Page 74 - 2018 Powerlist

Politics, Law & Religion Grace Ononiwu

Chief Crown Prosecutor, West Midlands

Grace has served as the Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) for the
West Midlands since June 2014, the first woman and black
person to hold the post.
She is ultimately responsible for all the prosecution
decisions and conduct of cases by CPS lawyers throughout
the area. She also has a personal involvement in many of
those cases and there are occasions when she meets victims
of crime or their families to explain the reasons for the
decisions taken in cases that involve them.
Prior to that she was the CCP for the East of England Area
for two years.
Grace qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and originally joined
a private firm of solicitors in High Wycombe practising
criminal law.
She joined the CPS in 1991 as a Crown Prosecutor and
has since held a number of positions in the CPS, which led
to her ultimate appointment as Northamptonshire CCP in
April 2005, making her the first African Caribbean to be
appointed to that position in the history of the CPS.
In April 2009 Grace was appointed Legal Director for
North Region, CPS London, before becoming Deputy Chief
Crown Prosecutor (DCCP) for the London Districts.
Sandie Okoro Grace has made a significant contribution to the CPS

Senior Vice-President and Group Equality and Diversity agenda and was Chair of the National
General Counsel, World Bank Black Crown Prosecution Association.
Grace also has a national role within the CPS, which
includes membership of strategic boards dealing with issues
This February, Sandie took over her new post at the World affecting the Service across the whole of England and Wales.
Bank, with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim She is a member of the National People Strategy Board and
describing the legal powerhouse as a “highly regarded the business lead for the CPS’ Management Development
thought leader with a strong track record of developing new Programme to develop the capabilities of our staff.
legal approaches in the field of international finance”. She was awarded an OBE in 2008.
She joined the corporation from her position as General
Counsel of HSBC Global Asset Management and Deputy
General Counsel of HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth
Management.
The barrister-turned-solicitor is now the principal
adviser and spokesperson on all legal matters at the World
Bank. She also serves as the legal adviser to the board,
management, the Inspection Panel, and the CEO of the
Global Environmental Facility Program.
Sandie leads the World Bank’s Legal Vice-Presidency,
which is responsible for all legal services provided to
internal and external clients.
In May 2016 Sandie was named by City AM as one of the
Power 100 Women and in July 2016 she was hailed as one of
the 100 Women to Watch by the Female FTSE Board 2016.
Outside of work she is a council member of the Human
Rights organisation JUSTICE, an ambassador for the Law
Society’s Diversity Access Scheme and sits on the Equality
Standards Panel of the Premier League.
From January to June 2014, Sandie was President of
International Lawyers of Africa (ILFA), having previously
been an ILFA director for many years.
In November 2014, Sandie was appointed to the Board
and elected as a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare
Company (RSC).
Before joining HSBC in January 2014, Sandie was Global
General Counsel at Barings. Previously, she was Head of
Legal for Corporate Services at Schroders.

70 Powerlist 2018