Shahnan and Melissa Bakth

Shahnan and Melissa Bakth met as teenagers whilst at CLS and City of London School for Girls. Married since 2009, they are now actively involved in both school communities. Here, they share the role that the two schools have played in their past, present and future.

Do you remember meeting for the first time?
“We both remember that moment vividly — it marked the beginning of a chain of events that helped shape who we eventually became, both as individuals and as a couple.

Back in 2001, CLS and CLSG joined forces for their first Asian Society Culture Show. It was meant to be a celebration of colour, music and food, but it ended up becoming so much more. For Melissa, CLSG had always felt like a magical place — full of young women encouraged to lead, to imagine and to aspire. Meeting Shahnan and the other “boys” showed her that CLS cultivated those same values in its pupils. They were confident, charming and hilarious in equal measure. Shahnan stood out immediately: quiet determination mixed with an unmistakable spark.

Rehearsals ran every day after school for a month. At first, it just felt like fun — an excuse to spend time with friends outside lessons — but over time we realised we were part of a community of like‑minded people. That’s what struck us about one another early on. We were two very different teenagers — one a steady planner who saw the world as something to navigate with purpose, and the other a colourful homebody with big, creative dreams — yet it felt as though fate had gently nudged us into each other’s orbit.”

Would you have met if you hadn’t been at “sibling” schools?

“Honestly, probably not — though we both like to imagine a universe full of sliding-doors moments where our paths might still have crossed.

We are both second‑generation immigrants who grew up watching our parents work tirelessly, so our values were aligned long before we met. But in personality and lifestyle, we existed in very different worlds. One of us gravitates naturally towards numbers and logic; the other towards colour, craft and ideas. At school (and even to this day), I put on a suit and tie each morning while Melissa picks out bright trainers and gold hoops. CLS and CLSG created a rare Venn‑diagram moment — a precise window of time where our lives overlapped. We often talk about how different everything might have been without 11 October 2001.”

What was your first impression of each other?
“When we look back at our younger selves, it’s always with a smile. Beyond my shiny leather shoes and gel‑spiked hair, 2001 me and 2026 me are remarkably similar — dreaming big, always seeing opportunity where others see obstacles. And Melissa’s father once told her that the secret to a long marriage was to “find someone who wants to build something with you.” That’s exactly what happened — we grew up and grew older together.”

Did CLS/CLSG feature in your wedding?
“Absolutely. My best man was my closest friend from CLS, and Melissa’s maid of honour was her lifelong friend from CLSG. The ASOC group were front and centre throughout the celebrations. It felt incredibly special to share the day with the very people who were there when it all began — and who watched our partnership form over the years.”

How did your shared educational background influence your values or interests as a couple?
“Our schools helped reinforce values we had grown up with: community, family, hard work and respect.

Both sets of parents made enormous sacrifices so their children could have opportunities they themselves never had. One of us watched a father leave home at 4:30am each day and a mother care for both children and extended family; the other grew up with a mother raising four children and a father who was a pillar of the community — a legacy now continued by Shahnan in public life almost 30 years later.

Our home today looks directly onto CLSG, the place where our story began. Hard work and respect remain the foundation of our household. And now, with Shahnan on the CLS Board of Governors, we sometimes joke about future roles — Chair of Governors, or even Lord Mayor of the City. What a full‑circle moment that would be.”

Have you maintained strong relationships with peers from CLS/CLSG, and do the schools still play a part in your lives?

“Yes — once you’re part of the City family, the bonds don’t loosen. We recently attended the wedding of a dear friend from our school days, and every reunion feels like stepping back in time. No matter how life pulls us in different directions — work, geography, families — when we’re together again, we remember who we were and how those years shaped us. It’s grounding. And it reminds us that at CLS and CLSG, the greatest thing we were ever encouraged to be was simply ourselves.”