The Consumer Duty Alliance has appointed chartered financial planner Vanessa Barnes and NextGen Planners founding principal Adam Owen to its board of directors.
Owen will also take up an executive role as chief membership officer of the Alliance.
The Alliance has continued to see a growth in membership and affiliate firms after the FCA reinforced the message that implementation of the duty is an ongoing task.
It has also launched a number of new initiatives to support members.
Owen will lead the development of broader engagement for the Alliance, its members and affiliates.
Speaking about his new role, Owen said: “In a very short time, the Alliance has established a number of key initiatives that are bringing the profession together.
“I am looking forward to helping to develop the membership offering to further show what our profession can achieve when it works together.
“Having proudly contributed to the creation and success of NextGen Planners, I have gained insights and experiences which can be employed to support the wider profession, whilst augmenting the fantastic work of others across the Alliance.”
NextGen Planners has also joined the Alliance as an affiliate, allowing Owen the opportunity to continue supporting its work
Vanessa Barnes said of her appointment: “It is a great honour to be joining the Alliance Board.
“There has never been a more important time to engage with the regulator and other important stakeholders to recognise the challenges and opportunities for the personal finance profession to ensure our clients and unengaged consumers benefit from the right outcomes.
“By 2025 60% of private wealth in the UK will be in the hands of women. It is important that those clients have choices and we know many Alliance members want better female representation within their firms.
“We are planning to support and provide resources to assist in that objective. This is a brilliant profession for both men and women and that message needs a wider distribution.
“We already have an active and vibrant female community in personal finance and we want to signpost the work of leaders such as Julie Flynn, Charlotte Wood, Kathryn Knowles, Gretchen Betts and many others.
“We would like to see their ideas, experience and knowledge distributed to the wider Alliance.”
CEO of the Consumer Duty Alliance, Keith Richards, said: “The Alliance aims to support and augment the role of professional advice as well as the services of established organisations and affiliates.
“We therefore welcome both Vanessa and Adam to the board and I know from first hand experience that they both bring a wealth of valuable insights, passion and complimentary experience to support expansion aspirations.
“Adam’s contribution and experience gained in building the highly engaged and respected NextGen Planners community will be invaluable to the Alliance and Vanessa’s wealth of experience as a female practitioner will help to ensure a broader focus on diversity and inclusivity for our community and the public we serve.”
