Stonewall Appoints New Treasurer and Trustee
Stonewall continues to strengthen its Board of Trustees, with the appointment of a new Treasurer, Caroline Stockmann, and new Trustee Kushal Khandhar.
This comes following Catherine (Cat) Dixon being appointed Chair and Jean Vianney Cordeiro and Ayla Holdom being appointed Vice Chairs, creating an opportunity to recruit for a new Treasurer following Jean Vianney’s four years in the role. These appointments bring additional financial and commercial expertise to the board. As Treasurer, Caroline will chair Stonewall’s Finance, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.
Caroline trained with KPMG as an accountant. She is a Fellow of the ICAEW, holds the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting and has carried out numerous board roles over the years, both executive and non-executive. She is a Non-Executive Director for a variety of organisations including TreasurySpring, Bank of England, Guildhall School Trust, the CIPD, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Oxfam International and KCSP, a multi-academy trust. She is also a member of the Advisory Panel of the Durham Law School, and a Durham University mentor. From February 2017 until April 2023 Caroline was Chief Executive of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, having previously been Chief Financial Officer of the British Council and Save the Children International. She has 30 years’ experience in senior finance, commercial and strategic posts at organisations including Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Cadbury Schweppes, Granada plc and Unilever/ Bestfoods.
Kushal Khandhar is a Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) responsible for BCG’s Global LGBTQ+ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. He brings with him a decade of experience in management consulting and DEI, advising clients in six countries. Kushal holds an MSc in Investment Management from Henley Business School, University of Reading; is a CFA Charterholder, and a rank-holding Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Kushal was recognised as Trailblazer of the Year at the British LGBT Awards 2023 and was included in the OUTstanding Role Models list in 2020 and 2021. He joins the board in his personal capacity.
Welcoming the appointments, Cat Dixon (she/her), Chair of Stonewall, said: ‘We are so fortunate to benefit from the wide range of financial, commercial and leadership experience that Caroline and Kushal will bring to all of us at Stonewall. Stonewall has a unique and important role to play in advancing and protecting LGBTQ+ people’s human rights, in the UK and across the world. Their wisdom and insight from their lives and careers to date will put us in good stead to strengthen and secure our impact for the long term.
Jean Vianney Cordeiro (he/him), Vice Chair, said: "I joined Stonewall's Board of Trustees as Treasurer in 2020, a challenging time for many third sector organisations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am pleased to have played a role in stabilising the organisation during this critical period. As I pass the baton to Caroline, I am confident that her impressive experience, spanning both private and public sector organisations, will greatly enrich Stonewall's Board. I am excited to see the positive impact she will make and look forward to the charity’s continued success under her guidance."
Caroline Stockmann (she/her) said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Stonewall Board as Treasurer. Stonewall is an organisation I have admired and respected for many years, and meeting the people as I start to get to know the organisation better confirms to me my initial views. I’m really excited to be working with them! I believe there is nothing more important in this life than being free to be yourself, and I am saddened and ashamed when I see injustice in the world which prevents this for people. Stonewall’s work to make our society more inclusive is of critical importance to me personally, and I hope over time I can add value therefore, in collaboration with the rest of the Board and the wider Stonewall team.”
Kushal Khandhar (he/him) said: “Stonewall is an iconic institution that has been at the forefront of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. It has played a notable role in advancing rights for our community. But there is still a long way to go before we can celebrate. I’m thrilled to join the board of Stonewall and work with a great set of people to contribute to this important cause, one that is close to my heart. I would like to leave the world better than I got it. And I believe joining the board of Stonewall is a great step in that direction.”