Judges

Tesse Akpeki FCG, a creative, poet and nonpracticing solicitor is a social entrepreneur, governance consultant, executive coach, facilitator, mediator, trainer, a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute and the Association for Coaching. Named Champion for Governance 2023, she works extensively with governing boards, with a focus on enhancing wellbeing, resilience and harmonious relationships. Tesse author of over twenty books on governance, is a Senior Associate for AdvanceHE, a trainer on Inclusive Leadership and Governance, cultural intelligence and compassionate accountability. Recognised as a thought leader, she has been a TEDx panellist in Texas USA, spoken on broadening the composition of trustees at All Parliamentary Group meeting hosted at the House of Lords. She is a member of the McKinsey Survey Panel and the Havard Business Review Advisory Council. Hosting two podcasts TesseTalks and TesseLeads has positioned Tesse as an empathetic compassionate voice, passionately supporting and enabling excellence in organisations.

Hannah is a senior level Company Secretary with over 20 years of FTSE plc experience working across multiple sectors including oil & energy, financial services, leisure and retail. Skilled in Corporate Governance, Board, Management, Investor Relations, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Restructuring and Risk Management. Strong professional background, in particular during periods of significant corporate activity.

Emma is a chartered company secretary and recently joined Computershare as Director of Entity Governance and Compliance. Prior to Emma worked at Foresight Group overseeing the company secretarial services across both private and listed funds as well as providing board and committee support to the board.

Lyn Colloff is a Chartered Secretary with nearly 40 years’ experience in governance, risk, and compliance across listed and regulated sectors. Most recently, she served as Company Secretary and Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance at Wincanton plc, a FTSE 250 supply chain leader, where she was also a member of the Executive team. Prior to Wincanton, Lyn held senior roles at Cobham plc and the Financial Services Authority, consistently advising boards on corporate governance and regulatory matters. She now leads her own consultancy, delivering governance training and short-term board support, while actively pursuing Non-Executive Director opportunities. Lyn chairs the Company Secretary’s Forum of the Chartered Governance Institute and contributes to thought leadership in governance through consultation responses and professional committees. She holds an MBA from Aston University and is passionate about empowering boards to navigate risk, strategy, and transformation with integrity and insight.

As Company Secretary for BBC Studios, Anthony is responsible for ensuring a clear and consistent corporate governance framework for the organisation. Anthony heads a team that provides a broad spectrum of company administration and meeting management services. Additionally, he provides director training and advice to the business on a range of matters, working with colleagues from across the BBC group. Prior to joining the BBC in 2010, Anthony held a number of company secretarial and governance roles at Thomas Cook Group plc, Schroders plc, Capita Group plc and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Ruairí was elected to the CGIUKI President in 2025. A former President of the Institute’s Ireland Region and current Council member, he is Director of PwC Dublin's Entity Governance and Compliance Department. He provides governance advice to a range of companies including plcs, multinational companies, Irish indigenous companies and State Bodies.

A chartered corporate governance professional with experience working in private banking, media, government and multilateral sectors. Leading the high-performing, multinational team that manages the Corporate Secretariat functions of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), a major Multilateral Development Bank.

Susan has over 35 years of governance experience and joined JTC’s London team in 2017 to launch their Governance Services, focusing on listed entities. As a Board Member of JTC UK, she helps set the strategic direction and vision for the business as well as set the pace for its current operations and future development. A Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, Susan served on its board for six years and chaired the membership committee, contributing significantly to the profession. She previously served on a professional network committee for Women Chartered Secretaries and remains active in supporting women at the start of their careers through networking and CPD events. Susan is also a regular panellist on key professional topics.

Andrew is an experienced Governance Professional and Former Director of Company Secretarial at Legal & General Group Plc. Andrew retired in July 2023 as Director of Company Secretarial at Legal & General after 36 years. During his Legal & General career, Andrew held a number of senior Group and Operational company secretarial roles. Andrew is a member of the CGI's Co Sec forum and Chairs their Corporate Governance and Future of AGM Working Groups . Andrew is a fellow of the CGI and Institute of Directors and member of the Chartered Management Institute.

Respected senior chartered governance professional with a strong commercial focus and FTSE 100 plc experience across a range of industries including financial services. Notable external representation through committee appointments and invitations as a speaker. A fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland and an active member of the Institute's Company Secretary's Forum contributing to the development of governance policy and guidance. Elected to the Oversight Committee for the Best Practice Principles Group relating to the proxy voting advisory and research industry. Winner of the prestigious 2024 Governance Professional of the Year prize at the Chartered Governance Institute's annual awards ceremony. Shortlisted for multiple additional awards in prior years including Team of the Year and Project of the Year. Winner with inclusion on the Governance Hot100 list as an Inspirational Manager in 2024 and as a Governance Trailblazer in 2022.

Krishna is a Director who has worked for KPMG in the UK for over 20 years specialising in marketing and communications. For the last seven years she has focused on inclusion, diversity and equity (IDE) matters at board level for the ‘KPMG Board Leadership Centre’ programme and helped develop ‘KPMG Connect On Board’, a digital platform showcasing diverse candidates for boards roles. Since 2016 Krishna has worked closely with the FTSE Women Leaders Review team (successor to the Hampton-Alexander Review) to improve gender balance in FTSE350 companies, and she is an advisory board member for the Next Generation Non-Executive Director Network. She regularly publishes content and speaks at external events related to IDE matters

John Heaton became Global President in 2024 having previously been the President of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland from 2017 to 2020. He has been a member of the Institute since 1996 but started his career with Lloyds Bank moving into their share registration subsidiary and working closely with company secretaries and governance professionals. He still does consultancy work, but leading the Institute at such a pivotal time is the focus of much of what he now does.

Mark Howorth is Director of Governance and Compliance at St Mungo's, a London charity and housing association working to end homelessness through outreach, accommodation, and support services. He has extensive governance experience across sport, education, public services, finance, and housing. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, Chair of its Yorkshire & Humber Branch, a Chartered Company Secretary, and a Member of the Institute of Leadership. Mark Chairs as a Trustee, Beyond the Margin, a Bradford charity supporting disadvantaged people through interventions that build skills, wellbeing, and aspirations. He also volunteers with Young Enterprise and is a regular speaker at national sector conferences, sharing insights on leadership, governance, and board assurance. He is an an active member of the Centre for AI in Boardroom Effectiveness, a research group exploring how AI can improve governance and address current and future challenges of AI for board and governance professionals.

A specialist in global corporate secretarial outsourcing operations, James has worked with many Fortune 100 and FTSE 100 companies, assisting them with improving their global governance and reporting activities. James also specialises in providing IPO and board support services to UK listed companies.

Marie was elected to the CGIUKI board in January 2020. She chairs the Membership and serves on the Education and Learning Committees. She is a qualified solicitor with over 20 years’ governance experience in the financial services sector as a lawyer and Chartered governance professional.

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David joined the Financial Reporting Council as Director of Corporate Governance and Stewardship in 2014. He was responsible for the UK's Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. This followed a 30 career in the Civil Service (Department for Business), including 10 years with domestic responsibility for corporate governance issues such as directors' remuneration and shareholders' rights, and European negotiations on these issues. He retired from the FRC in 2024. David is part of the IoD's corporate governance committee and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Adminstrators.

Ida is a seasoned governance professional with extensive experience supporting Board operations and ensuring compliance across complex organisational structures. In their role, Ida advises the Intertek board on governance matters, facilitates effective information flow between the Board and its Committees, and oversees systems that ensure adherence to legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements.

Hannah joined Severn Trent in October 2015 and became Group Company Secretary on 2 December 2022. She has extensive experience of operating in listed companies and regulated sectors, gained in a number of senior leadership roles spanning the FTSE100 and FTSE250 and she is responsible for providing governance advice and guidance to the Board and senior management, as well as leading the Company Secretariat function. Hannah is a Chartered Company Secretary, being a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, and she also attended INSEAD business school. She joined the Company from Mitchells & Butlers Plc, where she spent five years in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility within the company secretarial, governance and risk functions. In addition to her role at Severn Trent, Hannah is a Trustee of University Hospitals Birmingham Charity.