Natasha Galilee, Senior Counsel and Governance Lead

Tell us what attracted you to join the NWF?

I had my eye set on NWF as soon as the organisation was established - firstly the focus on its mandate was refreshing and secondly it was in Leeds, it seemed like an exciting place to work within my local area. Having joined I can very much confirm my initial impression holds up: it is a young organisation which offers opportunities to grow, both professionally and personally.

What does your role involve?

My role is a pretty unique blend of legal and governance. The governance team are a special mix from the private and public sector, bringing a specialist expertise to the governance and decision-making of NWF with opportunities to work closer with senior board and executive stakeholders as well as with our shareholder team in Treasury. My legal role focuses on the corporate and public law risks.

What is the NWF like to work for?

NWF is a fast-paced environment and no two days are the same. There is a very distinct atmosphere about the place - our breadth of sectors means we have a lot of fascinating specialists across all of the teams and there is a drive to deliver on our mission-based objectives. The clean energy mission in particular is fascinating, there is exposure to a lot of innovation, technological solutions and intellectual enthusiasm.

What were you doing before you joined the Fund, and how has your experience helped with the role you are now doing?

Before joining NWF, I worked at British Business Bank, another public finance institution, during the COVID-19 pandemic. BBB was established a few years prior to NWF and provided me with valuable lessons, particularly in building relationships with internal teams and how to manage stakeholders. My experience there also taught me about the impact and benefit such organisations can have on society as whole, something which is very much at the core of my work here at NWF.

What are your highlights/ proudest achievements since joining the NWF?

A particular highlight has been helping with the transition from UKIB to NWF. It involved a mix of legal technicalities and policy objectives as well as close collaboration with teams across the organisation.  It all came nicely together when the chancellor popped in to visit the office during one of our board meetings, which was a very proud moment of reflection and recognition of how far we've come in a very short space of time.

What are you looking forward to next at the NWF?

I'm excited to see what more we can achieve! Our role and ambition is expanding to support the delivery of the government's growth and clean energy missions. This will mean more innovative and complex deals, working closer with government to develop and deliver blended finance transactions and ultimately to deliver value for the taxpayer.

What would you say to anyone thinking of applying for a role here?

I would very much encourage anyone to consider NWF as it offers constant challenge and opportunities to learn something new.