New members appointed to Consumer Panel
FSA/PN/086/2006
31 August 2006
The FSA has today announced the appointment of five new members to the Financial Services Consumer Panel. The appointments of Kay Blair, Stephen Crampton and Lindsey Rogerson take effect from 1 September 2006, while Michael Chapman and Jenny Hamilton will join the Panel on 1 January 2007
The new members fill existing vacancies and replace three members of the Panel who will be standing down over the next few months: Robert Skinner, who leaves in September when he becomes Chief Executive of the Banking Code Standards Board; and Harriet Hall and Paul Salvidge who leave in November and December respectively on completion of six years' service.
FSA Chairman, Callum McCarthy said:
"I am delighted that Kay, Stephen and Lindsey are joining the Panel and look forward to welcoming Michael and Jenny in January. They and the existing members will ensure that the Panel continues to provide a strong, independent consumer voice to the FSA.
"I would also like to thank Robert, Harriet and Paul for their dedication and commitment to the Panel during their time as members."
Biographies
Appointments from 1 September 2006
Kay Blair has been a member of the Scottish Consumer Council since 2003, and has been a non-executive director of the Scottish Ambulance Service and Scottish Legal Aid Board. Since 1982, Ms Blair has owned and managed her own management consultancy, Business Perceptions Ltd. She combines business development with journalism, and has written for a variety of publications including the Scotsman and Scottish Business Insider. Currently she focuses on internal communications for financial services companies.
Stephen Crampton is an independent EU and consumer affairs consultant with 24 years of knowledge of consumer and regulatory issues at EU and UK level. Until recently he was EU Advisor at Which? and was responsible for developing their European strategy and for policy research on EU issues. Previous to that he was director of the Consumers in Europe Group and also held various roles at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Lindsey Rogerson is a freelance financial journalist, and currently writes the weekly financial healthcheck column in Scotland on Sunday, as well as contributing to numerous other publications and websites. She was chosen as European Private Equity Journalist of the Year 2005/6. Previously she has been Personal Finance Editor of The Scotsman and editor of Private Banker International.
Appointments from 1 January 2007
Michael Chapman runs his own advisory consultancy specialising in financial capability, financial inclusion and community regeneration. Previously he has been Director of the Scarman Trust in Scotland, an associate director of the Centre for Research into Socially Inclusive Services at Heriot Watt University, Financial Inclusion Officer for the City of Edinburgh, and Research Officer at the Scottish Office.
Jenny Hamilton is a Law Professor at Strathclyde University with financial services regulation as one of her primary areas of teaching responsibility. She has published a number of books, articles and other papers on legal aspects of consumer and financial services regulation. She is a Council Member of the Shared Interest Society Ltd – a co-operative lending society that aims to reduce poverty in the world by providing fair and just financial services. She has been a member of the Scottish Consumer Council, and was Chair of their Legal Advisory Group from 2001-03.
Notes for editors
- The full membership of the Panel from 1 January 2007 will be John Howard, Adam Phillips, Caroline Gardner, Kay Blair, Stephen Crampton, Lindsey Rogerson, Tony Hetherington, Stephen Locke, Nick Lord, David Metz, Michael Chapman, Jenny Hamilton and Carol Stewart. Biographical details can be found on the Consumer Panel's website.
- The Financial Services and Markets Act requires the FSA to establish a panel of persons to represent consumers as part of the arrangements it must make for consulting consumers on its general policies and practices. The Financial Services Consumer Panel was established by the FSA in December 1998, ahead of this legislation.
- The Consumer Panel receives an annual budget and staff support from the FSA but, is independent of the FSA in its views.
- The FSA regulates the financial services industry and has four objectives under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000: maintaining market confidence; promoting public understanding of the financial system; securing the appropriate degree of protection for consumers; and fighting financial crime.
- The FSA aims to promote efficient, orderly and fair markets, help retail consumers achieve a fair deal and improve its business capability and effectiveness.