Judges 2025

We pride ourselves on the integrity and diligence of our judging process. All judges are selected for their expertise and must have at least 10 years’ experience working in or around the finance sector.

Joanna Allen, IFA, Greenarch Wealth Management

View Joanna’s Biography

Claire Foster,CFO, Executive, Non-Executive & Trustee, Strategic Advisor, Mentor

View Claire’s Biography

Gareth Phillips, Managing Director, CRL Foods

View Gareth’s Biography

Lynn Bassett, Global Director of HR & OD, Barbour

More Judges to be announced soon…

Joanna Allen, IFA, Greenarch Wealth Management

Joanna is an independent financial planner with over 25 years experience advising a range of corporate, sme and individual clients.
Passionate about advice for women and ethical investing and championing bespoke, chartered, independent advice.

 

Claire Foster, CFO, Executive, Non-Executive & Trustee, Strategic Advisor, Mentor

Preferred Name: Claire
Pronouns: She/Her

Claire is a dedicated, passionate and results-driven CFO with proven success in financial transformation and optimising performance across a variety of sectors, currently working in a transformational role with EDF Renewables.

She is a Mum to five children and serves on the Board of Trustees of Age UK Northumberland, providing her expertise to the Executive and Senior Leadership Group.

Claire supports the Board of a local not-for-profit organisation within the education sector, as well as volunteering her skills to support the provision of programmes for surviving women and families after domestic abuse.

She is also a proud Mentor to a number of CIMA students nationwide, providing advice and guidance to individuals throughout their financial qualification journey and has been a judge on the NEAA panel for 5 years.

 

 

Gareth Phillips, Managing Director, CRL Foods

Gareth is Managing Director at CRL Foods, a rapidly growing contract manufacturer in the ready-to-drink markets based in Gosforth.

Gareth started his career in practice as an auditor with EY where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant before moving into UNW’s corporate finance team.  At UNW he advised on multiple deals in the region including MBOs, disposals and fundraises – in particular one for CRL Foods.  It was in 2021 that Gareth moved into industry for the first time as Group Head of FP&A at Fentimans where he drove a culture of business partnering and formalised within the Group an FP&A structure.

Gareth joined CRL Foods in 2023 as Finance Director and has since been promoted to Managing Director to lead the business through its next phase of growth.