The Royal Mint (TRM), which is owned by HM Treasury, is the world’s oldest mint and its first responsibility is to make and distribute coins for the United Kingdom. Beyond this it now operates as a diversified business spanning commemorative coins, precious metals, jewellery and an innovative venture to recover gold and other precious metals from end of life electronic waste.
Over the course of FY2024/25 UKGI oversaw the campaign to recruit a new Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Directors of TRM. With the previous Chair’s second term coming to an end, UKGI conducted a recruitment process to find a successor. We planned and executed the campaign, voluntarily adopting many of the best practice principles in the Governance Code for Public Appointments. Activities included (but were not limited to): defining the role, developing the selection criteria, identifying the assessment panel, procuring and managing executive search partners, agreeing the advertising approach, overseeing the sifts and interviews. Throughout the process we engaged with several key stakeholders including the Royal Mint, HM Treasury officials and No.10. We also sought ministerial views at key stages of the process, enabling ministers to be well-informed when making their final decision on who to appoint.
With UKGI’s support, the campaign resulted in a successful recruitment process, attracting a diverse set of candidates, and leading to the appointment of Chris Walton. Since joining TRM in January 2025, Chris has made a positive start to his tenure as Chair, investing significant time in understanding TRM, its mission and its people.