Chair

Ashley Alder, Chair

Read Ashley's biography[1]

The FCA Board[1] sets the strategic direction and ensures the long-term success of the FCA.

The Chair is responsible for ensuring the FCA’s strategy is formulated clearly and well understood both internally and externally. The Chair has no executive responsibility for the day-to-day running of the FCA but, as part of his responsibilities as Chair, fosters the relationships between executive and Non-Executive Directors. Additionally, the Chair provides a source of counsel and challenge to the Chief Executive[2] on how the FCA is run. The Chair has an important externally-facing role with stakeholders.

The key responsibilities of the Chair of the Board are:

• ensuring that the Board meets with sufficient frequency
• fostering an open, inclusive discussion which challenges executives, where appropriate
• ensuring that the Board devotes sufficient time and attention to the matters within its remit
• helping to ensure that the Board and its members have the information necessary to its and their tasks
• reporting to the main Board on the Nominations Committee’s activities
• facilitating the running of the Board
• in relation to the Nominations Committee, safeguarding the independence and overseeing the performance of the Nominations Committee
• maintaining and developing a productive relationship with the FCA Chief Executive
• with the Chief Executive, leading the communication of FCA policies with a wide range of consumers and other stakeholders
• evaluating the performance of the Board and individual directors
• representing the FCA on particular national and international financial institutions
• raising the profile of the FCA and establishing and maintaining high level contacts worldwide
• acting as a focus for the accountability of the FCA, for example, by chairing the FCA’s Annual Public Meeting, giving evidence to Parliamentary select committees and communicating with Government ministers on significant issues