Leading Finance with Purpose: An Exclusive Interview with Kate Cooper, CFO of the Institute of Directors
Kate Cooper, the newly appointed CFO of the Institute of Directors, shares her insights on leadership, finance, and the evolving role of CFOs in 2025. In this exclusive interview, she discusses the challenges, opportunities, and future of business leadership.
Leading Finance with Purpose: An Exclusive Interview with Kate Cooper, CFO of the Institute of Directors
Kate Cooper, the newly appointed CFO of the Institute of Directors, shares her insights on leadership, finance, and the evolving role of CFOs in 2025. In this exclusive interview, she discusses the challenges, opportunities, and future of business leadership.
Introduction and Bio
Kate Cooper secured one of the most eye-catching appointments for a Yorkshire-based CFO in 2024 when she became the CFO of the Institute of Directors in December. It came as no surprise to our team who have known Kate for many years, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to meet Kate to discuss her experiences and get her perspectives on the key issues for the region, for CFOs, and for business in 2025.
Before her appointment at the IoD, Kate enjoyed a diverse range of roles in a variety of sectors –the perfect foundation to build up a comprehensive knowledge base as a CFO:
- Trained with Deloitte in Leeds.
- 8 years at KCOM, progressing to Head of Commercial Finance
- Group Finance Director of Squeaky – an SME in the clean energy sector
- Recruited by the IoD as Director of Finance in March 2023, progressing to CFO within 2 years.
Home is in Selby, North Yorkshire. HQ for the IoD is in Pall Mall. Like many of the executive team at the IoD, Kate works remotely but travels to London regularly where board and committee meetings take place. The Director General (CEO) is also Yorkshire based so many of their CEO/CFO meetings take place in the region!
Huge congratulations on your appointment! Tell us what it means to be CFO of the IoD.
Thanks! I’m hugely humbled to sit on the board of an organisation that is having a tangible impact on the quality of directors in business. Stepping into a Director role for the first time is a steep learning curve and comes with very different responsibilities. You can be an expert in your field, but that doesn’t automatically mean you understand how to lead with strong governance or fulfil your legal duties. We have all seen multiple examples of the consequences of failures in governance, such as the recent Post Office scandal.
That’s why I prepared myself for this role by completing our own Certificate in Company Direction, an SQA-accredited bachelor level qualification and the first step toward becoming a Chartered Director. A journey I’m still pursuing.
As CFO of an Institute with a 125-year legacy, I feel a deep responsibility to help ensure it continues supporting directors for generations to come. It’s a fascinating organisation with so many different parts—from delivering professional development courses to hosting events in our prestigious Pall Mall building and working closely with senior government officials. There’s never a dull moment!
What are the main priorities for the IoD in 2025 and what role does the CFO play in delivering them?
It’s an exciting time for the IoD. In recent years, we’ve refocused our efforts, leading to a growing membership and an increase in younger, more diverse business leaders. Our LinkedIn following recently surpassed 100,000, reflecting this momentum.
We’re investing in our Professional Development courses, and the number of qualified Chartered Directors continues to grow. At the same time, we’re enhancing the support we offer to directors-expanding relevant content, revamping our member communications and delivering impactful events. Our special interest groups continue to connect directors with specific industry knowledge.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we must balance financial sustainability with investing in delivering on our purpose, which adds unique and rewarding facets for a CFO coming from a corporate background!
Let's talk about remote working. With your CFO role being largely remote, please tell us about your experience and perspective on this.
As a mother of two, I genuinely believe that the flexibility to work remotely has been a key factor in enabling me to reach a CFO appointment when I did. Remote working removed many of the barriers that parents face when trying to be present for their children while also giving their careers the attention they demand.
During my time at Kcom, I often worked with teams spread across the country. Being a technology business, we were early adopters of the tools that enabled remote collaboration. So, when Covid hit, I was already accustomed to this way of working—which was a huge advantage. Since then, I’ve managed fully remote teams and know how to navigate the challenges. Having the right people that you trust is crucial, as remote working isn’t for everyone. It’s also essential to make a conscious effort to keep teams connected and ensure they meet in person regularly.
It's sad to see some of the large corporates reverting to mandated office working, under the guise of it being "better for business." I think they are missing a huge opportunity. In my experience, productivity is significantly higher when people are trusted to work when and where they perform best. The research overwhelmingly supports this, yet I don’t see the same evidence backing the return-to-office narrative. Honestly, these directors should take our courses!
Females are represented in 18% of CFO roles across Yorkshire and 30% of the appointments made over the past year.
(CFO Network Report)
What are your views on this and how do you think it will look in the future?
It’s great to see these statistics improving, but there’s still a long way to go to achieve true balance in leadership. This isn’t just a business challenge; it’s a societal one. Equality at home is just as crucial as flexible working policies in the workplace.
Real change starts from decisions made at the top, and with men still holding the majority of leadership roles, progress depends on everyone working together to drive meaningful change.
What do you think are the biggest challenges for any CFO looking ahead to 2025?
With economic growth still floundering, businesses are facing a challenging time. Our own Directors’ Economic Confidence Index shows business confidence remains close to the lows reached during Covid. Tax and regulatory burdens, alongside increased consumer caution as a result of the rise in the cost of living, are adding pressure from all angles for many businesses.
For many CFOs, balancing risk management with strategic investment to stay ahead of the competition will be a key challenge to navigate this year. Boosting productivity through investing in emerging technologies while staying resilient against evolving threats—such as increasingly sophisticated cyber risks and global uncertainties—will be critical to long-term success.
What benefits to your career have been provided by starting in large organisations like Deloitte, Morrisons and KCOM?
The experience I gained working at large corporate businesses gave me a fantastic foundation for my career. The high-performance environments gave me drive and resilience, qualities that have been invaluable as I've progressed.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have some fantastic role models, such as Gemma Doyle at Kcom and Catherine Bradshaw at Morrisons, who have encouraged and supported my development.
I’ve also worked in smaller organisations which brings completely different challenges but huge opportunities for learning and personal development.
While the IoD is a relatively small organisation operationally, our governance structure adheres to the highest professional standards, as expected from an institution dedicated to promoting strong governance.
Overall, my varied career has equipped me with the ideal platform to navigate the challenges of balancing PLC standards with SME resources.
Tell us about Kate outside of being CFO for the IoD
I’d love to say that I’m really sporty and have loads of hobbies, but the honest reality is that between having a very busy job and being a mother of two children, there isn’t a lot of time or energy left for much else.
I am sure other parents out there can empathise with this! I do, however, find some time to fit in some of the things I love such as cooking and reading, the occasional country walk with the family and dog topped off with a cosy pub lunch and a nice glass of wine. The simple pleasures in life!
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