Our Circles of support are an additional service launching for 2025. They are a ‘go-to’ community of support for members with experience in each sector to build closer connections. Each group involves a WhatsApp Community and six events, mixed between virtual and in-person.
This group will span investment trusts, banks, building societies, asset management and any other type of firm in the financial services space and subject to FSA regulation. It will allow for in-depth discussion on regulatory issues particular to this sector, as well as sector-specific framing of issues such as culture and ESG. BDO will lend their expertise and insight, leading some sessions and simply being ‘on hand’ to contribute.
Open to our Directors’ Circle members who are currently serving on boards of this type, our Financial Services Circle will provide a supportive, confidential space bringing the peer support and insight to be even more impactful as a NED.
Meeting dates –
Please register here to be join our 2025 Financial Services Circle events. After our initial meeting, we will share further dates through the year. Do register even if you can not attend the first session.
Session 1 – Monday 10th February, 9am-10am (virtual)
Welcome, introductions and priority issues discussion.
You will also receive an invitation to join the WhatsApp group.
Chaired by – Sally Ann Hibberd and Suzanne Clark
BDO lead – Sasha Molodtsov
Chairs
Sally-Ann Hibberd
Sally-Ann Hibberd is an accomplished Chair and Independent NED in Financial Services, with extensive experience leading risk and sustainability committees, as well as serving on audit, remuneration, and nomination committees. She is currently a board member at Lowell, IG (FTSE 250), and The Clear Group and is a trustee of the charity Beyond Words. Sally-Ann brings a wealth of expertise to this discussion, drawing on her deep understanding of governance, risk management, and boardroom dynamics.
Suzanne Clark
Suzanne is an experienced Audit Committee chair and accomplished non-executive, who excels when challenging the status quo in complex, dynamic or highly regulated organisations. She currently sits as a Non-Executive Director at Recognise Bank, and as NED and Audit Committee Chair at The Exeter and HBL Bank UK. She brings an exceptional track record of guiding organisations through critical transformations and crisis (at the Bank of England in the financial crisis and at a large hospital during the pandemic).
BDO Lead
Sasha Molodtsov
Sasha is a Partner in Financial Services, leading the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, which sits within BDO’s Financial Service’s ESG and Regulatory Advisory practice. Sasha has recently returned
from secondment with the Bank of England. Sasha supports firms’ C Suite and Board decision makers to understand, monitor and report ESG related matters as they relate to regulation and industry expectations. She also leads BDO’s Financial Services’ Non-Executive Director’s (NEDs) community, which delivers timely technical, regulatory and thematic thought leadership to enable NEDs to successfully deliver their Director duties.
Sasha is a mentor with The 30% Club, The Prince’s Trust and Women in Banking and Finance, and co-leads the Diversity Project’s Ambassador programme. Alongside her technical role at BDO, she is
also involved in BDO’s Diversity and Inclusion working groups and employee networks. She sits on BDO’s CEDAR (formerly BAME) Executive, LGBTQ+ network and co-leads the Financial Services’
Culture & Inclusion Group.