Leadership perspectives: Insights from Alison Henwood, Chair of the Audit Committee of Umicore
Financial Officers

Leadership perspectives: Insights from Alison Henwood, Chair of the Audit Committee of Umicore

In this video, Alison Henwood, Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit Committee of Umicore, shares insights into the ideal audit chair-CFO relationship, and the leadership capabilities required for mutual success.
Fabian Tan ,
Dorothy White
January 16, 2026
9m to watch
About the interviewee
Alison Henwood
Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit Committee of Umicore

Alison Henwood has led finance organizations across the globe for more than 25 years, with experience across different sectors and geographies in developed and emerging markets. She retired from Shell in 2022 as EVP, Finance, Shell Trading & Supply and currently holds two listed board positions as a non-executive director at Spectris Plc, a FTSE 250 precision engineering company, and at Umicore, a global materials and technology group. In addition to providing business partnering and challenge to commercial CEOs, her roles included responsibility for core finance processes and shaping strategic change. In her more than 10 years of board experience, Alison is known for balancing challenge and support while building transparent, collaborative cultures.

In this video, Alison Henwood reflects on the key lessons from her extensive career as both a CFO and audit chair, including the power of listening and building a safe and transparent environment for dialogue. She outlines what audit chairs look for in a “dream CFO,” the skills required to be an effective non-executive and audit chair, and how board dynamics can impact the audit chair-CFO relationship—for better or for worse. Alison also shares her candid reflections on mistakes made in her own journey and offers practical advice for finance leaders aspiring to take on board and audit chair roles.

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