Ampa appoints first group NEDs as part of growth strategy

Legal and professional services group Ampa located in Colmore Business District, which is best known for its national law firm Shakespeare Martineau, has appointed external non-executive directors (NEDs) to its new board as part of its ambitious growth strategy. 

The top 50 group, which is one business with distinct go-to-market brands, has appointed external NEDs Dr. Shefaly Yogendra and Shrinivas Honap on two-year terms to sit on the board alongside CEO Sarah Walker-Smith, CFO Paul Bird, and membership and nominations committee chair Keith Spedding. 

Energy partner Pete Dilks and charities partner Catherine Rustomji will also join the board as internal NEDs, serving an initial 12-month term. 

Shefaly brings experience as an NED with listed, private and charitable companies, both owner-led and professional-led. She has chaired ESG, audit and risk, nomination and remuneration committees in the investment, technology, energy and higher education sectors. She has specialist knowledge of risk and deep tech, including AI, cyber and infrastructure. 

Chartered accountant Shrinivas has previous NED experience with a number of respected organisations, including the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Civil Service Pensions Board. Shrinivas has chaired audit, pension and investment committees, and supported digital transformations and strategy implementation.

In their roles as NEDs, both Shefaly and Shrinivas will be offering strategic advice as well as adding to the governance of the group. 

Group CEO and chair at Ampa Sarah Walker-Smith said: “We’ve been through a significant period of change over the past five years, growing and evolving our governance approach to suit.

“Appointing external NEDs with excellent strategic credentials was the next step of our journey in being bigger, better and braver, and we are thrilled to have Shefaly and Shrinivas on board. 

“While revenue growth is hugely important to us, in a time of economic challenges and international political uncertainty, what’s equally important is that we continue to be sustainably profitable.

“Our success to date is down to our simple and agile strategy, empowered people, and our unwavering purpose to unlock potential for good.”

Ampa is a certified B-Corporation and includes full-service law firms Shakespeare Martineau and Mayo Wynne Baxter, consumer law firm Lime Solicitors, design, development and planning consultancy Marrons, uninsured loss recovery experts Corclaim, and cyber security company CSS Assure.

Both internal and external NEDs were appointed by Ampa’s elected membership and nominations committee.

ENDS

Photo caption: Top (L-R) Sarah Walker-Smith, Shrinivas Honap, Keith Spedding, Paul Bird, Peter Dilks; Bottom (L-R) Shefaly Yogendra, Catherine Rustomji