Kathryn Cearns OBE, FCA, FCCA
Biography
Kathryn Cearns holds a number of government positions:
- Department for Transport, Group Audit and Risk Committee – member
- DfT OLR Holdings Limited – non-executive director
- National Highways – non-executive director
- National Highways’ Audit and Risk Committee – Chair
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Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – non-executive director
- appointed 1 August 2022
- Member of the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB)
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Office of Tax Simplification – Chair
- appointed March 2019
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Companies House, Audit Committee – non-executive board member and member
- appointed 1 January 2017
- reappointed 1 January 2020 (for a 2nd term)
- term ended 31 December 2021
A chartered accountant with extensive senior level experience in both the public and private sectors, Kathryn was Chair of the Financial Reporting Advisory Board to HM Treasury from 2010 to 2016 and was Chair of the ICAEW Financial Reporting Committee for 10 years up to the end of 2017. Her past roles include as a project director at the UK Accounting Standards Board (now the Financial Reporting Council) and for many years as the consultant accountant for an international law firm. Until March 2019 she was also on the Council of the ICAEW.
Kathryn holds a number of non-executive, trustee and advisory appointments, most notably as chair of the Office of Tax Simplification, non-executive board member of the UK Supreme Court, vice-chair of The Property Ombudsman, non-executive director of Highways England, non-executive director of DfT OLR Holdings Limited and non-executive director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. She is a former member of the External Audit Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Non-executive director
Non-executive directors provide advice and bring an external perspective to business.
Chair, Office of Tax Simplification
The Chair is responsible to Ministers for the Office’s work, including the content of its reports.
Non-executive Director
Non-Executive Directors are members of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Board.
The Board:
- monitors the NDA’s performance and directs its business effectively, including playing an active role in stakeholder relations
- receives frequent updates on the NDA’s financial position, forecasts and sensitivities
- ensures that a balanced assessment of performance is reported to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and regularly debates the main (corporate strategic) risks facing the NDA
Previous roles in government
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Member of Main Board and Audit Committee