Before joining Vale, Frances was a Managing Director at a major insurance broker, where she led a team and placed some of the largest ATE and contingent risks in the market. Before that, Frances was a Director at a litigation funder, underwriting complex, cross-border litigation and arbitration risks. She also previously worked as a solicitor both in-house and in private practice.

Frances obtained her first degree, an MA in English Literature, from Edinburgh University and subsequently obtained an LLB from the University of Law, London. More recently, she has been awarded an MSc in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the University of London.