It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our Chief Operating Officer, Hilary Fiennes, who died peacefully on Wednesday 11 June at Mary Potter Hospice, with her family by her side, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Hilary was a valued member of the Marsden Senior Management Team. She joined us in April 2020, during the first nationwide lockdown, and brought with her a wealth of expertise, clarity of thought, and tenacious determination. Her significant contribution to the school, her indomitable spirit, and her delightfully witty sense of humour were hallmarks of her time with us.

Born and raised in London, Hilary graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Statistics and Operational Research from the University of Manchester, before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG. She spent 15 years working in banking in various senior roles within the Barclays Group, including managing programme finances for major system replacements, leading business planning for credit card operations, and designing international value-based planning processes.

Before relocating to New Zealand, Hilary held the role of Business Manager at a large London secondary school of 1,200 students. After settling in Wellington with her husband Toby and children Emily, Tom and Leandra, she took time to focus on family life before returning to full-time work in the not-for-profit sector, working in finance for a social services provider focused on social justice.

Hilary’s connection to Marsden predated her formal role. Her daughters both attended the school, with Leandra serving as Head Girl and Emily as Head of School Council, and she previously worked with the Senior Management Team in a part-time capacity as Executive Assistant. Despite her many professional achievements, Hilary often said that relocating her family halfway across the world was the thing she was most proud of.

A service to celebrate Hilary’s life will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 18 June at Old St Paul’s, Wellington. Her family’s death notice can be viewed here.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Gut Cancer Foundation in Hilary’s memory would be appreciated. Contributions can be made via her tribute page on the Foundation’s website:
https://gut-cancer-foundation-in-memory.raisely.com/hilaryfiennes

Hilary’s strength, generosity, sense of humour, and unwavering commitment to Marsden left a lasting mark on our community. She will be deeply missed. May she rest in peace.