SRA appoints Shrin Honap and Ben Allgrove to its Board
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has named two new Board members who will join in January, replacing Liz Smart and Rob McWilliam.
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The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has appointed Shrin Honap and Ben Allgrove as new Board members, the regulator said in a news release dated 8 October 2026.
The SRA said the appointments were part of its ongoing programme of board renewal to balance continuity with fresh perspectives and expertise, and reflect the skills and experience the organisation needs to deliver its future plans and respond to emerging risks, including expertise across digital transformation, strategy and risk.
Key points
- Ben Allgrove will join the Board in January, following the departure of Liz Smart, who will have served on the Board for six years.
- Shrin Honap will also join the Board in January, replacing Rob McWilliam, who will have served for more than four years.
- Both Allgrove and Honap were appointed as Board observers from 1 September 2026.
- Honap is also an external adviser to the Audit and Risk Committee and will take over as Chair of that committee from January.
- The SRA said the work of its executive is overseen by a Board of ten non-executive directors and one executive director, comprising six lay members and four solicitor members plus an independent Chair.
Who they are
The SRA said Shrin Honap FCA is a chartered accountant and experienced non-executive director with expertise in governance, audit, risk, and organisational transformation, who has held senior board and audit chair roles across financial services, government, transport, and energy sectors, and currently serves on several major public sector boards, including the Financial Ombudsman Service.
The SRA said Ben Allgrove is Chief Innovation Officer and a Partner at Baker McKenzie, leading the firm’s global innovation and AI strategy, and is an internationally recognised technology lawyer who advises organisations on digital regulation, emerging technologies, and legal transformation. The release noted he is a Rhodes Scholar and has been recognised by Chambers, Legal 500 and the Financial Times.
What the SRA said
Anna Bradley, Chair of the Board, said: ‘Regular change at Board level enables us to take stock of the skills and experience the organisation needs at a particular point in time. These appointments follow a skills audit against our forward plans and the risks we expect to face. We want to build on the Board’s strengths and make sure we are well equipped for the future.’
She added: ‘I am delighted to welcome Shrin and Ben following a highly competitive recruitment process. They bring the expertise we need to support operational excellence, strengthen our technological capabilities and navigate increasingly complex challenges.’
Bradley also thanked the departing members, saying: ‘I would also like to thank Liz and Rob for their commitment and valuable contributions; their work leaves strong foundations on which the Board can continue to build.’
The SRA said Liz Smart brought particular expertise in legal education at a time when the SRA focused on developing and introducing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, while Rob McWilliam helped the Board to develop and strengthen its oversight of risk management.