Catherine (Cat) (she/her) is the Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a global membership organisation and professional body for dispute and conflict resolvers. In 2020 Cat set the world record for circumnavigation of the world on a tandem. Prior to setting her world record, Cat spent time in Chief Executive Officer roles at the Law Society of England and Wales, a Higher and Further Education College and at NHS Resolution. Cat has also held Senior Executive Director and General Counsel roles at the NSPCC and BUPA and in Canada at Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
Cat started her professional career in private practice as a solicitor, at Eversheds Sutherland and was an Officer in the British Army. Cat has served as a trustee and non-executive director on a number of boards, including the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), Queens Counsel Appointments, LawWorks, National Pro Bono Centre, the PDSA, the Yorkshire and Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, the Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Landex and was the Deputy Chair of the IBA LGBTQI Committee. Cat is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Open University. Cat is a solicitor and accredited mediator and has a MBA.