Experience

Equity Release Council

• United Kingdom
• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Jun 2018 - Present

  Representative body for the UK Equity Release sector. Leads a consumer-focused market by setting authoritative standards and safeguards for the trusted provision of advice and products. We represent nearly 750 corporate members and 1850 individual members, including providers, funders, regulated financial advisers, lawyers, surveyors and other market professionals. Since 1991 over 640,000 homeowners have accessed almost £45bn of housing wealth via Council members to support their finances. We celebrated our 30th anniversary by introducing our first new product standard since inception. Show less



Age Irrelevance

• United Kingdom
• Business Consulting and Services

• Ambassador

  • May 2023 - Present

  A WORLD WHERE AGE IS IRRELEVANT Baroness Sally Greengross who died in 2022 was a campaigner against ‘ageism’. The Greengross Foundation has as its vision an inclusive world where everyone values age irrelevance and expects equality in all phases of life. It's is not about taking age out of the equation, it is about putting consideration of all ages into everything. I am honoured to have been invited to become an Ambassador for the Foundation and will strive to help fulfil Sally’s mission. A WORLD WHERE AGE IS IRRELEVANT Baroness Sally Greengross who died in 2022 was a campaigner against ‘ageism’. The Greengross Foundation has as its vision an inclusive world where everyone values age irrelevance and expects equality in all phases of life. It's is not about taking age out of the equation, it is about putting consideration of all ages into everything. I am honoured to have been invited to become an Ambassador for the Foundation and will strive to help fulfil Sally’s mission.



Reform Think Tank

• United Kingdom
• Think Tanks
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Deputy Director and Head of Research

  • Jul 2017 - Jun 2018

  Reform is an influential Westminster-based independent, non-party think tank, whose mission is to set out a better way to deliver public services and economic prosperity. Reform is an influential Westminster-based independent, non-party think tank, whose mission is to set out a better way to deliver public services and economic prosperity.



Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Expert Adviser

  • Jun 2016 - Jun 2017

  Specialist adviser to Welfare Reform Ministers on the delivery of a specific welfare reform project and in particular on developing and delivering a communications strategy and advice service for claimants Specialist adviser to Welfare Reform Ministers on the delivery of a specific welfare reform project and in particular on developing and delivering a communications strategy and advice service for claimants



Partnership

• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Group Director of Corporate Affairs

  • Mar 2010 - May 2016

  FTSE specialist life assurer and 'challenger brand' (£8.4bn AUM). Used health data-set to provide more income for life for people with impaired lives than standard insurers. UK market leading long term care insurance and impaired annuity provider. Also operating in bulk pensions de-risking, equity release and protection markets. Invited to be first Director of Corporate Affairs reporting to CEO with a mandate to support growth. Second largest IPO by market cap at £1.55bn in 2013, following Royal Mail. Responsible for all external media, policy issues with a commercial and reputational impact. Accountable for representing Partnership, delivering advocacy and thought leadership. Led 'award winning' campaign which successfully amended Care Bill to impose duty on local authorities to signpost self funders (43% of care system in England) to qualified financial advice. Show less



The Go-Ahead Group

• United Kingdom
• Urban Transit Services
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Group Corporate Affairs Director

  • Nov 2004 - Feb 2010

  UK Big 5 transport operator with 27,500 people, £2.7bn turnover and 18 operations in the UK and US, providing near one billion passenger journeys annually in rail (UK's busiest operator), bus (London's largest operator) air and parking sectors (UK's 2nd largest off road parking). Invited to be Go-Ahead's first Corporate Affairs Director - reporting to 2 CEOs. Appointed to transform Go-Ahead's communications and public affairs. Responsible for all issues and crisis management, political, stakeholder, ESG and corporate communications activity - leading over 40 communicators. Introduced first economic impact report into UK transport industry. Show less



Just Group plc

• United Kingdom
• Financial Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head of External Communications

  • Mar 2004 - Oct 2004

  Invited to be first Head of External Communications and successfully launched Just Retirement Invited to be first Head of External Communications and successfully launched Just Retirement



BRITANNIC RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS (Britannic plc's speclialist life assurance business)

• Head of Corporate Affairs

  • Jan 2002 - Feb 2004

  Britannic Plc's financial service provider for people in retirement with health and lifestyle conditions - UK enhanced annuity market leader and Equity Release provider. Invited to be company's first Head of Corporate Affairs Led campaigns which successfully imposed regulatory duty on pension providers to notify customers to shop around for best income for life; and the regulation of 'reversionary equity release'. Britannic Plc's financial service provider for people in retirement with health and lifestyle conditions - UK enhanced annuity market leader and Equity Release provider. Invited to be company's first Head of Corporate Affairs Led campaigns which successfully imposed regulatory duty on pension providers to notify customers to shop around for best income for life; and the regulation of 'reversionary equity release'.



Consolidated Communications Public Affairs

• Director

  • Sep 1998 - Dec 2001

  A Founder Director Introduced England's first Car Club with Avis and Oxford City Council "Since its inception the company has been credited with one of the most successful UK start up agencies and was rated a UK Top 10 (Marketing PR League Table 2001) after only 3 years" Directory of Political Lobbying, 2001-2 "From a standing start these lads, both former practising lawyers, are doing well. Ambitious, fun, a little unreconstructed but big on charm, they deserve their success. They are putting in the hours and loving it. Their enthusiam for their work and clients is genuine and infectious. More surprisingly, they are keeping their feet on the ground and refusing to let it go to their heads". Directory of Political Lobbying, 1999-2000 Show less



Politics International

• Consultant

  • Jan 1997 - Aug 1998



Ludgate Communications

• Associate Director

  • 1993 - 1997

  City Based Corporate and Financial PR Company Pro-bono adviser to Save Barts Patients' Campaign. This determined and major campaign reversed the Government's decision to close Britain's oldest hospital. City Based Corporate and Financial PR Company Pro-bono adviser to Save Barts Patients' Campaign. This determined and major campaign reversed the Government's decision to close Britain's oldest hospital.



Clifford Chance

• United Kingdom
• Legal Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Trainee Solicitor

  • 1990 - 1992

  Post Qualification - Tax and Trusts Solicitor at another law firm. Post Qualification - Tax and Trusts Solicitor at another law firm.