Ana Simion
Summary
I am an experienced professional with a successful track record in regulatory policy. My ability to think strategically and creatively across fast-moving priorities, coupled with my strong ability to influence at all levels, allows me to solve complex problems and shape strategic agendas.
As the Head of Cross-cutting Policy for the Great British Energy programme in UK’s Department for Net Zero and Energy Security, I lead a fast-evolving policy area focused on establishing core investment functions, business strategy and governance for the newly created state-owned energy company. My role requires me to work flexibly across UK Government and to use my finely tuned political judgement to advise senior officials and ministers in their decision-making.
I also have experience in engaging with international bodies and conducting negotiations, having led a technical chapter as part of renegotiating the UK-EU withdrawal agreement (Windsor Framework). I use my strong leadership skills and ability to inspire, engage, and motivate stakeholders when confronted with competing agendas or priorities.
I have a strong policy development track-record, evidenced by leadership of regulatory projects that prepared the Financial Services sector for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. At the OECD, I performed analysis of regulatory policy issues and audited the performance of economic regulators, in addition to analysing the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on regulated sectors.
I am an inspiring and effective team leader, passionate about bringing together different insights and encouraging innovation.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
2013
2013
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Head of Cross-cutting Policy
Great British Energy (GBE)
11.2024 - 01.2025
- Undertakes a key role in setting up the new state-owned energy company: establishing future business activity, governance and investment framework, ensuring compliance with legislation and vision as set up by UK ministers
- Manages a cross-disciplinary team of policy advisors, lawyers and analysts to create an investment strategy for GBE within a budget of £8.3bn, and supports ministers in their reporting to the Prime Minister’s office or Parliamentary committees
- Fosters a cohesive relationship across UK Government to maintain cross-government support for GBE, and advances a collaborative relationship with public institutions and other private stakeholders to define future relationship between GBE and these organisations
- Responsible for the team’s daily operations, business planning, budget, deliverables and resourcing in an increasingly challenging fiscal context
Head of Policy, Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS)
Department for Net Zero and Energy Security (DESNZ)
12.2023 - 11.2024
- Led and managed a cross-cutting team of policy advisers, analysts and external consultants, to optimise the UK’s carbon capture, storage and usage (CCUS) programme and to transition to the market from a state-aid based framework to a self-sustained and competitive market in this decade
- Developed strategic solutions for maximising the Government’s ambitions for Net Zero across a multitude of decarbonisation technologies, including the development of appropriate financial instruments for the nascent stage of the market, within a budget of £21.7bn
- Owned and fostered key relationships with the industry with a particular focus on maintaining industry and investor confidence, as well as advancing the Department’s relationships with foreign governments or the international organisations, such as the IEA; this involves attendance and presentation to conferences, seminars, round tables
Head of Non-freight Declarations Policy, Customs Policy and Strategy
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
07.2021 - 12.2023
- Led and managed a diverse team of policy advisers tasked with resolving deficiencies in the post-Brexit customs framework, and developing the independent UK customs regime
- Developed develop strategic positions, advised senior officials and ministers, and negotiated with EU partners on technical matters as part of negotiations of the Windsor Framework (formerly Northern Ireland Protocol); designed the multi-year implementation and delivery plan for non-freight movements under the Windsor Framework
- Ensured that the legal architecture for customs in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is fit for the future, in line with other Government priorities, and competitive on an international scale
- Delivered consistently in a high-pressure environment, where creative and innovative solutions need to be developed, even when confronted with high levels of ambiguity
Policy Analyst, Regulatory Policy, Public Governance
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
04.2020 - 06.2021
- Conducted reviews on the performance of economic regulators and led the development of tailored policy recommendations for national sector agencies of OECD countries; this involved heading fact-finding missions, as well as managing funding bids and budgets
- Developed regulatory principles on agile regulatory governance which were presented to the OECD Council, and wrote associated communication and press materials
- Organised and wrote materials for seminars, conferences, and workshops as part of the OECD Network of Economic Regulators; as well as represented the OECD in relevant international fora to deliver presentations and research papers
- Cultivated a sound political acumen by working closely with senior officials from national administrations, diplomatic missions, and economic regulators, as well as represented the OECD in relevant international fora to chair technical panels and to deliver presentations and research papers
Policy Advisor on Brexit Policy and Future of Regulation, Strategy and Competition
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
10.2018 - 04.2020
- Responsible for the policy development and the co-ordination of technical expertise with HM Treasury and Bank of England for the creation of “no-deal” Brexit Financial Services regimes (equivalent financial passporting regime)
- Designed post-Brexit domestic and cross-border regulatory frameworks, along with implementation of UK Government strategy for UK overseas territories such as Gibraltar
- Executed the transposition of policy into legislation, by drafting consultation papers; as well as working closely with drafting lawyers, providing briefings to senior leaders and ministers, answering parliamentary questions
- Led strategic policy development projects and stakeholder movement on a broad range of issues, such as the review and reform of FCA’s Principles for Business – which ultimately led to the creation of a new Consumer Duty for all financial services firms
Assurance Associate and Senior Associate
PwC
09.2015 - 09.2018
- Managed regulatory audits for clients from the asset management, insurance and banking sectors, including reporting of findings to the financial regulator (FCA), at a time of intense regulatory change in the UK and the EU
- Involved in the strategic development of risk assurance testing procedures for regulatory audits and reviews, including writing associated guidance for client-facing teams
- Involved in advisory work for clients during the process of transitioning to new accounting standards (from UK GAAP to FRS 102)
- Acted as a PwC representative on the board of the Edinburgh Young Professionals group
Education
Undergraduate degree - LLB Law
University of Essex
Postgraduate degree - LLM EU Law
University of Essex
Chartered Accountant Qualification - undefined
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
Timeline
Head of Cross-cutting Policy
Great British Energy (GBE)
11.2024 - 01.2025
Head of Policy, Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS)
Department for Net Zero and Energy Security (DESNZ)
12.2023 - 11.2024
Head of Non-freight Declarations Policy, Customs Policy and Strategy
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
07.2021 - 12.2023
Policy Analyst, Regulatory Policy, Public Governance
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
04.2020 - 06.2021
Policy Advisor on Brexit Policy and Future of Regulation, Strategy and Competition
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
10.2018 - 04.2020
Assurance Associate and Senior Associate
PwC
09.2015 - 09.2018
Postgraduate degree - LLM EU Law
University of Essex
Chartered Accountant Qualification - undefined
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
Undergraduate degree - LLB Law
University of Essex
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<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. 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Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. Reviewed key business contracts to ensure financial viability, risk protection, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li><li>Treasury & External Commercial Borrowing (ECB): Managed fund planning and liquidity management including ECB drawdowns, bank negotiations, and interest optimization. Improved working capital cycles through proactive cash flow forecasting and receivables control.</li><li>Internal Controls & Governance Framework: Led organization-wide reviews of internal control systems, identified process gaps, and redesigned or implemented over 40 SOPs and IFCs. Established a governance structure for financial discipline, risk mitigation, and policy compliance across departments.</li></ul> at Kama Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. & PUIG India Pvt. Ltd.<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. Contributed to investor communications with data-backed insights to enhance stakeholder confidence and secure strategic funding.</li><li>Cross-Functional & Global Stakeholder Management: Functioned as the strategic finance business partner to cross-functional heads and the PUIG global finance team, aligning local execution with global financial strategies and compliance requirements.</li><li>ERP Transformation & System Automation: Led end-to-end ERP reimplementation to address system gaps, enforce role-based controls, and automate core finance processes—resulting in enhanced data accuracy, faster reporting and improved internal controls.</li><li>Costing, Inventory & Profitability Optimization: Designed and implemented plant-level costing models to ensure accurate COGS determination. 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Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. 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MOHAMMED ALHAMDANMOHAMMED ALHAMDAN
<p>• Led the full project lifecycle of HR initiatives, including workforce planning, policy development, and process improvement.<br> • Created and managed detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure timely and efficient execution.<br> • Coordinated cross-functional teams to deliver HR projects on schedule while maintaining compliance with organizational standards.<br> <br> <strong>Compensation, Benefits & Payroll:</strong><br> • Oversaw end-to-end payroll administration, ensuring accurate and timely employee payments.<br> • Managed employee compensation and benefits programs, aligning them with market standards and company objectives.<br> • Addressed payroll discrepancies and provided solutions to maintain smooth operations.<br> <br> <strong>Policy Development & Compliance:</strong><br> • Developed and implemented company-wide HR policies to enhance workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction.<br> • Ensured compliance with labor laws and Ministry of Human Resources regulations, mitigating legal risks.<br> • Advised leadership on labor law updates and best practices in employee relations.<br> <br> <strong>Talent Acquisition & Onboarding:</strong><br> • Directed full-cycle recruitment processes, from sourcing and interviewing to hiring and onboarding.<br> • Managed international hiring, including visa processing, embassy coordination, and relocation support.<br> • Optimized onboarding programs to ensure a smooth transition for new employees.<br> <br> <strong>Employee Relations & Engagement:</strong><br> • Served as a primary point of contact for employee concerns, providing effective conflict resolution.<br> • Maintained accurate records for attendance, leave, and performance management.<br> • Prepared employment contracts and offer letters in compliance with legal and company standards.<br> <br> <strong>Strategic HR Leadership:</strong><br> • Collaborated with senior management to align HR strategies with business goals.<br> • Analyzed HR trends and provided recommendations to enhance workforce planning and development.<br> </p> at Saudi Central Bank<p>• Led the full project lifecycle of HR initiatives, including workforce planning, policy development, and process improvement.<br> • Created and managed detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure timely and efficient execution.<br> • Coordinated cross-functional teams to deliver HR projects on schedule while maintaining compliance with organizational standards.<br> <br> <strong>Compensation, Benefits & Payroll:</strong><br> • Oversaw end-to-end payroll administration, ensuring accurate and timely employee payments.<br> • Managed employee compensation and benefits programs, aligning them with market standards and company objectives.<br> • Addressed payroll discrepancies and provided solutions to maintain smooth operations.<br> <br> <strong>Policy Development & Compliance:</strong><br> • Developed and implemented company-wide HR policies to enhance workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction.<br> • Ensured compliance with labor laws and Ministry of Human Resources regulations, mitigating legal risks.<br> • Advised leadership on labor law updates and best practices in employee relations.<br> <br> <strong>Talent Acquisition & Onboarding:</strong><br> • Directed full-cycle recruitment processes, from sourcing and interviewing to hiring and onboarding.<br> • Managed international hiring, including visa processing, embassy coordination, and relocation support.<br> • Optimized onboarding programs to ensure a smooth transition for new employees.<br> <br> <strong>Employee Relations & Engagement:</strong><br> • Served as a primary point of contact for employee concerns, providing effective conflict resolution.<br> • Maintained accurate records for attendance, leave, and performance management.<br> • Prepared employment contracts and offer letters in compliance with legal and company standards.<br> <br> <strong>Strategic HR Leadership:</strong><br> • Collaborated with senior management to align HR strategies with business goals.<br> • Analyzed HR trends and provided recommendations to enhance workforce planning and development.<br> </p> at Saudi Central Bank