Kathryn Cearns OBE, FCA, FCCA
Biography
Kathryn Cearns is a chartered accountant with extensive senior level experience in both the public and private sectors. Kathryn holds several government, non-executive, trustee and advisory positions:
- Department for Transport Group Audit and Risk Committee – member
- DfT Operator Limited – non-executive director
- Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – non-executive director
- Press Recognition Panel - chair
- British Medical Association – lay chair of Audit and Risk Committee
- The Property Ombudsman – vice-chair
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. She was also on the Council of the ICAEW for 3 years to March 2019.
Kathryn is a former member of the External Audit Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a former non-executive director of National Highways. She chaired the Office of Tax Simplification until its closure. Kathryn has been a non-executive board member of Companies House, the UK Supreme Court, Crossrail Ltd and the UK Endorsement Board. She has also served as a trustee of Mencap, Royal British Legion Industries and Young Epilepsy.
Kathryn’s past executive roles include being a project director at the UK Accounting Standards Board (now the Financial Reporting Council) and, for many years, she was the consultant accountant for an international law firm.
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