About Us

Executive Management Team

Meet the executive management team of NQA.

Jim Speirs, Executive Chairman

Jim joined Ascertiva Group as Managing Director of NQA where he was a driving force in enabling NQA and NICEIC to obtain accreditation against the EN 45011, EN 45012and EN 45013 standards.
Jim started his career as an electrical engineer and, before joining NQA, was employed by GEC Alsthom Signalling as Project Director on the re-signalling of the London Tilbury Southend line. He has over thirty years management experience within the manufacturing and consultancy industries and holds an MSc in Quality Management from Cranfield University.

Jim is a former President of the Institute of Quality Assurance and is currently Chairman of the Board of the newly formed Chartered Quality Institute. He is also past Chairman of the Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB).

Emma McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer

Emma joined Ascertiva Group in 2005 and has held the position of Director of Charitable Affairs and HR Director. She is a graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and, prior to joining the Group, held senior roles in a variety of blue-chip and not-for-profit organisations including Marks and Spencer, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Which? magazine.

More recently, Emma lead the formation of Ascertiva Group's training business and launched The Electrical Safety Council in 2006. She is a director of JPD Training and of Consumer Research Associates an independent consultancy.

Judith O'Connell, Group Finance Director

Judith joined Ascertiva Group as an executive director in 2003 and holds the posts of Group Finance Director, Company Secretary and Secretary of the Pensions Scheme. She has over 20 years experience of financial management within a range of business sectors including publishing, management consultancy and automotive components.

Judith holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (B Comm), is a Member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (MCT) and has achieved the status of Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA).

Catherine Golds, Head of NQA

Formerly Environment and Health & Safety Sector Business Manager, Catherine has worked for NQA since 2002 and prior to that held positions at the Ministry of Defence and the Environment Agency.

Well known and highly respected, particularly within the Environmental Management Systems arena, Catherine's new remit will be to provide vision and leadership for NQA within overall Group Strategy ensuring growth within global markets and that all financial targets are successfully met.

Catherine is a Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Waste Manager and has been active on various standards and technical advisory committees for the past five years representing the Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB).

Catherine is currently UK Technical Expert to an ISO Working Group and brings an in depth knowledge of standards and accreditation to lead NQA forward.