About Us
Formation was founded in 2022 by Sapna Marwaha to support universities and non-profits to drive cultural change in the face of an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Sapna could see the causational relationship between poor governance, siloed and exclusionary working cultures, and the resultant compliance risks. In response, we have developed strategies that create a synergy for success.
How we work
Our process is guided by academic and practical research with quantitative and qualitative methodologies co-designed inclusively with stakeholders and service users.
Our delivery approach includes policy papers and reports, live and online training, sector conferences, written and delivered by our team of academics and skilled practitioners. All our work is dynamic and responsive to the ever changing landscape.
Our Team
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Sapna Marwaha
Formation founder & Managing Director
Formation Consultancy’s founder, Sapna, brings together her skills as a lawyer, research and innovation manager, trainer and facilitator to support universities and non-profits to drive cultural change in the face of an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Sapna gained a decade of experience advising higher education institutions and research funders as an inhouse lawyer specialising in research, innovation and compliance. Sapna has led transformation and organisational design programmes for inhouse legal teams, as well as designing and developing processes and procedures to respond to emerging regulation and challenges. Sapna is passionate about inclusive leadership and governance. She is a former Associate of Getting on Board, a charity which supported greater charity board diversity, where she trained and coached aspiring trustees from underrepresented groups. She also works with organisations on transforming their governance practice including the Reimagining Governance for a Flourishing Research Culture project with Durham University which utilises shadow committee structures as a catalyst for change and adoption of more inclusive governance practice. Sapna's portfolio of board and committee roles give her direct experience of navigating governance challenges. Her current roles include development board member of the coalition for health equity Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health, and co-chair of the Research and Development Steering Group at NHS Blood and Transplant.
Jennifer Johnson
Senior Associate and Lead Trainer
A highly accomplished Research & Innovation Director, Jennifer brings a strategic, values-driven approach to leadership in academic research environments. With a proven track record of executive delivery, they possess extensive skills in change management, facilitation, policy development, and partnership working. Their leadership approach emphasises people and culture, communication, and the ability to establish and implement complex priorities across diverse organisational landscapes. Jennifer is currently Director of the Research & Innovation Office at Loughborough University. They provide critical strategic support and serve as the security and compliance lead for research, managing complex due diligence processes and acting as a principal investigator on FCDO-funded research security projects. Building on over two decades in higher education, Jennifer is a passionate advocate for positive change in research culture. At the helm of major transformation projects at Northumbria University and the University of Leeds, they brought fresh thinking to complex challenges – from boosting research funding to launching innovative commercial ventures. Their leadership as ARMA Chair reflected a deep commitment to nurturing diverse talent and building inclusive research communities. Now, they channel this experience into helping universities create sustainable, equitable research environments where innovation can flourish.
Dr Ambreen Shah
Associate Consultant
Ambreen has worked in the not for profit sector for over 20 years, funding and supporting charities to achieve maximum impact for their beneficiaries. She brings knowledge of policy, communications, grant funding and social/evaluative research (including theories of change) and extensive experience of working with senior stakeholders and strategy development. She is passionate about social and racial justice. Ambreen worked for 12 years at the National Lottery Community Fund (then The Big Lottery Fund) in both their evaluation and policy functions, ending her time there as Deputy Director of England. More recently she worked at the Design Council as Director of Policy, Research and Communications. Ambreen is a non-executive director at Smallwood Trust and Charity Bank championing their work on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She is Co-chair of the advisory group of Migration Exchange. She is also an associate at the Institute for Voluntary Action Research and a former associate of Getting on Board, a charity which supported greater charity board diversity. Ambreen champions shadowing as a way of opening up governance and shifting power to people with lived experience. She has introduced board shadowing programmes at Smallwood Trust and Charity Bank and supported the Criminal Justice Alliance to do so on their Elevate programme, which seeks to support lived experience leadership in the criminal justice system.
Eva Kagiri-Kalanzi
Associate Consultant and Trainer
Eva Kagiri-Kalanzi is an international development expert with over 15 years of experience working across research and innovation. With experience working with policymakers, higher-education institutions and international organisations, she has a proven record on designing and administering various projects in higher education, research and science, technology, and innovation policy. Eva coordinated the ARMA Complex Collaborations Efficiency, Equity, Quality and Security in International Research project and has delivered Formation workshops in Poland and Malaysia. Eva operates within the science–policy interface advocating on the role of science, technology, and innovation in sustainable development, inclusion and equity in research and innovation. Eva also delivers training and development on the above themes. She is an exceptional communicator with innate ability to develop, inspire and motivate people. She has experience delivering European and Africa-wide programmes, and country specific programmes in India, Finland, and UK. She led and set up an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) working group for the University Policy Engagement Network (UPEN), UK. She also created a team and launched a study to set up a premise for member universities to increase EDI actions on research – policy engagement. She has also led discussions on the same with the UK Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit and DEFRA.
Joe Timlin
Associate Consultant and Trainer
As Trusted Research Manager at Loughborough University, Joe brings a strategic focus to navigating the complexities of international research partnerships. Drawing on six years of specialised experience, he expertly guides the implementation of trusted research principles and critical compliance measures, including export control regulations and the National Security and Investment Act. His collaborative work has shaped national conversations around international research – notably through his contributions as Project Officer and co-author of two influential UKRI-funded ARMA UK reports. These publications, examining efficiency, equity, and security in complex international collaborations, demonstrate his deep understanding of the delicate balance between fostering global research partnerships and maintaining robust security frameworks. His approach combines rigorous attention to compliance with a genuine commitment to enabling transformative research collaborations that benefit the global academic community.
Duncan J Jackson
Associate Project Manager
Duncan brings expertise in research compliance in the university sector and beyond. He is Research Compliance Manager of the University of Bristol research compliance team where he leads projects including the delivery of the Trusted Research Evaluation Framework and an institution-wide response to due diligence. Before joining University of Bristol, Duncan led an initiative at the University of Exeter to increase awareness and adherence to national security protocols. These include trusted research, export controls, sanctions, the Academic Technology Approval Scheme, the National Security and Investment Acts, the Nagoya Protocol, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and others. Duncan also specialises in regulatory compliance, and has overseen employability and rehabilitation contracts for organisations like Department for Work and Pensions, the European Science Foundation, National Lottery, and HM Prison & Probation Service. At IBM, he drove compliance initiatives for UK government agencies with US federal law and ISO quality standards. Duncan is passionate about identifying, educating, and communicating risk areas in higher education and research. He uses visually engaging materials, such as infographics, and develops systems, processes, and tools to facilitate understanding and compliance.
Lisa Hall
Virtual Executive Assistant
Lisa Hall brings over 35 years of diverse professional experience to her role as Formation's Virtual Executive Assistant. Lisa and Sapna met when they both worked at Versus Arthritis, a medical research charity, where they worked together in the Finance and Governance department. With extensive expertise in logistics, HR, and project management, she excels at providing comprehensive business support and ensuring operational compliance. Lisa's background includes notable positions as Business Support Manager at Versus Arthritis and executive assistant roles supporting senior leadership. As founder of HW Virtual Services, she specialises in helping entrepreneurs and organisations optimise their operations and achieve strategic goals. Her skill set spans facilities management, corporate compliance, and business administration. Lisa's particular strength lies in creating efficient systems and providing flexible support solutions that allow organizations to focus on core objectives while maintaining operational excellence.