Panel members

Area of particular interest on the panel

Helen is keen to contribute to the Panel’s important role in representing the interests of consumers in the financial services sector, which is particularly pertinent now, with consumers under pressure due to the cost of living.

Role outside the panel

Helen also Chairs the Board of Trustees of the British Gas Energy Trust, a charity providing debt relief and related support to individuals to help with their energy costs, and grants to organisations for the relief of fuel poverty. She is a Non-Executive Director of The Retail Energy Code Company, a non-profit company set up to simplify, improve and facilitate innovation in the retail energy market. For a number of years she was a volunteer visitor for a The Henry Smith Charity, a foundation providing grants to projects to reduce social and economic disadvantage

Positions held in the past

Helen’s previous roles include serving as a Local Consumer Advocate at The Consumer Council for Water, with roles on two water companies’ Customer Challenge groups. and acting in a consumer representative role in postal services and electricity. She began her professional career as a solicitor, specialising in competition law and utilities regulation

Area of particular interest on the panel

Johnny is interested in the accessibility of individual and corporate general and financial protection insurance products and services, the value that they offer and the benefits and support services that they provide – especially to consumer at moments that matter and in times of vulnerability. In addition, the use made of data and its security.

Role outside the panel

Johnny is an independent consultant and Non Executive Director, a member of the Financial Inclusion Commission, the BIBA Access To Insurance Committee, Building Resilient Households Group and GAIN ( the Group for Autism, Insurance and Neurodiversity.) Additionally, Johnny is a Trustee of the Caudwell Childrens Charity and has advisory roles with the University of Edinburgh “supporting healthy ageing in the workplace”, the Surviving Economic Abuse Charity and the UK Vocational Rehabilitation Association

Positions held in the past

Johnny has worked in the insurance and banking sectors for over 40 years, most recently with Scottish Widows/ Lloyds Banking Group where he led on financial protection and resilience technical support and industry affairs. He has held wider public and industry roles, including the inaugural

Cabinet Office Ambassador for the insurance sector, a member of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Working Group, adviser to the Chartered Insurance Institute Insuring Women’s Futures programme, TISA Consumer Protection Policy Council chair, member of the Association of British Insurers Protection Committee and Social Care Working Groups plus has extensively supported the financial policy work of a number of Health Charities and Disabled Peoples Organisations.

Area of particular interest on the panel

Julie’s main areas of focus include privacy and security of digital services and payments; quality of information, advice and T&Cs to enable informed choice; and effective systems of redress.

With considerable experience in consumer vulnerability and inclusive service, Julie can also offer valuable insight into how firms can best identify and support customers in vulnerable situations.

Role outside the panel

Julie is an independent consultant, writer and researcher specialising in consumer issues. In this role she has delivered successful projects for consumer organisations such as Which, BEUC, ANEC and Consumers International on topics including e-commerce fraud, insurance, inclusive service, complaints and redress.

In August 2020 Julie took up the role of Chair of the Consumer and Public Interest Network (CPIN), an independent organisation that represents UK consumers in the development of voluntary standards at BSI.

Positions held in the past

Julie spent six years as a researcher and writer at Which, before becoming an independent consumer consultant in 2006. She has been a member of the CPIN Steering Group since 2009. She co-authored the British Standard on Inclusive Service (BS 18477: 2010) and was global Project Lead for the international standard on Consumer Vulnerability (ISO 22458: 2022).

Julie chaired the Services Working Group at ANEC (European Consumer Voice in Standards) for six years. As Non-Executive Consumer Director at TrustMark, she created and chaired its Consumer Protection Council.

Area of particular interest on the panel

Larna is interested in ensuring that technological advances such as AI are properly regulated to ensure that customers are treated fairly in automated processes. She is keen to ensure that credit scoring methodologies are fair to all irrespective of background and that financial systems are developed with robust fraud protection built in to keep customers safe. If customers do not feel assured they will stop using financial products and if they have no confidence then this can destabilise economies. She therefore sees consumer protection as a vital cog in the wheel for maintaining a stable economy where all can benefit.

Role outside the panel

Outside the panel, Larna operates an independent consultancy helping organisations to develop customer and service-user led strategies using an emotionally intelligent and agile framework which succeeds in the ‘new normal’. Larna has developed two apps - one in the savings arena and the other helps with solar power and fuel cost savings. She is also a director of a CIC seeking to improve health, economic empowerment and promote positive self-images at the grass roots level. Larna also mentors young people with stretching personal and business goals. From March 2022 she will be a trustee of Ad Infinitum - a multi award winning theatre company.

Positions held in the past

Larna has served on the board of the Consumer Council for Water London representing customers in the Thames Water region, as a school Governor at Bullers Wood School and is a former committee member of the Bristol Community Growth & Support Association and the London School of Economics Business Alumni Network. She set up the Insight & Research function for the Financial Ombudsman Service and spent three years as Head of Research for Mortgage Brain Ltd.

Area of particular interest on the panel

Julia is interested in the effectiveness and the unintended consequences of regulation and supervision. She is the Panel’s lead on pension dashboards and issues relating to later life consumers (pensions, equity release). She is also a member of the FCA’s working group on the Advice & Guidance Boundary Review.

Role outside the panel

Julia is Deputy Director for the Centre of Political Economy, Governance, Risk & Accountability at the University of Greenwich. Her research interests include strategic risk, stewardship, governance, and organisational effectiveness. She is an Independent Member on the Audit & Risk Committee of the UK Statistics Authority (Office for National Statistics and Office for Statistics Regulation) and a member of the ABI’s Consumer Advisory Group

Positions held in the past

Prior to obtaining her doctorate from the University of Melbourne, Julia enjoyed a career in financial services, initially as an equity analyst and then in the retail sector with American Express.

She has held the following posts: Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director, Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust; Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Accounting Research; member of the Research Advisory Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW); member, Audit Committee at Origin Housing Association.

Area of particular interest on the panel

With a background in payments and communications Natasha is able to to make an effective contribution to the work of the Panel. She hopes to help shape a regulatory environment that encourages technological innovation while maintaining the highest standards of transparency and consumer protection.

Role outside the panel

Natasha is a member of the PSR Panel and sits on the Bank of England and HM Treasury’s CBDC Engagement Forum. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at Warwick Business School and the Gillmore Centre for Financial Technology and is also a Board Member and Trustee of Tenovus Cancer Care. Natasha is the founding director of EdNerat, a small business.

Positions held in the past

Natasha was previously Head of Corporate Affairs at SWIFT, the global provider of secure financial messaging services, leading SWIFT’s global communications, government affairs, public policy and

regulatory functions from 2012-2019. She joined Swift from LCH.Clearnet, the UK-based clearing house, where she served as Head of Public Affairs.

Natasha previously worked as a journalist for 10 years, specialising in financial regulation, market structures and complex financial instruments. Prior to that she worked in the Derivatives, Repo, Government Bond and Swap markets in Madrid and London.

Natasha is a former Board Member of the Information Technology Industry Council and member of the European Commission’s Payment Systems Markets Expert Group. She also served two terms on the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) Post Trade Standing Committee

Area of particular interest on the panel

Jonathan is particularly interested in how consumers prepare for the medium to long term, especially with regard to savings and investments and how they use the information provided through marketing, technology and people to make decisions. Most of us find the range of offers out there daunting and it is vital that things are made as clear and accessible as possible.

Role outside the panel

Jonathan is a Non-Executive Director of SVM Asset Management and a Trustee and Member of Court at St Andrews University.

Positions held in the past

Jonathan has worked in financial services for over 25 years with a background of client-facing, executive roles across banking, insurance and the investment industry. In recent years, at both Standard Life plc and Fidelity International, he has focused on ‘FinTech’ (the use of technology to enable financial services) from the perspective of the client - especially how technology can bridge the gap between consumers and financial organisations; simplifying how information is accessed and presented, enabling consumers to understand products and services easily, make better decisions and achieve greater outcomes.

Area of particular interest on the panel

Angela has a strong interest in how SMEs and consumers interact with technology in financial services. She has experience of representing the perspectives of consumers and SMEs, along with knowledge and experience in several key areas of financial services. With expertise in investments, data and technology, Angela serves as the Panel lead for asset management and investments, SMEs and Fintech.  She is driven by the belief that consumers deserve to be treated with integrity, respect, and fairness in all their financial interactions.

 
Role outside the panel

 
Angela is the Chair of Digital Boost Upskilling Ltd Board, an AI powered technology platform driving growth for small businesses through upskilling and mentoring.  As an independent advisor with a focus on sustainability, data, technology, and AI, Angela has, for the past few years, developed a portfolio career advising multilaterals, financial services and technology driven companies on growth strategies, customer -centric product design, sustainability and the ethical deployment of emerging tech such as AI and quantum computing. Angela also serves as an independent expert advisor to the European Commission’s European Innovation Council, €10 billion flagship programme for developing and scaling Europe’s deep tech ecosystem. She has previously completed a consultancy engagement for the potentially launch of a new company to provide a standardised approach to the ESG assessment of private and AIM listed companies. Angela’s other roles include Global Policy Expert for the United Nations Development Programme; Member of the Board of Trustees of the Learning Fund; Local Authority Governor of the St Michael’s CofE Highgate School, Member of Founders4Schools Charity, and Founding Member of Chief and Chapter Zero Director Forum in the UK. 

Positions held in the past

 
Angela has spent most of her career in the financial services sector, including credit rating agencies (Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings) and asset management groups (BNP Paribas and Schroders) with experience in pensions, consumer investments, debt, data technology and AI.

Areas of particular interest on the panel

Katherine has a blend of deep understanding of the regulatory landscape, senior level experience, broad knowledge of financial services and a strong consumer focus and has a particular interest in supporting vulnerable consumers in difficult financial circumstances 

Role outside the panel 

Katherine has been a Trustee and Chair of the Board of Island Advice Centre since 2013, an FCA registered, not-for-profit organisation which provides benefits, housing, and debt advice to consumers in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. 

Katherine also provides independent consulting services on governance topics to small business start-ups.

Positions held in the past 

Katherine, a qualified accountant, has a broad background in financial services, most recently at Société Générale, where she held several senior roles including Managing Director responsible for UK regulatory affairs and ExCo member for UK Compliance, and prior to that, as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for SG Securities Services Ltd - which focussed on technology application to wealth management firms to facilitate online retail consumer investments. Katherine was also a Trustee of the company's defined contribution pension scheme.

Areas of particular interest on the panel

Caroline is interested in working with the panel to ensure that all consumers have equitable access to good financial products and services that they understand and that help them manage their financial lives and improve their financial wellbeing. Caroline is a strong advocate for evidence based decision making and improving outcomes for people.

Positions held in the past 

Caroline started her career in financial services at a high street branch of the Halifax, then a mutual building society offering a full suite of services to consumers. More recently Caroline was Chief Executive of the Institute of Money Advisers whose members deliver debt advice services across the UK. Her last role before joining the panel was CEO of the Money and Pensions Service where she worked with her team across a wide range of Money, Debt, and Pensions services free to consumers.

Areas of particular interest on the panel

Bailey Kursar focuses on Open Banking innovation, digital services and the treatment of vulnerable consumers. With extensive experience in fintech and financial services, Bailey contributes valuable insights on leveraging technology to enhance consumer outcomes and access to financial products. She is committed to ensuring that financial technology innovations benefit all consumers, including those in vulnerable situations.

Role outside the Panel

Bailey is an independent consultant and coach, specialising in fintech, financial inclusion, and product strategy. She has collaborated with clients such as Impact on Urban Health, Money Advice Trust, and Fair By Design to drive innovation and improve financial outcomes for consumers. Bailey also participates in policy discussions and consumer advocacy through her involvement with the Financial Inclusion Commission.

Positions held in the past 

Bailey founded and led Toucan, a fintech-for-good startup that used Open Banking to support individuals living with cognitive impairments to manage their finances with the help of a caregiver. This initiative was backed by Nationwide’s Open Banking for Good programme and the Techstars Barclays accelerator. Additionally, she has held leadership roles at several fintech companies, including marketing positions at Monzo and Kriya. Her contributions to the field are further highlighted by her authorship of a guide to inclusive design, published by the Money Advice Trust and Fair By Design in 2021.

Areas of particular interest on the panel

Chris' main area of interest is consumer protection and redress, especially measures that improve consumer protection or facilitate access to effective consumer redress by reflecting how consumers actually behave in practice. In addition, Chris is keen to ensure consumers have the information they need, at the right time and in the right format in order to help consumers make informed decisions when purchasing financial products and services.

Positions held in the past 

Chris is a qualified lawyer, and was most recently Legal and Legal Policy Director at the Competition & Markets Authority, with a particular focus on consumer protection, consumer enforcement and the CMA's market studies and market investigations. Prior to joining the CMA, Chris held various legal roles at Which? where his principal responsibility was delivering all the legal advice necessary to support the organisation’s wide-ranging consumer policy, campaigning and enforcement work. Chris started his career as a competition lawyer at the city law firm, Linklaters