OUR TEAM

Our team brings senior in-house experience from global organisations and the United Nations, combining expertise in corporate compliance, investigations, organisational culture and behavioural integrity.

KATHRYN HIGGS

Founder & Director

  • In these roles, she was responsible for the design, implementation and oversight of organisation-wide ethics and compliance programmes, investigations and whistleblowing frameworks across complex international operations.

    She is widely recognised for her ability not only to design integrity systems, but to lead transformational change – strengthening ethical cultures, shifting leadership behaviour and embedding integrity into the way organisations operate in practice.

    Kathryn has also played a leading role in advancing global standards of business ethics. As Director of Business Integrity at Transparency International UK and a member of the organisation’s executive leadership team, she worked closely with major multinational companies to improve corporate governance, anti-corruption standards and responsible business practices.

    Through her career she has advised boards, executive teams and senior leaders on complex conduct and integrity challenges, including organisational culture failures, major investigations, whistleblowing issues and the rebuilding of ethics programmes following crises.

    Kathryn founded Kathryn Higgs & Associates to support organisations facing these challenges, drawing on her experience leading ethics functions inside some of the world’s most complex organisations.

    She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Sydney. Her expertise has been recognised internationally: she has provided evidence to the UK House of Lords on business ethics and has been named in The Lawyer UK magazine Hot 100, recognising lawyers whose work has had a significant impact on business and society.

BONNIE GREEN

Senior Advisor –
Investigations & Ethics

  • Bonnie previously served as Chief Ethics Officer at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), where she also held the role of Corporate Focal Point for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. In these roles she oversaw the organisation’s ethics function and advised senior leadership on investigations, accountability frameworks, whistleblower protection and safeguarding standards across global operations.

    She was an active member of the United Nations Ethics Panel and chaired the 20th Annual Ethics Network of Multilateral Organisations Conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

    Prior to joining the United Nations, Bonnie held senior legal and compliance roles in the private sector, including Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Sodexo, where she led the Office of Ethics, Compliance and Privacy. She has also held in-house counsel roles at Marriott International and practised law in Washington, D.C.

    Bonnie brings deep expertise in investigations, ethics governance and safeguarding frameworks, and supports clients in strengthening their integrity programmes, responding to complex misconduct matters and implementing lessons learned from investigations.

    She is a member of several professional organisations including the American Association of Corporate Counsel, the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, the Ethics & Compliance Initiative and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

EMMA FORSYTH

Senior Advisor –
Culture & Leadership

  • Her work focuses on helping organisations understand and shape the cultural and leadership dynamics that influence behaviour in practice. She brings extensive experience across culture diagnostics, leadership development, organisational transformation, employee engagement and HR investigations.

    Emma works closely with senior leaders to translate culture insights into practical change initiatives, supporting organisations to strengthen leadership effectiveness, improve employee engagement and embed sustainable cultural change. She has particular experience working with complex organisations undergoing transformation or cultural renewal.

    She is an experienced leadership coach and facilitator, working with leaders at all levels of organisations from operational teams through to senior executives.

    Emma is accredited in a number of leading culture and leadership diagnostic frameworks including Human Synergistics, Leadership Circle, Korn Ferry Leadership Architect, Gallup CliftonStrengths and DISC.

TOM MACFARLANE

Associate –
Ethics & Culture

  • Tom contributes to research, programme development and client deliverables, supporting the team in areas including speak-up frameworks, investigations support and integrity programme design.

    Prior to joining Kathryn Higgs & Associates, Tom gained experience in a number of business roles requiring strong project management, coordination and organisational skills. He has a particular interest in whistleblowing and speak-up systems, recognising the critical role they play in protecting organisations, individuals and the public interest.

    Tom holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Psychology from the University of Otago, where he was awarded a New Frontiers Scholarship. As part of his studies he completed an exchange semester at the University of Copenhagen focusing on international politics. He has worked in both Europe and New Zealand.