloway, CEO and Founder of Fashion-Enter Ltd, and Lan Leeder, Head of Education, Kurt has played a key role in reviewing the academy’s quality assurance systems. His work has helped strengthen learner progress monitoring, enhance teaching and learning practices, and expand specialist partnerships with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) schools and organisations.

These improvements are directly benefiting learners at the FTA Leicester campus, where students are gaining practical garment manufacturing skills, technical knowledge and industry experience designed to support careers within the UK’s fashion and textile sector.

A Distinguished Career in Further Education

Kurt Hintz is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading further education specialists. He began his teaching career as an engineering lecturer in New Zealand in 1998 before relocating to the UK in 2004.

During his 15 years with Capital City College Group (CCCG), Kurt progressed through a number of senior leadership positions, beginning as Curriculum Director at CONEL. It was here that he first worked alongside Jenny Holloway to establish one of the UK’s pioneering Fashion Academies, helping develop apprenticeship pathways for the fashion industry in partnership with Skillset, now part of UKFT.

Since 2008, Kurt and Jenny have maintained a strong professional relationship that has positively influenced thousands of learners through innovative education and skills development.

Kurt later became Executive Principal of Capital City College Group, overseeing 11 London college campuses serving around 30,000 students. During his leadership, the group successfully eliminated a £10 million structural deficit while improving its Ofsted performance.

He has since taken on several high-profile interim leadership roles, including Interim Principal and CEO of Petroc College in North Devon before becoming Interim Principal and CEO of Havant and South Downs College (HSDC) in January 2026.

Alongside his work with Fashion-Enter Ltd, Kurt also serves as a trustee for OCN London and Ambitious about Autism and continues to play an active role in shaping regional skills strategies and educational innovation.

Strengthening Quality Across the Fashion Technology Academy

Following the Fashion Technology Academy’s Ofsted inspection in November 2025, two areas for development were identified relating to governance oversight and the continued enhancement of teaching practice.

Fashion-Enter Ltd welcomed the feedback and responded by strengthening its Non-Executive Board, appointing Kurt to lead educational quality assurance across the academy.

His expertise has already helped introduce enhanced governance processes, improved curriculum monitoring and strengthened professional development for tutors. These improvements are supporting a consistently high-quality learning experience for students across all FTA campuses, including Leicester.

Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion-Enter Ltd, said:

“We accepted the feedback from Ofsted and were determined to build on the excellent work already taking place across the Fashion Technology Academy. Strengthening our Non-Executive Board was an important step, and asking Kurt to lead on quality assurance was central to that decision.

We have carefully listened to his advice and guidance over the past few months, and the impact has already been significant. We’ve introduced new processes, strengthened our teaching practice and enhanced the support we provide for learners of all abilities, including those with SEND. His expertise has been invaluable, and these improvements are benefiting learners across the Academy, including our growing campus in Leicester. Thank you, Kurt, for your continued support.”