IAA's leadership team
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-17)

Meet the leadership team driving the strategic vision and operations of the IAA, dedicated to ensuring high standards across the sector.

Heather Laing – Interim Chief Executive

Heather became the interim Chief Executive of the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in January 2025, bringing extensive experience from a diverse career spanning the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

An accomplished Senior Civil Servant, Heather has held several high-profile leadership roles in immigration. Before joining the Home Office in 2016, she built much of her career in fraud prevention, detection, and deterrence. Her work included positions in public sector and outsourced banking operations, as well as serving as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Advisory Board at Cifas, a leading fraud prevention agency.

As interim Chief Executive, Heather is focused on strengthening the IAA’s leadership team and driving the successful implementation of its transformation agenda. She plays a critical role in supporting the organisation’s evolution into a high-performing, outward-focused authority with enhanced capabilities, ensuring it delivers exceptional services to the public.

Annie Morris – Chief People Officer

Annie joined the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in December 2023 as Chief People Officer and Head of Communications, bringing over a decade of experience in communications, strategy, and governance across the United Nations and Civil Service.

Annie began her career in the humanitarian sector as a training lead for the UK’s UN Migration Agency, where she trained frontline professionals to support victims of trafficking and slavery. In 2015, she joined the Civil Service, starting at the Cabinet Office, where she took on various roles aligned with Prime Ministerial priorities. Notably, she led the communications response team following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Annie later worked at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where she supported communications in the lead-up to EU Exit. In 2019, she became Head of Communications and Engagement at the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office.

At the IAA, Annie plays a critical leadership role, advising the Immigration Services Commissioner on strategic initiatives, communications, and engagement activities. She also serves as a liaison between the Executive Team and staff, fostering collaboration and ensuring effective communication across the organisation.

Karen Eyre-White – Director of Service Delivery

Karen joined the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in February 2023 as Director of Service Delivery, bringing a wealth of experience in policy, operational, and regulatory roles across government.

Karen began her Civil Service career in 2008 through the graduate Fast Stream, taking on policy and private office roles within the Department for Transport. Notably, she contributed to transport planning for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In 2013, Karen transitioned to the Home Office, where she led casework teams managing immigration judicial reviews. In 2015, she was appointed Chief Executive of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, a government safety regulator and Arm’s Length Body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

As Director of Service Delivery at the IAA, Karen oversees the regional teams, the authorisations team, and the intelligence team. Her role focuses on ensuring the effective regulation of immigration advisers and organisations, maintaining high-quality advice for those seeking support, and preventing the provision of unregulated advice.

Clare Hussain – Director of Corporate Operations

Clare joined the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in 2023 as Director of Corporate Operations, bringing over 20 years of public service experience in strategic operations, policy, governance, and law enforcement.

Clare began her Civil Service career in 1999 with the Criminal Injuries Appeals Panel before taking on roles as an Immigration Officer in the Southeast Ports Surveillance Team and later as Chief Immigration Officer in Cambridge. Her expertise earned her a position as Her Majesty’s Inspector for Immigration, overseeing enforcement in Scotland.

In 2008, Clare transitioned to the Police Service, holding senior leadership roles for 15 years, including Head of Criminal Justice and Head of Data Governance. A strong advocate for equality and diversity, she chaired the Scottish Women’s Development Forum for six years, championing initiatives to address underrepresentation in policing. Under her leadership, the Forum won the Holyrood Championing Gender Equality Award in 2021.

As Director of Corporate Operations, Clare leads strategic business planning, risk and performance management, and key change initiatives at the IAA. Her expertise in data, legislation, and inclusion underpins her impactful leadership.

Adrienne Gault – Director of People, Culture, and Programmes

Adrienne joined the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) in June 2022 as Director of People, Culture, and Programmes, bringing over 30 years of experience in organisational development and people transformation across the public and private sectors.

A business psychologist by training, Adrienne began her career in IT outsourcing, leading HR, organisational development, and business change teams for multinational companies. She later transitioned to local government, where she developed and implemented people transformation strategies, before moving into the private sector as a business transformation lead for Serco Energy.

Returning to the public sector, Adrienne took on roles including Head of Internal Communications and Change at the Crown Office in Edinburgh and Head of HR and Transformation at the Food Standards Agency. She then joined Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Deputy Director, where she led remote working initiatives during the pandemic.

As Director of People, Culture, and Programmes at the IAA, Adrienne leads efforts to drive organisational development, foster a strong workplace culture, and implement critical programmes that support the organisations objectives. Her extensive expertise in change management, employee engagement, and strategic transformation underpins her impactful leadership.