Driving Growth, Innovation, and Educational Excellence Across Finance Operations
Birmingham, UK — 9th April 2025 – The Institute of Financial Operations & Leadership (IFOL) is proud to announce the appointment of Louise Graham as its new Chief Operating Officer & Head of Institute. This move reflects IFOL’s continued commitment to growth, innovation, and setting new standards in finance operations education.
Louise brings with her over 30 years of experience in financial operations, having begun her career at The Walt Disney Company in London. Her career spans a wide range of industries and high-profile organisations including Santander, Carphone Warehouse, Costa Coffee, and FCDO Services, part of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Throughout her career, Louise has built a reputation for operational excellence, transformational leadership, and driving impactful learning and development initiatives within finance teams.
Raising the Standards in Finance Operations
In her new role, Louise will lead IFOL’s global education and membership strategy — with a focus on expanding the education team, championing standards, and delivering innovative certification and training across the broader finance operations landscape. She will also be instrumental in strengthening IFOL’s core markets and expanding its professional development offerings internationally.
“I’m a great believer in helping finance professionals unlock their full potential through relevant, high-quality learning,” said Louise Graham. “Finance operations is rapidly changing so it’s vital that we equip teams with the knowledge and skills they need to lead with confidence. I’m looking forward to building on IFOL’s strong foundation and expanding our impact — not just across traditional AP and P2P functions, but across all areas of finance operations.”
Sam Hitchen-Rae, CEO at IFOL commented “Our goal is to give finance professionals the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to thrive. Louise brings both a strategic mindset and a passion for education. Her leadership will be instrumental as we expand our reach, build new partnerships, and create an even more valuable membership experience — one that includes continuous learning, engaging seminars, and vibrant peer-to-peer networking.”
A Pivotal Move for IFOL’s Future
Louise’s appointment comes at a time of rapid growth for IFOL. As the organization further enhances its membership benefits, scales up its training and certification programs, and increases global visibility through in-person conferences and virtual summits that connect finance professionals across borders.
This strategic hire reflects IFOL’s ongoing commitment to delivering forward-thinking, high-impact support to its growing global community — empowering finance operations professionals at every stage of their careers.
You can connect directly with Louise via our membership community.
About IFOL
The Institute of Financial Operations & Leadership (IFOL) is a leading professional body focused on advancing the careers of finance operations professionals through certification, training, networking, and knowledge-sharing. IFOL supports thousands of members globally with a mission to empower excellence in finance operations.