How we're governed
Our governance is changing
Following the amendments to AAT's Articles of Association adopted on 25 October 2024, our governance is changing as a result of the vote made by members on 25 October 2024. We're now in a transitional period and this page will be updated by 1 April 2025.
If you have any questions please contact Company Secretary, Sophie Joseph at sophie.joseph@aat.org.uk.
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. Its Board of Directors is known as the Trustee Board (or simply, Board), and all members of the Board are trustees and company directors of the Association.
The AAT Articles of Association (PDF) set out our charitable objectives which underpin our business model and strategy.
The Chief Executive together with the Executive team manages the day-to-day business of the Association.
AAT Trustee Board
The Trustee Board has the overall responsibility for establishing and overseeing AAT’s strategic direction, which it delivers in accordance with AAT’s Articles of Association. It oversees a framework of delegation with clear levels of authority, which enables other matters to be dealt with by relevant supporting committees, boards, panels and the Executive team. Following the amendments to AAT's Articles of Association adopted on 25 October 2024, the composition of the Trustee Board has changed. The new Board structure includes a Chair, up to ten skills-based appointees and a Members' Advisory Council (MAC) representative. At least 20% of the Board’s composition must be AAT members.
A transitional Trustee Board was established to oversee the implementation of the new governance structure. This Board will operate until the start of the 2025/2026 financial year. The transition period allows for appointments to be made to the new Board and other relevant committees.
AAT Board members
Chair: Michael Steed
President | MA (Cantab) CTA (Fellow) ATT (Fellow) MAAT
- President of AAT and Chair of the Transitional Trustee Board
- Head of Tax, BPP Professional Development, elected member, joined 2021
- Committees: People and Nominations Committee
Michael is a chartered tax advisor and AAT member, training and qualifying with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC). He is Head of Tax at BPP Professional Development and designs and delivers tax training courses for a wide range of clients.
Chris Argent MAAT
- Founder and Managing Director: GENCFO, Elected member, joined 2022
- Director of Accounting Technicians (Services) Ltd
- Committees: Audit and Risk Committee
Chris started as an accountant and industry CFO before leading finance transformation programmes for John Lewis, Amazon and Vodafone, and now educates accounting and finance organisations on the digital shift through his Generation CFO community. He advocates for mid-tier CFOs and finance teams, and hosts the Digital Finance Function Awards.
Rachel Harris MBA MAAT
- Director, independent member, joined 2022
- Committees: People and Nominations Committee
Rachel is a TEDx speaker, content creator, author and business owner, and a skilled accountant changing the industry for the better. She is passionate about financial education and is the founder of @accountant_she and her own rapidly scaling practice, striveX accountants.
Chair: Lucy Cohen
Vice President | FMAAT
- Interim Chair of the Members’ Advisory Council during the Transitional Period (26 October 2024–31 March 2025)
- Co-Founder: Mazuma, elected member, joined 2022
Lucy co-founded Mazuma, the UK's first accountancy subscription service. She became an AAT fellow member in 2011 and received the AAT Past Presidents' Award in 2022. A multi-award-winning entrepreneur and best-selling author, her book Forget the First Million won Best Short Business Book at the Business Book Awards 2022.
Members
Kevin Bragg, Past President
Jas Bhohi
Sharon Burrows
Katarina Collins
Guy Dakin
Carol Dodson
Karen Feltham
Bev Flanagan
Peter Fry
Ali Jaw
Amanda Lang
Lydia Read-Potter
Phillip Toomer
Libby Walklett
Mark Young
AAT committees and boards
The Audit and Risk Committee reviews, on behalf of the Trustee Board, matters concerning accounting, financial reporting and internal control and risk assessment relating to AAT and its subsidiaries.
The People and Nominations Committee oversees AAT's people and nomination activity as well as the appointments panel. It also oversees the remuneration policy against which the Executive team and graded staff salaries are determined and monitors the framework for the remuneration of staff.
The Awarding Organisation Compliance Board secures and maintains AAT's continuing recognition and compliance in relation to the regulatory requirements of UK and international qualifications regulators.
The Professional Regulation and Standards Compliance Board secures, maintains and develops AAT's high standards in relation to membership eligibility, professional conduct, ethics and disciplinary procedures.
