Natalie Anna Ceeney (born 22 August 1971) is a British civil servant and businessperson who has filled several senior roles in both the
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
and
private sector
The private sector is the part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government.
Employment
The ...
s in the United Kingdom. She was chief executive of
The National Archives
National archives are central archives maintained by countries. This article contains a list of national archives.
Among its more important tasks are to ensure the accessibility and preservation of the information produced by governments, both ...
from 2005 to 2010; chief executive and chief ombudsman of the
Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service is an ombudsman in the United Kingdom. It was established in 2000, and given statutory powers in 2001 by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, to help settle disputes between consumers and UK-based bus ...
from 2010 to 2013; head of customer standards at
HSBC bank HSBC Bank may refer to any one of the following principal local banks or divisions of the HSBC Group:
Asia-Pacific
* HSBC (Hong Kong)
** PayMe, its local payment service
* HSBC Bank (China)
* HSBC Bank Australia
* HSBC Bank India
* HSBC Bank Mala ...
from February to December 2014; and chief executive of
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It was created on 1 April 2011 (as Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service) by the merger of Her Majesty's Courts Service and the Tribunals ...
from 2015 to 2016.
Early life
Natalie Ceeney was born in
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London ...
, Essex. She attended the independent
Forest School Forest School or Forrest School may refer to:
Educational philosophy
* Forest school (learning style), a learner centred outdoor learning approach.
Religious philosophy
* Thai Forest Tradition, a Theravada school of Buddhism in Thailand.
* Sri La ...
in
Walthamstow
Walthamstow ( or ) is a large town in East London, east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London and the Historic counties of England, ancient county of Essex. Situated northeast of Chari ...
.
She took her
A-levels
The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...
when she was 16,
then went to the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
in 1988, one year early. She attended
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women's Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge.
The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sid ...
, initially studying Mathematics, where she gained a first class degree. From 1990 to 1991 she was the President of
Cambridge University Students' Union
Cambridge Students' Union, known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England. Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students' Union or CUSU until its dissolu ...
.
Career
Ceeney began her career at the
National Health Service
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
in 1991, becoming a manager from 1992 to 1994 at
Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital (NWPH) is a major National Health Service hospital situated near the town of Harrow, London, Harrow, North West London, managed by the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust. It is located off Watford Road in th ...
, later working from 1992 to 1994 at Hertfordshire Health Agency (in
Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first new towns (designated 1948). It is unique in being both a garden city and a new town and ...
), and from to 1996 to 1998 at
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital (informally GOSH or Great Ormond Street, formerly the Hospital for Sick Children) is a children's hospital located in the Bloomsbury area of the London Borough of Camden, and a part of Great Ormond Street Hospital ...
. She led strategic consultancy projects across a range of industries at
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm founded in 1926 by University of Chicago professor James O. McKinsey, that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. McKinsey is the oldest and ...
. She worked at the
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
from 2001 to 2005 as chief operating officer.
The National Archives
From 2005 to 2010 Ceeney was chief executive (styled Keeper of Public Records and Historic Manuscripts Commissioner) at
The National Archives
National archives are central archives maintained by countries. This article contains a list of national archives.
Among its more important tasks are to ensure the accessibility and preservation of the information produced by governments, both ...
. Her appointment was announced in August 2005, and she took up the post in October of the same year.
Financial Ombudsman Service
She became chief ombudsman of the
Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service is an ombudsman in the United Kingdom. It was established in 2000, and given statutory powers in 2001 by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, to help settle disputes between consumers and UK-based bus ...
in March 2010.
Her appointment was announced on 11 January 2010. She left the Financial Ombudsman Service in November 2013.
HSBC
In February 2014 she became head of customer standards at
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. In 2021, HSBC had $10.8 tri ...
.
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service
Ceeney was chief executive of
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It was created on 1 April 2011 (as Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service) by the merger of Her Majesty's Courts Service and the Tribunals ...
(HMCTS) from 5 January 2015 until 30 May 2016.
Innovate Finance
In May 2017 it was announced that Ceeney would be joining the Board of Innovate Finance as non-executive chair.
Access to Cash Review
In August 2018, Ceeney was appointed as the independent chair of the Access to Cash Review. Working with several experts from across the consumer affairs, charitable, banking and payment sector, the review assessed whether the UK was ready to go cashless and what recommendations would be required to support vulnerable customers and manage the costs of the cash infrastructure. The final report was published in March 2019.
Today
Ceeney remains Chair of Innovate Finance.
She is a non-executive director of
Countrywide PLC
Countrywide is one of the UK's largest integrated property services group including residential property surveying, a collaboration of estate agents, and corporate services. It employs circa 8,500 personnel nationwide, working across 650+ estat ...
, a property services group in the UK. She is also a non-executive director of Ford Credit Europe,
Anglian Water
Anglian Water is a water company that operates in the East of England. It was formed in 1989 under the partial Water privatisation in England and Wales, privatisation of the water industry. It provides water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment ...
and
Sport England
Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded par ...
.
She heads a strategy consulting boutique practice.
Personal life
Ceeney married Dr Simon Chaplin, a medical historian, in 2007. She was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in the
2010 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 2010 were announced on 31 December 2009 in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Barbados, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Saint Lucia, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Christopher and NevisSaint Christ ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ceeney, Natalie
1971 births
Living people
Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Employees of the British Library
HSBC people
McKinsey & Company people
Ombudsmen in the United Kingdom
People associated with The National Archives (United Kingdom)
People educated at Forest School, Walthamstow
People from Epping Forest District