News release
SRA to expand executive leadership team as part of operational excellence drive
17 April 2026
We are expanding our executive leadership team with the creation of four new posts. The new roles - across supervision, risk and data, General Counsel, external affairs – will bring experience, expertise and capacity into the organisation, as we look to tackle broader sectoral challenges and rebuild trust.
The expansion is part of the recently outlined priorities for 2026 that focus on fixing the foundations, specifically the first priority to drive operational excellence.
To deliver operational improvements we are looking to improve decision-making timelines and caseload management, by moving to a more proactive risk identification footing. We will achieve this by building out our regulatory toolkit to provide earlier support for compliance, as well as improving collaboration. The new roles are expected to support a step change in each area.
The new structure and wider prioritisation follow an extensive stakeholder listening exercise and a review of our leadership model.
The changes announced include:
- The creation of four new executive director roles covering supervision; risk, data and insight; General Counsel, risk and compliance; and external affairs and communications.
- The permanent appointment of Jonathan Peddie, who joined the SRA on an interim basis in September 2025, as Executive Director – Investigations, Enforcement and Litigation.
- The recent appointment of Deb Jones as Executive Director – Transformation.
- Streamlining the management structure by removing one of the layers.
Introducing the changes
Sarah Rapson, Chief Executive of the SRA, said: 'I have been clear that the organisation must change if we are to become the regulator that the public and the sector deserves. We have a lot of work ahead of us to become a modern, proportionate regulator that is both trusted and effective.
'Establishing a simplified leadership structure and culture of empowerment will be crucial to achieving the scale of transformation needed. The changes we are making will provide greater capacity, renewed focus and more clarity, which in turn will improve the speed and quality of decision making across the organisation.'
On the permanent appointment of Jonathan Peddie, Sarah added:
'I am delighted to welcome Jonathan Peddie permanently to the SRA. He brings a deep knowledge of the legal sector, having previously been a partner at Baker McKenzie, global head of litigation, investigations, enforcement and financial crime at Barclays Bank, and Deputy General Counsel at Clifford Chance. Jonathan's expertise will be invaluable as we establish a more proportionate regulatory approach.'
In the permanent role, Jonathan Peddie will lead an end-to-end review of the casework process, including reviewing the application of the assessment threshold test, and improving quality assurance of triage and investigations. He will work with other members of the executive leadership team in developing alternative regulatory tools to investigations.
Jonathan Peddie, Executive Director Investigations, Enforcement and Litigation said: 'Solicitors perform a vital but sometimes overlooked public service, one that is essential to the health of our society and economy. I know that from my own experience of legal practice in law firms and in-house.
'When I joined the SRA on an interim basis, my priority was to make sure that the public could continue to have full confidence in the profession. The past six months have reinforced for me the critical importance of a strong, agile and proportionate investigations and enforcement function as a foundation of trust and confidence for the public and solicitors.
'I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience of legal practice and regulation to bear. I look forward to playing a role in delivering the changes Sarah Rapson has outlined, to address the challenges the organisation faces.'
This announcement is an important step forward as part of our broader focus on operational excellence. This is one of four priorities announced in March, alongside improving collaboration, proactive identification and a focus on big issues.
Together, these priorities are designed to put in place the foundations that will transform the organisation into a modern, proportionate regulator that is trusted and effective.