CIPFA council is the institute's overarching governing body. The council sets the strategic direction, approves the business plan and budget, makes appointments including trustees and to the subcommittees, approves co-options to council, and approves standards of professional practice.
2025/26 officers
President
Sir Mark Lowcock
Distinguished Non-resident Fellow
Centre for Global Development
Member of:
CIPFA Board
Commercial Board
Nominations Committee
Remuneration Committee
Vice President
Hardev Virdee CPFA
Group Chief Finance Officer (CFO) for Barts Health NHS Trust
Member of:
CIPFA Board
Commercial Board
Nominations Committee
Remuneration Committee
Junior Vice President
Mark McBride
Independent Chair, Northern Ireland Local Government Officers Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC).
Member of:
CIPFA Board
Nominations Committee
Remuneration Committee
Past President
Carol Culley OBE
Executive Director of Finance, Birmingham City Council
Member of:
CIPFA Board
Nominations Committee
Remuneration Committee
The 2025/27 council members
Elected council members
Adesola David Adepoju CPFA, FCA – Elected (Africa)
Auditor-In-Charge of Industrial Court of Nigeria, Office of Auditor General for the Federation, Nigeria
Caroline Al-Beyerty CPFA – Elected (South East including Channel Islands)
Chamberlain, City of London Corporation
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board, Chair
CIPFA Board
David Blair – Elected (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland)
Head of Finance, Governance & Risk, Northern Regional College
Member of:
Student and Members Board
Dr. Jamie Carrahar – Elected (North East)
Senior Lecturer, Northumbria University
Member of:
Student and Members Board
Theresa Channell – Elected (Midlands)
Service Director – Finance, Chesterfield Borough Council
Member of:
Student and Members Board, Vice-Chair
Steven Corbishley – Elected (South East, including Channel Islands)
Director, National Audit Office
Member of:
Audit Committee, Vice-Chair
Mike Curtis – Elected (South East, including Channel Islands)
Executive Director of Resources, Kensington and Chelsea Council
Member of:
Nominations Committee
Amanda Dowse – Elected (Scotland)
Assistant Director of Finance, NHS Ayrshire & Arran
Member of:
Nominations Committee, Vice-Chair
Andrew Francis – Elected (The Americas)
Vice-President, Finance/CFO, Parks Canada Agency
Simone Hines – Elected (Midlands)
Assistant Director - Finance, Strategic Property and Commissioning, Leicestershire County Council
Member of:
Audit Committee
Professor Toshihiko Ishihara – Elected (Asia Pacific)
President of CIPFA Japan
Clementine Johnson – Elected (South East, including Channel Islands)
Finance Manager, Barts Health NHS Trust
Member of:
Student and Members Board
Lin Liu – Elected (South East, including Channel Islands)
Team Leader for Children's & PH (MA), Bedford Borough Council
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board
Sofia Mahmood – Elected (Midlands)
Head of Finance and Procurement (Section 151 Officer), West Midlands Fire Service
Member of:
Audit Committee
Julie Murphy – Elected (North West)
Director of Corporate Services and S151 Officer, Rochdale Borough Council
Member of:
Student and Members Board
Rebecca Nelson FCPFA – Elected (Wales)
Director of Planning, Performance & Informatics, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board
Jack O’Shea – Elected (Scotland)
Account Manager, Glasgow City Council
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board
Nina Philippidis – Elected (South West)
Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director of Corporate Resources (S151 Officer), Gloucestershire County Council
Member of:
Student and Members Board, Chair CIPFA Board
Peter Welch – Elected (Europe)
Senior Policy Advisor, European Court of Auditors
Michael Wildman – Elected (Yorkshire and Humber)
Director of Corporate Resources (s151 Officer), Bassetlaw District Council
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board
Ian Williams - Elected (North West)
Corporate Director of Finance and Resources (S151), Liverpool City Council
Member of:
Public Financial Management Board, Vice-Chair
Co-opted council members
Harriet Aldridge – Co-opted
Chief Executive, Government Internal Audit Agency
Deirdre Bane CPFA - Co-opted 
Deputy Dean, Institute of Bankers, Republic of Ireland
Member of:
Student and Members Board
Peter Gillett CPFA – Co-opted
Chief Finance Officer and Director of Corporate Services, West Midlands Police
Member of:
Nominations Committee
Libby Mason – Co-opted
Partner, Deloitte
Member of:
Nominations Committee
Marcel Mukeshimana – Co-opted
Former Accountant General, Government of Rwanda
Mike Newbury - Co-opted
Director, National Audit Office
Member of:
Audit Committee
Ian Owen – Co-opted
Industry Development Director, OneAdvanced
Member of:
Audit Committee
Paul Vorbach – Co-opted
Founding Managing Director, Academy Global Australia