Governance

The governing body of the Goldsmiths’ Company is the Court of Assistants, which is equivalent to a Board and is responsible for overseeing Company activities, risk and strategy.

The most senior members of the Court of Assistants are the Prime Warden (equivalent to a Chairperson) and the Wardens – collectively known as the Court of Wardens – who are elected each year by the Assistants. A permanent staff, headed by the Clerk and CEO, runs the organisation on a day-to-day basis for the Court of Assistants.

Committees

The Goldsmiths’ Company has 14 Committees which cover everything from finance, risk and auditing to communications and marketing, digital, the Library and Archive, the management of Goldsmiths’ Hall, The Goldsmiths’ Company Charity and the Company Collection.

The committees direct the day-to-day running of the organisation and are made up of members of the Company, co-opted advisors and Company staff who provide support to each Committee. Court Assistants typically Chair the committees. Members can serve up to two terms of three years, and Chairs serve up to three terms.

Company funding

The Company is funded primarily by income from financial investment dividends; property rental income from our property portfolio; bank interest; and other income, including from the hire of Goldsmiths’ Hall for events and filming.

Governance Structure

The Court of Assistants

This is the Management Board of the Company. Chaired by the Prime Warden, the Court is made up of four to five Wardens and all current Assistants. There is always trade and female representation on the Court. The prime purpose of the Court of Assistants is to scrutinise and ratify the actions and recommendations of all the Company's committees, including the Court of Wardens. By virtue of also being Directors of the Company’s corporate trustee, the Assistants are also responsible for the overall administration of the Company’s charities. There are currently 26 Assistants on the Court, and His Majesty the King is an honorary Court Assistant.

The Court of Wardens

Chaired by the Prime Warden, the Court of Wardens comprises of four Wardens as well as a Trade Warden, if none of the four Wardens are from the Trade. They are supported by the Clerk and CEO, along with the Senior Management Team. It handles all matters relating to the policy and direction of the Company. The positions on the Court change annually, as the Prime Warden holds the post for one year (May-May), before returning to the Court of Assistants.

In the year May 2024 – May 2025, the Court of Wardens are:

Prime Warden, Richard Reid

Richard spent most of his career at KPMG, where he was appointed a partner in 1991, and Chairman of KPMG London in 2007. He worked particularly closely with international companies before retiring in 2015. He is currently on the board of Associated British Foods plc; Deputy Chairman of Berry Bros & Rudd; senior advisor to Bank of China UK and Chairman of the National Heart & Lung Foundation. In his work with local communities, he has been Chair of both Safer London and the East London Business Alliance, and helped set up the City Academy in Hackney.

Second Warden, Ed Butler CBE DSO

Ed has extensive experience spanning nearly 40 years of managing risk in both the public and private sectors. Following 24 years of front-line operations in the British Army, he has worked in the risk consulting, nuclear and insurance sectors. Ed chairs the Lloyds Patriotic Fund, supports the Clocktower Foundation (the SAS charity), and is City Colonel, Rifles’ Regiment for Greater London. He enjoys all country pursuits, looking after his flock of Jacob sheep and bee-keeping.

Third Warden, Edward Braham

Edward Braham is the Chair of M&G plc, the international pensions and asset management group, and a non-executive member of the Board of HMT Treasury and of TheCityUK. He was previously the Senior Partner of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, the global law firm.

Fourth Warden, Joanna Hardy

Joanna has over 40 years' experience working with jewellery, beginning her career as a goldsmith. She pursued varied career at De Beers, Philips the Auctioneers, and Sotheby’s, where she was responsible for jewellery auctions worldwide. Joanna is now an independent fine jewellery specialist, who curates and lectures around the world. She is author of the books Collect Contemporary Jewelry, Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire, and a regular jewellery specialist on the BBC Antiques Road Show.