Cathrine Hughes

Experienced interim-style leader with more than 20 years' experience helping complex organisations strengthen governance, manage risk and deliver sustainable improvement. I specialise in situations where organisations need greater clarity, stronger controls, improved decision-making or support through significant change. Throughout my career, I have been trusted to work in demanding environments where operational resilience, regulatory confidence and effective leadership are critical.

My approach is practical rather than theoretical. I work with senior leaders to understand what is preventing an organisation from performing at its best, establish effective governance and accountability, and help teams deliver measurable improvement. I have extensive experience designing governance frameworks, improving assurance, preparing organisations for scrutiny, leading transformation programmes and providing constructive challenge to Executive Teams and Boards.

Head of Security (Enterprise Governance, Resilience & Transformation Leadership) - Vaultex UK

(2023-01)

Senior Leadership Team role providing strategic leadership across governance, assurance, operational resilience, infrastructure improvement and transformation. Although the role sits within security, the scope extends across wider organisational performance and resilience.

• Advising Executive leaders on operational risk, governance, resilience and improvement opportunities.
• Designed and embedded governance and assurance approaches that improved visibility of risk and performance.
• Led significant operational transformation programmes across national infrastructure.
• Established improved Executive reporting and performance insight.
• Supported organisational readiness for audits, regulatory scrutiny and external review.
• Managed suppliers, budgets and complex operational dependencies.
• Led multidisciplinary teams through significant organisational change.
• Built strong relationships with auditors, regulators and external stakeholders.

Senior Risk Manager - Vaultex UK

(2021-01 - 2023-12)

Led development of enterprise risk management capability.

• Created practical risk frameworks aligned to organisational needs.
• Introduced horizon scanning and emerging risk processes.
• Improved risk reporting and Executive understanding of organisational exposure.
• Provided independent challenge and support to senior leaders.
• Strengthened links between risk, assurance and operational decision-making.

Group Risk Manager - Equals Group

(2018-01 - 2019-12)

Developed risk governance across international operations.

• Created group-wide risk structures and reporting approaches.
• Improved consistency of risk management across jurisdictions.
• Supported regulatory compliance and operational decision-making.

Domestic Payments Manager - Equals Group

(2019-01 - 2020-12)

Led operational delivery within a regulated financial services environment.

• Improved operational controls and reporting.
• Managed competing operational priorities while maintaining service delivery.
• Worked closely with compliance and risk functions.

Operations Manager - Virgin One Account

(2002-01 - 2008-12)

Led operational teams of 65+ employees within financial services.

• Managed operational delivery, customer outcomes and compliance requirements.
• Improved performance through clearer accountability and team development.
• Supported senior leadership with operational insight and reporting.

Business Analyst - Ernst & Young

(2000-01 - 2002-12)

Delivered governance, operational improvement and control reviews for client organisations.

MSc - Business Management - University of East Anglia

Cand.Mag - Finance, Law & Philosophy - University of Oslo