Arolla Partners has expanded its business as it continues to evolve in line with growing client demand for experienced, independent, and gender diverse governance professionals.
Rebecca Booth, Hannah Hayward and Lisa Barnett bring extensive experience across board governance, regulatory oversight, and client service.
There is increased recognition of the value of female directors to achieve greater board effectiveness.
In a recent UK government supported report, women are now appointed to over 43% of board positions on FTSE350 companies, up from 9.5% in 2011; and 30.5% of board positions on 50 of the UK’s largest private companies.
Bloomberg research from 2024 showed that companies with more female directors on boards across Europe, US and Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) provided higher annual returns of between 2-5%, compared to peers with less gender diverse boards, since 2018.
“Our clients continue to look for genuinely independent directors who are both pragmatic and deeply engaged,” said Andreas Tautscher, Arolla Chairman. “As we grow, we’re investing in the experienced talent that underpins our model, ensuring we remain connected to industry, responsive, and technically strong.”
Rebecca Booth is a Chartered Governance Professional and joins Arolla with over 20 years’ boardroom experience across various investment sectors and operating companies. She has held a range of senior management and board roles, with specialism in strategy, business development, risk management, sustainability and practical application of governance and regulatory compliance frameworks. In addition to her Non-Executive Directorship roles, she is currently Chairperson of the Sustainable Finance Guernsey Council and the Marketing Committee of the Guernsey Investment & Funds Association.
Lisa Barnett brings 30 years’ experience in finance, 20 of which were in executive board roles in the fund and fiduciary sectors. Her most recent role was as Managing Director of RBC in Guernsey. Lisa’s boardroom experience includes private equity closed-ended funds, fiduciary and corporate services operating boards. She has led business transformation, sales and acquisitions, and wind-down projects throughout her career. Lisa’s current portfolio includes Directorships in Banking, Private Equity and the Fiduciary sector.
Hannah Hayward is an accomplished governance and board professional with over 20 years of leadership experience across the legal, financial services, private equity, and venture capital sectors. She has held senior positions including Head of Governance Services at Northern Trust in Guernsey, where she led a large team overseeing £100bn AUA and governance for over 600 entities.
Hannah currently holds a range of listed and non-listed board roles, including Chairman of a newly founded Fund Administrator and Non-Executive Directorships on boards in the Hedge Fund and Fiduciary sectors.
“As the business environment shifts, boards are becoming more active, expectations are higher, and good governance matters more than ever,” said Hubert Nicolle, Arolla Client Director.
“Our evolution reflects that. We’re building a business that enables directors to perform at their best supported by our robust platform and deep connections with Guernsey’s finance industry.”
Pictured: Left to right – Rebecca Booth, Lisa Barnett and Hannah Hayward
