It is ultimately responsible for the stewardship and strategic direction of the ACT and accountable to the members. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive and, through the Chief Executive, to the Executive team.
Council consists of four Officers (President, Deputy President, Vice President and Immediate Past President) and up to five other elected members, as well as the Chief Executive and up to four co-opted members. i.e. a maximum of 14 Council members. In any year the term for Officers and elected members commences on 1 May.
The full list of Council members for 1 May 2023 - 30 April 2024 is shown below. The full list of is also available here (PDF).
Further information about Council, panels and other groups is set out in the council terms of reference.
Head of Sustainability and Group Treasury, Page Group
Please provide a brief description of your career
I am a treasury professional with 20 years’ experience across various sectors including multi-nationals, NFP and large government departments both here in the UK and Australia. As Group Treasurer for PageGroup plc. currently I manage not only the treasury function but also the insurance and sanctions programmes across 36 countries. I co-share investor relations and have recently taken on the responsibility of sustainability.
What do you like about working in treasury?
In treasury, I like the fact no one day is ever the same and I meet a great variety of internal and external stakeholders. Furthermore, as a Treasurer, I can add tangible value to the entire company.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
I plan to use my experience to support the Chief Executive and wider leadership team to continue guiding the treasury profession, not only for today but for future generations. Each organisation is as unique as the individuals it employs and we must equip treasury professionals to be equally as diverse and agile.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
The ACT is an invaluable resource for treasury professionals at every stage of their career. It provides an excellence in industry training, helping members to develop their skills, their career and their networks.
Non-Executive Director, Custodian REIT
Please provide a brief description of your career
I qualified as an accountant and had many different roles in finance. I was in a senior role in BG Group (Director of Corporate Finance) when I realised that the job that I really wanted was Group Treasurer. In order to give myself a chance of getting there I took both the AMCT and MCT exams and when I was qualified, I succeeded in getting the role that I really wanted: Group Treasurer of Lattice Group and then became Group Treasurer of National Grid, spending about 15 years in that role. I now have a “plural” career working as a non-executive director at five companies where I chair four audit & risk committees, a responsible business (ESG) committee and a credit committee.
What do you like about working in treasury/with treasurers?
Without a doubt, Group Treasurer was the best job that I ever had. It is stimulating, demanding and allows you to make a real positive difference to the business. It also allows you to work with a very wide range of fantastic people.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
I only got the best job that I ever had thanks to the ACT. I would like to use this opportunity to give something back to the ACT.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
It is the only place where you can get the training, development and network that you need to do your job effectively.
What three words describe you?
Thoughtful, supportive, challenging.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
When something goes wrong (and it will), address it immediately: it won’t go away.
Director of Treasury, Southern Housing
Please provide a brief description of your career
Not-for-profit housing association treasurer with early career in private sector audit and corporate banking. Other roles included magistracy, charity trusteeships and board memberships.
What do you like about working in treasury?
Thinking ahead.
Numbers combining with strategy to deliver the organisation’s mission.
Measurable targets.
Stretching corporate and personal goals.
Professional relationships.
Succeeding through others.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
ACT professional exams, formal learning and informal peer group networking are a great way to keep up with the complexity and challenge of treasury and corporate financing profession.
What three words describe you?
Curious*
Hopeful
Grounded
*in a good way
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Try again.
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
With Pakistani heritage, UAE upbringing and grown up time in London, I have three distinct social circles.
Managing Director, Head of Treasury Advisory UK & Ireland, Redbridge Debt and Treasury Advisory
Please provide a brief description of your career
Having completed my degree in Economics from Cambridge University, I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in Financial Services Audit of a Big 4 accountancy firm in London. I then moved to Cyprus as an Audit and Advisory partner in a local firm. Most of my advisory work was in Finance and Treasury so in 2004 I qualified with the ACT in order to broaden my horizons. In 2007, I returned to London and have since been advising FTSE 350 and global corporates in key areas of treasury as well as performing numerous secondments in senior treasury roles.
What do you like about working with treasurers?
Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a treasury function which in my view is the life-blood of the organisation.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
Provide a fresh perspective in promoting and supporting our profession and the ACT to the recognition they deserve.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
To become an integral part of a community of like-minded individuals who can support each other in developing their careers and promoting the profession.
What 3 words best describe you?
Personable, principled and driven.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Sleep well at night so that you glow during the day.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am a professionally trained coffee barista and roaster!
Group Treasurer, Sky Group
Please provide a brief description of your career
My corporate treasury career began in 1995 in the factory office of a heavy industry manufacturer, York International. I moved to Germany for my next treasury role which was at adidas AG. It enabled me to gain valuable international experiences during the four years I spent at the adidas global HQ. I moved back to England to work in a variety of treasury roles at First Choice Holidays plc and TUI Travel plc. For the past 12 years I have been a Group Treasurer, first with TUI Travel, and currently with Sky where I have been the Group Treasurer for the past 8 years.
What do you like about working in treasury?
The thing I like most is the variety. No two days are the same, and the interaction with different internal and external stakeholder keeps the job always interesting.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
Gain a better understanding and appreciation of how the ACT and the Council operates, and the challenges they face. I’d like to help promote the work of the ACT, and to provide my support and assistance to the SLT. To be useful in whatever way that I can.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
It’s the place to go to for all things treasury. You deepen your treasury knowledge and advance your career via the ACT qualifications. The great events and forums offered are also a fantastic source of treasury knowledge and they are great opportunities to build your treasury network.
What 3 words best describe you?
Straightforward, reliable, amiable.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I’m originally from Bristol and my family tell me I’m stuck in the 80s because they say most of my reference points come from the 80s – particularly music and football.
Director of Group Treasury, Tax and Risk, Pepco Group
Please provide a brief description of your career
Although I studied engineering at university, I went straight into finance with an external audit role, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in South Africa.
Moving over to the UK in 2004, I held a number of very interesting roles in internal audit, management accounting, technical IFRS conversions and then found treasury operations at Toyota Financial Services, and Anglo American.
I then moved to SABMiller and again had the fortune of having very different roles from TMS implementation and regional treasury centre rollouts to group treasury controller and then European & corporate treasurer – these roles gave me many amazing experiences across eight years and six continents. As part of the acquisition of SABMiller, I moved to Asahi International and setup the group treasury function, and then a group financial shared services which also involved recruiting great new talent, and travelling / meeting people from around the world.
I have recently moved to Pepco Group Limited as Director of Group Treasury, Tax and Risk and am enjoying working on a great project alongside some extremely knowledgeable and talented colleagues and advisors.
What do you like about working in treasury?
Treasury has led to me meeting wonderfully diverse people from different backgrounds and facilitates the dissection of the silos that companies often form to work closely with IT, legal, tax, finance, IA, HR, procurement, marketing and, at SABMiller and Asahi, even brewers.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
I would like to understand the mechanisms / strategies that the ACT has to drive the diversification of the treasury profession and membership away from the historical compositions, and really promote treasury as an amazing career to allow talented individuals to enjoy the same kind of experiences and career progression that my colleagues and I have been able to enjoy, regardless of their backgrounds.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
The ACT is extremely dedicated to the profession, more so than other professional bodies that I have worked with or been members of. They also have amazing resources, qualifications, learning events – and of course the Annual Dinner.
What three words describe you?
Loyal, easy-going, competitive.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Hire people much smarter than you, even if they become your boss someday soon – after all someone has to be your boss… - this was from Philip Learoyd.
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
Pre COVID-19, I was still playing competitive Water polo for Guildford Water Polo Club. Being based at the University of Surrey a number of my team members are far less than half my age. What I have lost in speed over the years, I have gained in weight.
Global Head of Treasury, AMS
Please provide a brief description of your career
I started my career in treasury straight after graduating from my MBA, worked myself up through the ranks over the past 17+ years: Analyst, Manager, Deputy Treasurer and now Global Head of Treasury for AMS. My experience is international (France, Germany, Canada and now UK) and spreads over a range of industries from FTSE-listed multinationals, private equity firms to not-for-profits.
What do you like about working in treasury?
I love the diverse nature of treasury. Every day is different, so never a dull moment! Also, recent events of failures at high profile banks highlight the importance of treasury’s key role in the context of financial risk management.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
I believe that the ACT is a fantastic organisation and as a younger international female treasurer, I think I am closer to the next generation’s aspirations, as well as trends which will shape the future of the profession. My goals are to help the ACT’s Executive and Senior Leadership Team: by ensuring the association consolidates its financial recovery post-pandemic, grows by increasing membership base and revenue from events, remains relevant/attractive in its offering, stimulates interaction with members and continues to augment membership benefits.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
In my view, if your goal is to have a career in treasury, then an ACT qualification is a must, and taking on an active role in the ACT community will help build your professional network in the field, to learn faster and to leverage the skills of more experienced treasury professionals.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Don’t procrastinate and if a challenge seems too overwhelming at first, tackle it in manageable phases.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
My first treasury role was with the Salvation Army where my responsibilities included managing donations that sometimes included gold bullions or live horses.
Various Non-Executive Director appointments
Please provide a brief description of your career
I have held a variety of executive roles at the ACT between 2006 & 2020 in member engagement, publishing, commercial development and treasury research. In addition I continue to moderate and chair treasury, corporate finance and global trade finance events in the UK, Middle East, continental Europe and Asia, representing the treasury voice in a private capacity as an independent treasury specialist.
My corporate treasury and finance career (1982-2006) included roles in major public corporates in the UK and Germany. I qualified for the MCT / Advanced Diploma with the ACT in 1994 and was made an ACT Fellow in 2000 and Honorary Fellow in 2021. Prior to treasury, I qualified at the Chartered Institute of Bankers in 1986 (working at Lloyds Bank, 1982-1986).
What do you like about working in treasury?
The dynamism, the access to the whole business, the need to think both operationally and strategically and to know that the lifeblood of a business passes through treasury.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
To help promote the association and the role of treasury as a profession especially via public engagement.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
To enhance their careers via qualifications, to enhance their profession and to help shape professional standards.
What 3 words best describe you?
Loyal, inquiring, social..
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Always make sure that the numbers add up!
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
There is nowhere in the world I’d rather be than at Lord’s, on a sunny day, watching Middlesex play cricket.
Consultant, Bicton Associates
Please provide a brief description of your career
After completing my degree in Engineering, Economics and Management, I entered the City as an investment analyst covering the food manufacturing sector. Although I thought I’d done my research to discover my dream job, the reality proved me wildly wrong. Slightly disillusioned, I applied for a job as a foreign exchange dealer at a corporate just to get out of the City. Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it and that was the start of my career in treasury. After three years I left to join George Wimpey PLC as Assistant Treasurer and then five years later Meggitt PLC, initially as Group Treasurer and finally as Head of Treasury & Tax.
What do you like about working in treasury?
Many aspects – the variety of the work, being at the centre of the organisation with the ability to have a real impact, and interacting with like-minded professionals both internally and externally.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
First secure its future following the impact of COVID on its finances. Then I would like to hear the views of others before setting my own goals.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
It uniquely represents the profession and therefore involvement is a prerequisite for anyone wishing to make a career within treasury.
What three words describe you?
Thoughtful, intelligent, pragmatic.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given.
You don’t really know what a job is like until you’ve done it – sadly learnt from bitter experience rather than advice.
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
Was born stateless.
Senior Treasury Manager, Group Treasury, National Grid
Please provide a brief description of your career
I was fortunate to land a role in treasury immediately after graduating from University. I joined the Corporate Treasury team at Heathrow Airport when it was going through a large refinancing and securitisation project which meant I was in at the deep end right from the beginning. It was here I studied for my ACT qualifications. I then joined National Grid and have just celebrated my 10-year anniversary at the company. Although I have spent most of my career working in the funding and derivatives aspect of treasury, I have also focussed on core risk and operations.
What do you like about working in treasury?
Treasury is so fundamental to any business which allows you to see the direct impact of your own work, and it is very satisfying to know you are making a difference.
What would you like to achieve during your tenure on Council?
During the pandemic over the past two years, I have found personal development has easily slipped to the bottom of my priority list, and I wonder how many other treasurers feel the same. So I am hoping to reignite the importance of personal development for others, not just for myself, and the ACT is a perfect place to start.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
The ACT can offer so much. There is endless learning available, and on top of that there is such a broad range of people that you can meet in treasury across all industries. The networking can be endless.
What three words describe you?
Honest, approachable and diligent.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given.
Be patient, and always take time to take a step back. Instant reactions are often not thought through, and whatever the situation whether you take 5 mins, a day or a week, it can make a difference.
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
I had a talent for gymnastics when I was younger, and not only did it help teach me to be disciplined, resilient and a team player but I was also lucky to be able to travel around Europe and America at such a young age.
Partner, Headland Communications
Before joining Headland Communications I was a Partner at Brunswick, the critical issues and communications firm. I led the global Campaign Planning offer; building long term reputation campaigns for companies across markets and sectors.
I worked for over 20 years in advertising as a Planner, responsible for creating brand and communications strategies. I have worked at TBWA/ London, part of Omnicom, on brands such as Apple, Mars, News International, Strongbow, and Thomas Cook as well as on the 2001 General Election campaign for the Labour party. I joined WPP’s J Walter Thompson in 2004, working as the lead global planner on a series of WPP’s multinational corporate clients: Vodafone, Nokia, Shell and HSBC.
I was co-opted to Council in 2015, to provide a different perspective and skills-set, most notably in branding and communication.
What do you like about working in treasury or with treasurers?
I don’t work with treasurers or treasury – but find that I can provide a different viewpoint and set of skills to Council and the ACT.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
The ACT is run by committed, expert staff for the benefit of treasurers and treasury. As an underappreciated but increasingly important profession, treasurers can benefit themselves and their profession by getting involved.
What 3 words best describe you?
Impatient. Creative. Foody.
CEO, Coda Societies
I am the CEO of Coda Societies, a firm that builds social and economic infrastructures to promote equity worldwide.
Originally from Paris, France, I pursued my passion for public administration, innovation and social impact in the United States and received a Masters of Public Administration from Cornell University.
I have launched social innovation firms, designed and implemented physical spaces, national and local health care systems, nationwide public administration processes, think tanks, regional economic agendas and labor policies for institutions, corporations and governments in North America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. My clients include The Center For Progressive Policy (CPP), The Rapid Results Institute, The National Ministry of Planning of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nesta and the National Health System (NHS) of the United Kingdom, The Royal Society for the Arts, and The Africa Center.
I currently reside in New York City.
What do you like about working in treasury or with treasurers?
Across all sectors and industries, finance is foundational. The business decisions finance professionals make have the potential to impact all of society. This is why I appreciate working with treasurers, because they are key stewards of corporations. To best take on the challenges and opportunities of our globalized world, focusing on this node is critical to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. Working with treasurers, is therefore, an important part of rendering finance a human component of business.
What would you like to achieve during your time on Council?
During my time on Council, my hope is to contribute to improving the institutional mechanisms that treasurers rely on to best impact their industry. Ultimately, to partner with them as they shape healthy corporations that encourage the innovative thinking that reflects the values of our times. I look forward to applying my multi-sectoral skills to co-create new solutions and opportunities.
Why should members get involved with the ACT?
Being on the Council is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of a strong community of leaders. I would encourage members to get involved with ACT because it offers important opportunities to exchange with and learn from professionals who hold similar roles, yet have diverse backgrounds and perspectives. These synergies also enable leaders to share best practices, and shape their industries with the most forward-thinking ideas.
What 3 words best describe you?
Inquisitive. Dedicated. Creative.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
To use limitations as sources of creativity and that integrity is the best guide of all.
Please tell us something interesting about yourself.
I was trained as a concert pianist in my formative years and have continued my performance studies in the United States.
