Meet the KCG Executive Management Team
Managing Director, Maria Vetrone
Maria is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA - 1994). She has 20 years of experience in public sector internal and external audit gained from her previous appointments at the Audit Commission, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and at KPMG. Her experience includes many years with the Big 4 accountancy and audit firms at senior levels, including responsibility for establishing and developing the Public Sector Internal Audit Department at KPMG in London in the mid/late-1990s. Maria also has over 10 years of experience of working with HE institutions, having held the role of Head of Internal Audit at institutions such as St George’s University of London and Kingston University before her current position within KCG. She now specialises in corporate performance management, risk management and governance in HE and the provision of management assurance through strategic reviews of management processes, as well leading KCG and maintaining overall responsibility for its management, operations and continued development. Maria is also currently the Head of Internal Audit for a number of the Member institutions. She is also a Governor and member of the Audit Committee at the North East Surrey College of Technology (NESCOT).
Director, Sarah Blaze
Sarah is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA - 1996). She has nearly 20 years of experience in public sector internal audit gained from her previous appointments in the National Health Service (NHS) and at KPMG. Sarah was a Graduate Regional Financial Management Trainee in the NHS from 1992 to 1995 and upon qualifying took up the post of Deputy Chief Internal Auditor at a combined acute and community NHS Trust. From 1997 to 2007, Sarah worked at KPMG in the Public Sector Assurance Team. In her role, Sarah managed a portfolio of public sector internal audit clients in various sectors - Housing Associations, Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) and the NHS. Sarah is currently the Head of Internal Audit for the University of Westminster, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the Royal Veterinary College.
Associate Director, Andrew Lovett
Andrew is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and was a member of the national CIPFA Council for three years. He also holds a diploma in management studies. Andrew has wide experience of financial management and audit in the public and private sectors. He has played financial management roles in major local authorities, such as the Greater London Council (GLC), and he has acted as Head of Internal Audit for other significant public bodies. Andrew spent six years developing public sector audit services at KPMG and latterly was a public sector audit partner for 13 years at Baker Tilly. He specialises in assurance services, risk management and governance in public bodies.
Director, Tony Woodhouse
Tony is a qualified Internal Auditor (CMIIA) with extensive audit experience across the public and private sectors. His audit career began in the NHS and after completing audit roles in Broadcasting and also the privatised Electricity Supply Industry, Tony moved into accounting practice. For three years he managed a major Local Government contract for Deloitte before undertaking a number of long term secondments for Deloitte in senior audit roles to clients in the Healthcare, Media and Aviation sectors. Prior to joining KCG, Tony worked as a senior audit consultant mainly in Whitehall, where he completed assignments at a number of major Government Departments and Agencies and also at the offices of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, where for two years he was the interim Head of Audit. Tony is the Head of Internal Audit for the University of Kent, Heythrop College, and Regent's College London.
Assistant Director - IT Assurance, Adnan Killedar
Adnan is a certified Information Systems Auditor and a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) USA. He has nearly 20 years of experience in IT audit, risk and governance gained from his previous appointments at Ernst & Young in the UK and in Pakistan at senior levels and at the Atlas Group of Companies in Pakistan as the Head of Group IT. Adnan maintains a degree in computer science and an MBA in finance with international experience in three countries, successfully delivering a wide range of business and technical projects. At Ernst & Young, Adnan maintained responsibility for the management of a portfolio of clients with engagements covering IT audit support, IT internal audit, programme assurance, IT risk assessment, and IT consultancy. Adnan is now responsible for the development of the KCG IT Assurance practice and the delivery of IT assurance and advisory services to both Members of the Consortium and non-Members.
Assistant Director, Trevor Warner
Trevor is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He trained with Robson Rhodes, a top-20 accountancy practice, and qualified in 1991. Following this, Trevor joined a start-up firm specialising in business rescue, and after working for a small accountancy practice he joined the National Audit Office (NAO) in 1999. During his time with the NAO he worked in value-for-money and financial audits on a variety of projects, including studies on the foot and mouth disease epidemic, prison overcrowding, MP’s expenses and EC agricultural payments. Trevor is the Assistant Director responsible for the internal audit programmes at Goldsmiths' College, the Royal College of Music, the School of Pharmacy, and Regent's College London. He is one of the founding KCG Consortium staff members.
Assistant Director, Stuart Kemp
Stuart is a qualified Internal Auditor (MIIA) and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). He is the Assistant Director responsible for the internal audit programmes at Kingston University, the University of Roehampton, Southampton Solent University, and Bournemouth University. Stuart has assisted in developing the KCG risk management methodology and is responsible for the delivery of KCG facilitated risk workshops across the Consortium Membership and for non-Members. He is one of the founding KCG Consortium staff members, originally from the Kingston University Internal Audit Department. His internal audit experience includes several years at Andersen and the Lord Chancellor’s Department.
Meet the KCG Audit Team
Senior Manager (Special Reviews), Anil Pujara
Anil is a management consultant and a qualified Certified Accountant, being a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA). He is the Senior Manager responsible for the internal audit programme at Heythrop College. He is also responsible for the delivery of special reviews and investigations across the membership. Anil is one of the founding KCG Consortium staff members. He has extensive experience of consulting and auditing in the public sector and specialises in strategic planning and management.
Manager, Ilse-Marie Stumpf
Ilse is the Manager responsible for the internal audit programmes at the University of Westminster, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the Royal Veterinary College. She has several years of experience in public and private sector auditing at the Auditor General's Office in South Africa and prior to this with Deloitte. During this time, she gained extensive experience in the auditing of financial processes and systems with a strong focus on potential control weaknesses, improvements and value for money reviews. Ilse is a qualified member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SA CA).
Audit Consultant, Laura Hardie
Laura is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA - 2006). She has 10 years of experience in public sector external audit gained from her previous appointment at the Audit Commission. Laura was an Audit Manager and managed a portfolio of public sector external audit engagements in local government and the NHS. She also has experience in auditing organisations in the charities and criminal justice sectors.
Laura has extensive experience in reviewing public sector organisations’ corporate and financial governance arrangements in both local government and the NHS. She has experience in assessing the robustness of an organisation’s arrangements in financial management, financial standing, internal control (including risk management), financial reporting and securing value for money, and has worked closely with organisations to help secure improvements in these areas. Laura is a member of the Internal Audit team that services Southampton Solent University and Bournemouth University.
Audit Consultant, Jayani Jayasinghe
Jayani is a member of the Internal Audit team that services the University of Westminster, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the Royal Veterinary College. She specialises in the audit of fundamental financial and non-financial processes and systems for our Member institutions. She is also one of the founding KCG Consortium staff members. Jayani’s internal audit experience includes several years with Ernst & Young in Sri Lanka, including her training as a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Audit Consultant, Mick Mead
Mick is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). He is a member of the Internal Audit team that services Goldsmiths' College and the University of Roehampton. He specialises in the audit of fundamental financial and non-financial processes and systems with emphasis on capital programmes and expenditure and estates related projects. His Internal Audit experience includes several years with the Post Office and Bentley Jennison.
Audit Consultant, John Sellers
John is a member of the Internal Audit team that services Kingston University. His internal audit experience includes several years with Deloitte, the University of Surrey, and Kings College London. John has extensive experience of internal audit in the Higher Education (HE) sector, particularly in the audit of fundamental financial and non-financial processes and systems and with a strong focus on internal control, compliance, and value for money. Before his appointments in HE, John spent several years with Deloitte working predominantly on local and central government internal audit clients, including the MoD's research agency DSTL. Prior to that, he worked for an NHS audit consortium covering specialist hospitals. John's experience also includes operating as an internal audtior for a construction company and at United Biscuits.
Audit Consultant, Mark Swinerd
Mark is a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He is a member of the Internal Audit team that services the University of Kent. His previous appointments include several years with both KPMG and the Audit Commission. During this time, he gained extensive audit experience of a wide variety of both commercial and public sector organisations.
Business and Operations Manager, Dee Athwal
Dee is a qualified Chartered Marketer DipM MCIM, and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She started her career at IBM and was promoted to Account Manager within five years. She then worked for Mercury Communications, part of Cable and Wireless, as an Account Manager dealing with Business to Business Sales and Account Management. Dee then moved to AIR MILES Travel Promotions, a 100% owned subsidiary of British Airways. She held the position of Senior Relationship Manager. Her responsibility was solely for Natwest Group, which also included responsibility for Coutts Bank and Ulster Bank. At KCG, Dee is responsible for business support, operations and administration. Dee is also the secretary to the KCG Board and PA to the KCG Managing Director.
