Expert Governance Consultancy & Board Effectiveness
Empowering boards with strategic governance frameworks, drawing on over 16 years of senior experience across central banking, financial regulation, government, charities, and education.
Book a ConsultationAbout Sarah Ward
Governance specialist with deep experience across financial regulation, central banking, and the education sector.
Sarah has spent over 16 years at the heart of governance in some of the UK's most complex organisations. She designed the Prudential Regulation Authority's governance framework, advised the Governor of the Bank of England, and has since worked as an independent consultant for organisations including the Financial Conduct Authority and the IMF.
What sets Sarah apart is that she has both built governance frameworks from scratch and reviewed them for effectiveness. This means her recommendations are grounded in practical reality, not just theory.
Background
Independent Consultant
Governance consultancy for regulators, multi-academy trusts, and other complex organisations.
Bank of England
Senior governance roles including advising the Governor's Office, designing the PRA's governance framework, and leading governance effectiveness reviews. Governance and supervision roles at the Financial Services Authority, including the transition programme that created the FCA and PRA. International assignments for the IMF across three countries.
Selected Engagements
Recent and notable consultancy assignments demonstrating breadth of governance expertise.
Financial Conduct Authority
Governance review and restructuring of committee and secretariat arrangements. Created the Statutory Cost Benefit Analysis Committee.
Small Multi-Academy Trust
Governance effectiveness review for a multi-academy trust.
International Monetary Fund
Financial sector governance assessments across three international assignments.
Specialist Governance Services
Tailored, high-impact governance solutions for financial regulators, public sector bodies, educational trusts, and complex organisations.
Board Effectiveness Reviews
Comprehensive, externally facilitated reviews designed to enhance board performance, dynamics, and decision-making. Aligned with the latest UK Corporate Governance Code requirements.
- Confidential questionnaires & 1:1 interviews
- Observation of board meetings
- Actionable recommendations
- Chair and director coaching
Governance Framework Design
Drawing on extensive experience designing governance frameworks from scratch across multiple organisations, this service focuses on building or overhauling governance structures to ensure they are fit for purpose.
- Designing arrangements from scratch
- Terms of Reference & Schemes of Delegation
- Optimizing committee structures
Education Governance
Specialized advisory for the education sector, bringing regulatory rigor to Multi-Academy Trusts and school boards.
- External Reviews of Governance (ERGs)
- MAT board effectiveness reviews
- Trustee training and development
Secretariat & Decision-Making
Improving the quality and discipline of executive decision-making, drawing on hands-on experience building secretariat functions at the Bank of England and the FCA.
- Secretariat design and effectiveness
- Quality of papers and information flows
- Accountability frameworks and decision rights