Skills & experience

Barbara Simmonds is a qualified chartered accountant with over 30 years’ international experience in senior finance positions and at Board level in both the private and not for profit sectors. She has worked as an independent Financial Consultant since 1991. Prior to that she was with PwC London in audit and corporate finance and subsequently with Avis Europe plc as Company Secretary and Director of Corporate Development. She has been an Associate Consultant with Humentum, then Mango, since 2008. Her roles as an independent Financial Consultant have included acting as interim Finance Director for a number of UK companies and Team Leader/Finance and Accounting Specialist on a variety of international aid projects funded by the European Union, World Bank and other donor organisations in Europe, Asia and Africa. Projects have included working with the National Board of Accountants and Auditors in Tanzania (development of simplified financial reporting standards), the Chamber of Accountants and Auditors, Kyrgyzstan (accounting reform), the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Malawi (review of Malawi company law) and the Society of Accountants in Malawi (restructuring the accountancy profession). Barbara is currently a Trustee of People’s Health Trust and a member of the Finance and Operations Committee. She was a Trustee and Treasurer of Relief International UK and US between 2009 and 2016 and is currently a member of the Advisory Council and Finance Committees of both companies. She is also a member of the Business Law Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Case studies

Barbara supports INGOs in business planning and strategy, capacity building, financial and grant management, the development of financial procedures and manuals, review of financial systems and controls, due diligence reviews, assistance in complying with financial reporting standards, company law and other regulatory requirements, advising on compliance with donor grant requirements, assisting companies with restructuring, fraud investigations, staff recruitment and mentoring. Since October 2019 she has acted as Financial Consultant to a UK cultural foundation, providing support through a period of change including strengthening financial and risk management and ensuring that the organisation is sustainable financially following the impact of Covid-19.