Meet the team, Veritau

Max is the Chief Executive of Veritau, and he played a key role in helping to establish the business in 2009. He trained as a Chartered Accountant in the private sector before moving into an internal audit role in the public sector. He has over 30 years of experience in both the private and local government sectors, providing internal audit and other assurance related services. Max is also treasurer for the Local Authority Chief Auditors' Network.

Paul joined Veritau in 2026 after a successful career in education and logistics, during which he ran his own Freight Forwarding business for eight years. He has an MBA and holds Chartered Manager Fellow status with CMI. Paul leads the Business Support team and works alongside the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Management team for business-related activities.

Dale is a Senior Corporate Fraud Investigator with Veritau, having joined the company in 2020. Prior to this, Dale worked as an investigator for 19 years at Scarborough Borough Council, where he gained extensive knowledge and experience in investigating benefit fraud claims. This is reflected in Dale being one of the specialists within the fraud team covering Council Tax Reduction Schemes. Whilst working for the council, Dale received a judge’s commendation for his part in a cross-border benefit and banking identity fraud.

Daniel is experienced in supporting organisations to review their fraud risks and develop practical counter fraud measures. He has managed a range of large and complex investigations, including those which have been prosecuted at Crown and Magistrates Courts. He holds the CIPFA Diploma in Counter Fraud Management, and the Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist status. Daniel is part of Veritau’s data analytics group, with experience of running data matching projects and using data analytics tools to examine evidence.

Jonathan is an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist with a wealth of experience delivering counter fraud services to public sector organisations across the region. He was instrumental in establishing the North Yorkshire housing fraud partnership and is an active member of various public sector counter fraud networks.

Karina has been with the team since 2023 after joining as a trainee. She is an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist and is ACAS trained on conducting internal investigations. Karina has specialist knowledge of the whistleblowing process; from raising a concern to conducting and concluding an investigation; as well as a MSc in Cybercrime Investigation.

Kelly holds both Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist status and a qualification in investigative practice from CIPFA. She has many years of experience as a fraud investigator and leads on complex internal and whistleblowing investigations. Kelly also has experience working in a busy HR team and is ACAS trained on conducting internal investigations.

Lottie started with Veritau as a trainee in 2019 and is now an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist and Senior Investigator. Lottie has specialist knowledge of whistleblowing investigations and has experience leading on large and complex fraud investigations. She is also ACAS trained in conducting internal investigations.

Sarah holds the CIPFA Diploma in Counter Fraud Management and has Professional Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist status. She has experienced in investigating and managing a large range of fraud types across the public sector. Sarah’s particular expertise is in tenancy frauds affecting local authorities and housing associations, and grant scheme fraud risk management.

Amy holds qualifications in FOI and Data Protection, and previously worked in local government before joining Veritau in 2022. She works in our access team and supports the running of commercial activities for our SAR service through meeting with clients, preparing cost estimates and overseeing the service to deliver client satisfaction.

Andy has 30 years’ experience working in information governance within the public sector. He specialises in the development and implementation of bespoke information strategy, policy, and processes. Andy has a professional interest in making information available and transparent whilst maintaining compliance with legislation and applying ethical considerations around data.

Becky holds qualifications in FOI, data protection, information security, and records management. She supports our school DPO clients with data protection compliance and leads our training offer, including the annual webinar and eLearning packages. Becky also oversees client communications and alerts, keeping schools and trusts updated on regulatory changes, best practice, and emerging risks.

Helen is a professionally qualified information governance practitioner with experience in delivering services across the public sector. She oversees Veritau’s councils and access teams, focusing on business development and client relationship management.

James holds qualifications in FOI, Data Protection (both pre and post GDPR), and Information Security Principles. He specialises in issues relating to local government and leads on projects including policy reviews, privacy notice creation and the development of workshops and other training material.

Julie is a professionally qualified data protection practitioner with a wealth of experience in working across the public, private and education sectors. She has a legal background and specialises in helping clients navigate the regulatory landscape to enhance compliance. Julie oversees the successful delivery of services to our Council and other DPO clients and has a strong professional interest in improving internal processes and upholding privacy rights for individuals.

Robert brings his wealth of experience in local government management to the delivery of information governance. He supports our schools and corporate clients with the development of assurance frameworks to embed good information governance practice throughout their business. Robert is also Veritau’s own Data Protection Officer.

Rosie is an experienced DPO with a background in the legal sector. She is a Fellow of the IAPP and holds the CIPP/E and CIPM certifications. Rosie specialises in UK GDPR compliance in the education sector, including expertise in Edtech and data protection governance in multi-academy trusts. Rosie leads on AI, risk assessments, contract assurances, international data transfers and promoting awareness of legal changes.

Amy has over nine years’ internal audit experience and holds the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) qualification. Amy oversees the work our internal audit team provides to the children’s trusts and over 30 multi-academy trust clients across Yorkshire, the Humber and the North East.

Andrew has over 20 years’ internal audit experience gained within local government. He has performed a wide variety of audit assurance work, ranging from main financial system reviews through to specialist assignments across different service areas. He holds the AAT qualification and a Certificate in Supervisory Management Studies.

Charlotte joined Veritau as a trainee on our graduate programme in 2019 and is now an Internal Audit Manager. She holds the Certified Internal Auditor qualification and works on a variety of audit areas, including schools and academies, and adult social care.

Connor is a Chartered Internal Auditor with over a decade’s experience of internal audit both in the public and private sectors. He has overall responsibility for the delivery, development, and continuous improvement of Veritau’s internal audit service. Connor also leads on our risk management services.

Dan joined Veritau as a trainee auditor in 2021. He holds the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) accreditation and has worked on a wide range of assurance engagements including financial systems, IT, human resources and health and safety. Dan also supports the delivery of audits for schools and academy trusts.

Ed started with Veritau as a trainee auditor back when we were formed in 2009. He is now a Chartered Internal Auditor. Ed has delivered a wide variety of assurance work and has knowledge and experience across all areas of local government. Ed manages Veritau's IT audit team and is the audit manager for Cherwell District Council and Middlesbrough Council.

Gail has over 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, and has conducted varied and complex assurance reviews across different disciplines. She holds the PRINCE2 qualification in project management and the Institute of Risk Management's Certificate in Risk Management.

Joe joined Veritau in 2023 as a graduate trainee and is now a Senior Internal Auditor. He holds the Certified Internal Auditor qualification and has worked on a wide range of audits, including business continuity, cyber security and key financial systems, across a diverse client base including City of York Council, national parks and schools.

Katie has been with Veritau for eight years, having started through our trainee programme. She is now a senior auditor and holds the Certified Internal Auditor qualification. Katie has worked on a wide range of audits, and works closely with a variety of clients including North Yorkshire Council, national parks and schools.

Luke joined Veritau as a trainee auditor in 2015. He holds the Institute of Internal Auditors Certified Internal Auditor accreditation and ISACA’s Certified Information System Auditor accreditation. Luke delivers on a variety of audits for numerous different clients, with special expertise in IT audits and cyber security.

Michael has over 20 years’ experience in internal audit and previously worked in finance at City of York Council. He has gained a wide experience of undertaking assurance work across local government. As a member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, Michael has a specialised knowledge of financial accounting and budgeting.

Neil is a Certified Internal Auditor with more than 20 years’ experience in internal audit. He has delivered a variety of assurance reviews across a wide range of clients and service areas, including main financial systems and school audits. Neil is also a member of Veritau’s risk management group and holds the IRM's Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management.

Sam joined Veritau as a trainee auditor in 2022 and is now a Senior Auditor, holding the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) qualification. She has many years of experience in governance roles in the private and public sectors, particularly relating to project management and education. Sam is a member of the Veritau schools and academies team and also focuses on auditing children’s social services.

Samir brings over 15 years of experience in internal audit, specialising in local government operations. He is AAT qualified and holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) accreditation from ISACA. Throughout his career, Samir has developed extensive expertise in conducting assurance work, providing valuable insights and ensuring compliance within local government entities. Samir's comprehensive knowledge and technical skills have made him a trusted professional in the field.

Stuart is a CIPFA-qualified accountant with over 25 years' experience in public sector audit and assurance. As an Assistant Director, he acts as Head of Internal Audit for several organisations, including North Yorkshire Council, Middlesbrough Council and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. He also supports a number of national park clients. Stuart works closely with senior officers, elected members and audit committees, providing assurance on governance, risk management, and internal control. He has extensive experience across local government and provides practical advice on governance, risk management and assurance to a wide range of public sector organisations.

Thom has over 10 years’ experience in internal audit, having joined Veritau as a trainee in 2016. He holds the Certified Internal Auditor certification and has delivered assurance work across a wide range of areas, including finance, corporate governance, social care, and IT. He is the audit manager for West Lancashire Borough Council and our National Park Authority clients, and shares audit management responsibilities for North Yorkshire Council with Bharat Mistry. Thom is also the data analytics lead for internal audit, supporting the modernisation of our service and providing greater assurance to our clients.

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