Jane Furniss CBE

Board Mentor
Criticaleye

Jane Furniss is a Board Mentor of Criticaleye and former CEO of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Jane is Deputy Chair of the highly-regarded homelessness charity, 'Crisis', where as Trustee she has assisted the extension of its services beyond London to several other cities across the UK. She is currently reviewing the charity’s funding strategy to meet the ambitious 5 year strategic vision to reduce homelessness and its effects.

Jane is also Senior Independent Director and NED of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and chairs its Equality and Diversity Committee. Her key responsibility is to ensure the Authority regulates in the public interest and protects the needs of vulnerable clients.

Jane added a further NED role on the board of the National Crime Agency (NCA) to her portfolio in Dec 2013. The NCA was setup in Oct 2013 to tackle and reduce organised and serious crime across the UK.

Jane was Chief Executive of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) from 2006 to 2013. She transformed the way the IPCC responded as an emergency service across England and Wales and led the development of a programme which saw a reduction in deaths in police custody and other very serious incidents. Jane developed skills in leading an organisation in which public confidence and trust is essential but whose role will often be deeply unpopular with many of its customers and subject to critical scrutiny, at the same time as building and maintaining internal morale.

Previously Jane served as a Board member of the Legal Complaints Service, was a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and chaired the Remuneration Committee. During Jane’s career in central government, as Director General she led a strategic change programme to reform the way the criminal justice system works. Prior to that she occupied senior roles in HM Inspectorate of Probation and with the probation service. Jane has provided mentoring support and advice to people seeking public appointments and senior executive roles in public and charitable sectors. She is also company secretary of a small private sector design engineering company.

Her first degree was in History and Philosophy from Bradford University, which was followed by a Masters in Social Work from the University of York. Jane is married to David. She enjoys travelling the world, art (viewing) and music (listening) and keeps fit by running and is learning to swim. She was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2012.