Shefaly Yogendra, PhD is an experienced independent non-executive director and committee chair on the boards of several listed Investment Trusts including two FTSE 250 companies and one owner of real assets. She was earlier an independent governor and interim chair of London Metropolitan University. Shefaly chairs ESG, Remuneration, Nomination and Management Engagement committees on these boards and has chaired Audit & Risk on the University board. Her well-rounded board experience follows a career in the technology industry, most recently as the COO of an AI company, and a luxury startup. Shefaly has a PhD in decision-making from the University of Cambridge, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, and a first degree in Electronics Engineering. She was named FTSE 100 Women to Watch in 2016, the year she began as a Board Apprentice on the board of a JP Morgan subsidiary fund. 

Luisa Burke joined Cornforth Consulting in 2016 to specialise in investment trust search.  Luisa has over 13 years’ executive search experience, previously focussing on investment banking, credit and capital markets, with Euromarket Trading Consultants, Norman Broadbent and Hanson Green.  She began her career with Salomon Brothers as a Japanese government bond trader and in debt syndicate. 

Peter Buffoni is a Partner at GatenbySanderson. For over five years he led on commercial partnerships for a large national charity, working with HM Prison and Probation Service.  He leads relationships across Government, including the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence and their wider executive agencies and delivery bodies (including policing and the fire and rescue services nationally).  He has considerable experience in recruiting Non-Executive Directors and Chairs, and has specialised in particular on career transition and personal branding support during his 15+ year search career.

Peter has enjoyed a varied career, having worked in elite sport, as well spending over a decade in the emergency services, four years in the military and a similar amount of time as both a civil and Crown servant in Sport England and the Ministry of Defence.

Rachel Tranter is a founding director of Women on Boards UK. She spent 18 years as an international corporate tax consultant working with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. After leaving in 2008 she joined Cardio Direct Ltd, a medical provider of cardiac services. Rachel studied at the University of Birmingham and is a Bachelor of Commerce. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, ATII qualified. In 2017 Rachel joined the board of the Amateur FA as an Independent Non Executive Director and she is also an Independent Panel Member for the Ministry of Justice. Away from WOB, Rachel is a passionate long distance runner, club tennis player and enjoys long walks with her two Hungarian Vizslas.

Helene Usherwood is a Partner at Anderson Quigley. With over 20 years’ headhunting experience Helene has appointed to senior roles within the arts, health, and education fields as well as central and local government. Joining Anderson Quigley in 2018, Helene has established and continues her work specialising in the appointment of executive and non-executive directors in the NHS covering acute, ambulance service, primary care, mental health, and regulatory bodies as well as national organisations and Royal Colleges.

In addition to her work with NHS Trusts, Helene established Anderson Quigley’s Board Practice, working across all sectors to appoint Chairs and Non-Executive Directors. She has developed excellent networks across the public and private sectors to encourage greater levels of diversity around the Boardroom table. As well as providing bespoke services, advice and guidance to her clients and candidates Helene is highly motivated to provide careers advice and guidance to individuals, especially to those who have not previously considered a non-executive opportunity before but whom have unique insights and skills to offer.

Perdita Fraser is an experienced chair and non executive director, with 20 years board experience in UK and US across the private sector, start-ups, public sector, charities and higher education. She brings a specific focus on innovation, R&D, artificial intelligence, partnerships, skills, sustainability, and corporate governance. She is a former JP Morgan investment banker, with strong background in finance and risk management.

Perdita has long experience in higher education governance. She is Senior Advisor to the VC and Trustee of the Development Trust at Edinburgh University. She spent six years as a member of the Council and Audit & Risk Committee. She is also Chair of National Numeracy, an education charity. She is also a NED at Digital Catapult and a panel member/ former trustee at the National Lottery Community Fund.