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Board Services

 

Our Board Practice serves the Financial Services sectors in which we operate.  We have deep and established knowledge developed over many years of working in the Boardroom. Karin works alongside our Practice Leaders bringing our collective expertise of both Board and Industry expertise to support our clients.

 

Our Board services are designed to reflect each client’s specific requirements. We start by understanding the Company’s ambition and look at the composition of the Board to look for alignment and gaps in the skills and experience of those on the Board to lead the ambition of the business.

 

This helps Boards in identifying high-impact NED capabilities and improving the Board’s ability to embrace and include diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.

 

We work closely with Pantheon Leadership. Pantheon supports the Practice with a small team of assessors and coaches who have long-standing experience Board level. They can assist with board evaluation/assessment as well as specific assessment for NED searches.

Key Contact

Karin Barnick

Head of Board Practice

Team

Freddie Montagu

Principal, Digital & Technology

Helen Aron

Senior Associate

Hannah Russell

Executive Assistant

Karin Barnick

Head of Board Practice

Karin Barnick

Head of Board Practice

Karin joined Per Ardua in April 2024 to lead the Board Practice and support the Asset and Wealth Management Practice as it continues to grow internationally. Karin has a long career in Search and Leadership Advisory at C-suite and Board level with a particular focus on diversity and the representation of women on boards and leadership positions in the Financial Services sector.

 

Following an earlier career in Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, Karin spent the next 26 years working at Whitehead Mann and, since 2009, Korn Ferry. Her international experience and client and people centric approach has consistently delivered a recognised and positive impact on management and culture. Karin’s involvement with the 30% Club dates to 2015 and she continues to serve as a member of the UK Steering Committee.

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Freddie Montagu

Principal, Technology & Operations

Freddie Montagu

Principal, Technology & Operations

Freddie joined Per Ardua in 2024 as a Principal, to lead the Digital & Technology capability. With extensive experience in search, Freddie has a proven track record working with companies undergoing significant growth and transformation, where solving technology issues around transformation, security, digital, product, cloud and data are central for success.

 

Prior to joining Per Ardua, Freddie was a senior member of Korn Ferry’s Global Technology & Digital Officers Practice and also led the EMEA Cyber Security Centre of Expertise. During that time, Freddie led a variety of Group CIO, CTO, CDO and CISO searches for both public and private equity backed businesses. Prior to entering search, Freddie worked in the Insight & Communications team for a global loyalty marketing company, where he worked closely with one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains.

 

He holds a BA (Hons) in Geography from Durham University.

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Helen Aron

Senior Associate

Helen Aron

Senior Associate

Helen is a Senior Associate at Per Ardua Associates within the Corporate Functions practice. She is a HR specialist covering a range of senior HR roles, including CHROs, Deputy Head of HRs, Heads of Talent, Heads of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Remuneration Committee Chairs. In addition to her search work, Helen acts as a DE&I Leader for the firm, working on all Per Ardua’s DE&I initiatives, both internally and externally. This includes long term succession planning, tracking of data and research into pertinent diversity issues within financial services. Helen also works with Pantheon Leadership to provide best-in-class leadership advisory services for our clients.

 

Having studied Literature and Film at university, Helen is an avid reader. For her sins, she is also a long-suffering supporter of Watford FC!

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Hannah Russell

Executive Assistant

Hannah Russell

Executive Assistant

Hannah is the Executive Assistant to Kate Hammar, Director and Real Estate Practice Leader, Charles Harvey, Director and Asset Management Practice Leader and David Schofield, Senior Associate.

Hannah is proud to have a BA Honours degree in English Literature and is a keen reader.

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