Our team

Brad Sparks is the Executive Director of the US Chapter of the A4S CFO Leadership Network.   

Previously, Brad served as Executive Director, Clients & Markets at KPMG, working with clients to integrate sustainability, respond to sustainability-related risks, and assess corporate sustainability performance.  His prior experiences also include leading KPMG’s global environmental sustainability strategy and advancing the other Corporate Citizenship initiatives for the KPMG global network.  Other prior experiences include Internal Audit at Gateway computers and KPMG Audit.  

Brad is a Certified Public Accountant.  He has an MBA in Sustainable Enterprise from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a Master of Science and BSBA in Accounting from Appalachian State University.  He lives in Los Angeles.    

Helen is Director of Organizational Performance and a member of the senior management team. She leads the business functions of A4S, including finance, human resources, governance, operations, and IT, to enable effective delivery of the organization’s strategy. She also has a focus on impact and performance.

Helen has over twenty five years’ experience working in mission driven organizations, including Plan International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in South Asian Studies from SOAS University of London, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Pooi Funn is the Director of the Asia Pacific Chapter of the A4S CFO Leadership Network.

In professional services, Pooi Funn has extensive experience in delivering projects and engagements to assist clients on technical areas as well as business issues relating to financial reporting, internal controls, governance, regulatory risk management and compliance. While with Deloitte UK and Asia Pacific, her previous experience involved working with a wide range of organizations (eg, public listed corporations, regulated entities, private entities, investment managers and funds) and teams including cross-border, cross-functional and cross-cultural teams. Most recently as Director and Technical Lead in Deloitte Southeast Asia’s A&A Centre of Excellence, Pooi Funn specialises in accounting subject matters such as IFRS and sustainability related reporting.

Pooi Funn is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA), member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. She has a BSc (Hons) in Accounting & Finance and Diploma in Economics from the London School of Economics. 

Susan is managing our global CFO programme including managing our current networks and expanding the programme.

Susan has over twenty years’ experience as a project and programme manager. Prior to A4S she worked in the financial sector managing IT implementation, restructure and regulatory projects. She moved to the not for profit sector and worked in CAFOD, an international overseas development agency, as a programme change manager managing the delivery of a divisional restructure. Susan has a B.Comm and H.Dip in System Analysis from NUI Galway.

Kerry leads our Capital Markets programme to accelerate awareness and action towards a global sustainable financial system. This includes: running the A4S Asset Owners Network for pension fund chairs, supporting their commitments to embed sustainability into their strategic and investment decisions; convening senior finance to address specific challenges faced by the financial sector; and leading on guidance to scale up adoption of sustainable action by pension scheme trustees and finance within the banking sector.

Kerry has a strong background in implementing initiatives and maximizing impact. Having worked on numerous sustainability initiatives of HRH The Prince of Wales, she joined A4S in 2017 where she initially drove support for and adoption across a global CFO community of the recommendations of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Kerry also manages our relationships with current and potential funders of our work.

Martina leads the CFO Leadership Network for Europe and oversees several A4S projects and programmes that require extensive collaboration across different teams, organizations and geographies – she currently leads the A4S Sustainability Reporting Project and is heavily involved in the Banking work. Her role includes delivery of A4S strategy, project management, relationship management, and knowledge development and sharing.

Before joining A4S, Martina spent 11 years in consulting in Finance and Financial Services, having worked for Ernst & Young (EY) where she was a Senior Manager in the CFO Advisory team. She has extensive experience in leading technical projects in the reporting, regulatory and risk space, working with C-suite executives and senior finance professionals by managing cross border compliance and change programmes. 

She is a chartered accountant (ACCA) and qualified project manager (Prince2).  She holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance and a Bachelor in Business and Economics from the University of Padua, Italy.

Helen is a Sustainability and Accounting specialist within the Knowledge and Technical team at A4S, contributing to the A4S content published on our website, and the implementation of the Academy programme.

In her role as a sustainability consultant, Helen has been involved with advising large corporates on the implementation of TCFD, and the quantification of climate-related risks and opportunities. She has also advised on materiality assessments, sustainability strategy and carbon management programmes. Prior to her move to sustainability, Helen worked as a corporate consultant with BDO and Deloitte, focusing on corporate tax strategy.   

Helen is a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser. She has a PGDIP in Environmental Management and Sustainability from the University of Derby and a BSc in Biology from the University of Swansea.

Jamie coordinates A4S’s communications.

Jamie is active in developing the team’s communications strategy, digital presence and our Communications Group. Jamie has previously worked for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Enterprise Europe Network. He has a BA in History and Politics from The University of Sheffield.

Lucy is responsible for developing and delivering the events and engagement strategy at A4S, including the annual A4S Summit.

Prior to joining A4S, Lucy worked for a commercial conference and marketing solutions organization as the Head of Content, overseeing product development across multiple sectors. Lucy has a BA (Hons) in English from Queen Mary, University of London.

Sara is the Senior Finance Manager for A4S with responsibility for the financial planning, management and reporting of A4S.

Sara is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and qualified with Deloitte’s audit practice. After qualifying, Sara joined Deloitte’s forensic department and has over ten years forensic accounting experience covering a variety of sectors and industries including the financial services and non-for profit sectors. Sara holds an LLB (Hons) in Law from the University of Kent.

Zoë is responsible for the delivery, growth and impact of the A4S Academy programme; an18-month programme designed to equip and empower senior finance professionals with the skills needed for their businesses to succeed in the face of environmental and social risks and opportunities. Before joining the Academy team, Zoë held the position of Project Manager for Capital Markets at A4S.

Prior to joining A4S, Zoë worked for a commercial conference and marketing solutions organization as the Head of Insurance. Zoë has a Masters in International Development, Politics & Governance and a BSocSci (Hons) in Politics & International Relations from The University of Manchester.

Sarah coordinates the production of content at A4S, from ideas through to finished products.

Prior to joining A4S, Sarah worked as a Project Manager for the National Association for Special Educational Needs where she managed end to end delivery of multiple projects funded by the Department for Education.

Sarah holds a Prince 2 qualification and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Leicester.

As Project Manager, Darren is responsible for coordinating a portfolio of projects across the CFO Programme. Before joining A4S, Darren worked in both the public and private sectors and has vast experience in delivering sustainable results through effective programme delivery.

Darren is a qualified Prince2 project manager and holds an MA in Youth Participation and MSc in International Relations from Queen Mary University.

Matthew is our Capital Markets Project Manager supporting the team to deliver their work, embedding sustainability into strategic and investment decisions through the global financial system.

Before joining A4S, Matthew had an international management career spanning almost forty years in six different major industries ranging from Global Private Equity to Defence.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, holds an MBA, an MSc in Entrepreneurial Consulting and is a qualified Prince2 project manager.  

Jasmine coordinates core operations, including HR, IT, governance and finance. She supports the delivery of our global strategy through impact monitoring and evaluation.

Jasmine has 8 years’ experience leading operations in the nonprofit sector. She has extensive experience managing offices, core team and finances, overseeing projects, grants and key events, as well as tracking and reporting on progress.

She holds a 1st Class BA (Hons) in English with Philosophy from the University of Exeter, and a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Law, Bristol.

Andrea is our CRM Champion, with a focus on effective data insight, contact management and marketing, in order to reach our target audience and build engagement within the A4S community.

After graduation she worked for IBM, then moved to Italy where she worked as Operations and Data Manager in the industrial sector for over 20 years.

She later returned to the UK and transitioned into the charity sector, gaining experience with Amnesty International, Oxfam and 5 years as Data Selections and Insights Manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Andrea holds a BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from Brunel University.

Aneesa supports the coordination of A4S’s communications. This includes developing our digital presence, strategy and partnerships.

Aneesa has a broad history in communications for enviro-social change. She is well-versed in B2B and B2C marketing internationally. Her previous experience spans from global NGOs to the scuba diving industry.

She holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Warwick.

Ama supports the coordination and delivery of the events and engagement strategy at A4S.

Prior to joining A4S, Ama worked at the London Stock Exchange Group as the Commercial Events Manager. Here, she was responsible for the development and execution of events for an extensive client list.

Ama has a BA (Hons) in Business Management from Anglia Ruskin University.

James helps coordinate and manage activities for the Education programme. He contributes to delivery within the Accounting Bodies Network, Business Schools and Academia. 

Prior to joining A4S, James worked as a Project Manager in Financial Services before moving to the nonprofit sector. He led projects supporting the strategic direction for mission and operations related activities. James has a BA (Hons) in Business and Management from Oxford Brookes University.

Rachel is part of the core team managing the global operations of the CFO programme. She manages key global processes and procedures and supports the delivery and growth of the CFO Leadership Network and Circle of Practice programme activities.

Previously, she worked in membership relations, events and communications at Trinity College, Cambridge. Rachel holds a BA (Hons) in Music from the University of Cambridge.

Lydia joined A4S whilst completing her masters degree at UCL, London, studying Prosperity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Previously she headed up the New Business, Strategy, and Marketing Department for an international Film Festival, leaving behind a legacy programme focused on the environment and ecology.

She has always had sustainability as a central focus whilst working in fashion, PR, tech start-ups, and more recently assisting in the development of a sustainability strategy for a new F1 team.

Alicia supports the Capital Markets team.

Prior to A4S, she completed a placement year at the Office for National Statistics in the Environmental Accounts team. Alicia holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Surrey.

June provides support in core operations, including HR, IT, governance, and finance as an Operations and Administration Coordinator.

Prior to joining A4S, June completed an LLM in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development at SOAS University and holds a Law Degree from University of Valencia.

She also worked as a legal intern in a commercial law firm in Czech Republic and a Women’s Rights NGO in Bolivia.

Freddie provides support across all A4S programmes.

Prior to joining A4S, Freddie studied at the University of Nottingham where he received a 1st Class BA (Hons) in Human Geography and a distinction MSC (Hons) in Management.

Jessica provides support in the organization and delivery of high profile A4S events across our global networks of CFOs, investors and accounting bodies.

Prior to joining A4S, Jessica completed an International Business with Spanish degree at both Nottingham Trent University, and the University of Valencia, and co-led a sustainability student society during her final year of study.

Xirui provides support in Knowledge and Technical team at A4S as an Intern.

Prior to A4S, Xirui completed her master's degree in Accounting and Financial Management at University of York. She also worked at a Hedge Fund company in New Zealand as a Data Analyst for two years.

Deborah is responsible for our communication strategy and developing and implementing communications plans that support the project’s work.

Deborah has twenty years’ experience in communications and public relations, most recently with a special focus on communicating initiatives that inspire sustainable practices. Deborah was previously Media Relations Manager at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) where she managed and led the media work on sustainability, CSR, corporate governance and financial services. Deborah has advised the Natural Capital Coalition on communications strategy and currently sits on the NCC Communications Working Group. She has a BA in American History from University of East Anglia and is an Accredited Practitioner of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Charlotte advises A4S management on communications planning, implementation and outreach.

Charlotte has over twenty years’ experience developing high-level multi-lingual communication strategies on sustainability issues within the UN, governments, private sector and civil society. Prior to joining A4S, Charlotte served as Communications Officer for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, where she also served as lead focal point for the organisation in key global task groups and led a number of UN initiatives. She is also a member of the UNESCO International Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communications where she previously served as Board member. Charlotte holds a BA in International Studies and Journalism from American University in Washington, DC USA and has an MA in Mass Communications from Leicester University.

Rachel is the technical advisor to A4S, supporting the effective implementation of A4S projects.

Previously, she was Head of Sustainability at ACCA for 16 years, where she developed ACCA’s sustainability strategy, directed the organization’s sustainability work and vision to help influence the accounting profession and its members more widely, formulated policy in key areas and established the Global Forum on Sustainability. She has extensive experience of developing global reporting frameworks, multi-stakeholder projects and sustainable accounting matters. Rachel is a member of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise - Sustainable Development judging panel.

She has a Masters Degree (Distinction) in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, specialising in Business.

Natalie is part of the Knowledge and Technical team at A4S, focusing on developing content for the Knowledge Hub and supporting the delivery of the Academy programme, Finance for the Future Awards and Capital Markets programme.

Natalie also completes consultancy work for the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) working with financial institutions on topics such as the SDGs, net zero, impact and nature-based solutions. Natalie currently sits on the Social Growth Fund board at Social Investment Scotland, advising on the disbursement of £17m of funding to Scottish social enterprises.

Previously Natalie has worked in corporate finance at EY and project finance at QMPF, specialising in renewable energy projects.

Natalie is a chartered accountant and has a BSc in Mathematics and Chemistry from the University of St Andrews.