Meet the Team

I’m an investigative journalist with 10 years working in the media and - sometimes - in education; I write widely for locals, nationals and online publishers, and have stories in the Sunday Times, Times, Byline Times, Mirror, Computer Weekly and DeSmog. Subjects I’ve researched span governmental transparency, social justice, environmental sustainability, crime, climate risk, the impact of disinformation and organised crime. I adhere to the NUJ Code in all my work, including protecting the identity of confidential sources: https://www.nuj.org.uk/about/nuj-code/ In recent years observing complex cases in the High Court, I noted the kafkaesque impact of abuse of process by acknowledged ‘bad actors’ (lawyers who were later struck off, con-artists, and the like), against a backdrop of heavy justice sector cuts. The hardship this imposed on their - relatively powerless - victims was a stark reality that was drawn to my passing attention and kept repeating itself. I could not help but observe the extremely heavy toll on victims of white collar crime within that system. That interest drew me to Transparency Task Force’s engaging symposia, impressed by their anti-scam work. When Andy Agathangelou then asked me if I would like to do some investigations with TTF I said yes. I serve here as Head of Media Outreach and Investigative Journalism - voluntarily. It is a delight to collaborate with a group of public-spirited people advocating for consumers’ interests. If you have a tip or untold ‘story’ that TTF should research, on transparency, hidden truths, financial stability and improving financial services for consumers, please do feel free to reach out to me.

Andrew has worked in creative and strategic roles across the design, branding and marketing sectors for over 25 years. He is also the creative director of a cooperative art, craft and design gallery. In keeping with many of Transparency Task Force’s aims and objectives, Andrew has become a campaigner for UK Banking and Regulatory reform following the catastrophic damage unfairly inflicted on his design business and personal life over the past decade as a result of the admitted “mis-selling” of an Interest Rate Hedging Product (IRHP) with undisclosed / hidden margin credit facilities and risks by his business bank HSBC in 2008. Since 2009 Andrew has been battling for justice, fair treatment and restitution for himself and fellow IRHP victims by bringing his evidence and legitimate complaints to the highest levels of HSBC UK Bank plc, including under whistleblower governance and the auspices of the bank's current CEO Ian Stuart. Unfortunately as a result of the bank’s historic and continuing negligence and egregious misconduct, Andrew has also had the distinct displeasure to have been unfairly forced to engage in the further damaging and time consuming process of bringing his legitimate complaints these past 10 years to: the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and its Independent Assessor; the Financial Services Authority (FSA) / Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Supervision & Enforcement Teams; the critically flawed FCA IRHP Review Scheme; the former FCA CEO Andrew Bailey and the former FCA Complaints Commissioner Anthony Townsend. “The unprofessional, negligent, dishonest and disruptive behaviour of staff with whom I’ve been forced to engage at every level within these organisations has been a truly shocking and traumatic experience, and sadly one I share with hundreds of thousands of UK SMEs and citizens. Our collective experience is a damning indictment of the cancerous culture endemic across UK Finance and also of the obvious contempt with which UK banks and regulators and the establishment treat small and medium-sized business owners. Especially those seeking full and proper restitution for proven mis-selling by the UK Financial & Banking sector. The damage this causes to the wider UK economy is truly staggering. It cannot be allowed to continue and needs to be urgently addressed and properly resolved.”

Andrew is an independent and expert analyst, commentator and writer on the financial industry. He works on a wide range of research-related projects, helping clients to understand and communicate the impact of economics, technology, demographics, behaviour and regulation on financial firms and the sector as a whole. Andrew’s clients include world-leading companies in banking, asset management, research and consulting. He has worked for a range of national and international bodies, and been instructed as an expert witness. Andrew works mainly in the UK and Europe, but also has extensive experience in Asia and the US. He often speaks at industry events and is always ready to give his opinion! With quixotic timing, Andrew founded Insight Financial Research in early 2008 and has been busy ever since. That followed a dozen years in professional services, first as a forensic accountant at Arthur Andersen and then in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Valuation & Strategy practice. Andrew is a strong believer in the social value of finance, but – like many – feels that the industry has largely forgotten its purpose. He is a member of the TTF’s Financial Stability Team, contributed to the Team’s 2018 white paper on avoiding future crises, and was an expert participant in the RSA’s Citizens Economic Council project.

I am delighted to be part of the Transparency Task Force team on a voluntary basis, as an event photographer, helping to create records of the TTF symposia so that people who were unable to attend can get the feel for what was said and who was present. I am a performance coach, visual artist and photographer, composer, musician, singer, writer, active environmentalist and ocean preservation speaker. I am also Founder and Director of the Antara Project which focuses on creativity, ecology, communication and education. https://www.antara-project.com I am an Ambassador of the Transparency Task Force and my interest in the Transparency Task Force stems from my belief that the finance sector as the backbone of our economy and our society has a great responsibility in incorporating into its activity the essential idea of caring for the life and protection of our planet. This means also emphasising information, transparent communication and education.

Bobby is UK Pensions Consulting Market Director at Capita Employee Solution. He combines the role of: a) Senior Investment Consultant who who has over twenty years of experience in advising both the Trustees and Employers of Occupational Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Schemes. b) Responsible for ensuring Capita Pensions thought leadership is delivered to the market and clients. He joined Capita in 2013 and led the growth of the Investment Consulting Team before moving into a wider role. Bobby is a qualified Actuary and is a past Chair of the Association of Consulting Actuaries Investment Sub-Committee and has also served on the Finance and Investment Board of the Institute of Actuaries. As and Actuary and FCA regulated individual Bobby has been subject to Professional CPD requirements since 1995. He has, since early 2000’s also been a supervisor on various Professional Standard Schemes, within which role he has monitored and assessed the CPD requirements and achievements of other consultants. He has also assisted his employers with the design of their Professional Standard schemes, all of which have had various CPD requirements and rules. Bobby is a past winner of the Mallowstreet Most Influential Investment Advisor award and has also twice won the industry battle of the bands, as a Bass player. He is also a regular speaker on Investment issues at various conferences and has participated as a judge for a number of industry awards. Bobby is also an Ambassador and Fellow of the Transparency Task Force. Outside of work, Bobby is a County Pool Player and keen runner and also managed the Bedfordshire Youth Pool team to a record 5 consecutive region victories.

Brenda has significant experience in risk management and strategy in the financial sector, and expanded that in manufacturing and supply chain. She became involved in sustainability and now has the ISSP-SA credential and deep involvement in improving society and the planet. As a supporter of TTF and especially PISCES since 2018, she believes in the importance for all to have good governance and fair financial access in a safe and thriving world. As ESG and social value become more mainstream, Brenda will bring some of her sustainability experiences back to the financial sector to help TTF in its aims.

Chet has been recognized as a leading insurance/IT executive, providing both strategic and practical insights across all P&C lines of business. He has worked in the P&C insurance information industry 40+ years for carriers, broker/MGA/agency, vendors and industry associations on policy, billing, claims, reinsurance and reporting/BI solutions. Chet’s roles have included CIO for Interstate Insurance, Senior Director – Research & Development for ACORD, Vice President of software sales and co-founder of a global insurance proof-of-insurance solution. His experience spans the globe both in insurance and technology.

CHRIS TOBE, CFA, CAIA works mostly out of his home office in Anchorage as a pension investment consultant, expert witness, and author. His most recent book is “Kentucky Fried Pensions” and recently filmed with PBS Frontline on a Kentucky pension piece airing in October 2018. He is now working as a Chief Investment Officer with a Public Pension consulting firm out of New Orleans the Hackett-Group, where he has provided project consulting to a number of public pensions in MD, NC and TX.

Darren McShane, Policy Consultant, Board Member FPSB Darren McShane is an experienced regulator and policy maker across a wide spectrum of financial services. Darren holds several non-executive roles including being a Board Member of the Financial Planning Standards Board. Darren provides advice on regulatory and policy matters to regulatory bodies, multilateral agencies, industry bodies and private firms. He is a regular contributor to conferences and seminars focused on improving outcomes for consumers of financial services. Until March 2017, he was the Chief Regulation & Policy Officer and Executive Director of the Hong Kong pension regulator, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA). He was an Executive Director of the MPFA for a period of 15 years and guided the Hong Kong pension system through a series of major reforms. He was also, until he finished his role with the MPFA in March 2017, the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS). In that role he had responsibility for steering the work of IOPS in setting global standards and good practices for the regulation and supervision of private pension funds around the world. Prior to his time at the MPFA, he held a number of senior roles with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and its predecessor bodies and he also worked for a period with the fund management regulator in the United Kingdom (IMRO).

David is Co-Author of ‘The Purpose of Finance’, ‘What they do with your Money’ and several other books. He Co-Chaired the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, and led the Royal Society of Arts Tomorrow’s Investor Project. David is the Treasurer of Oxfam, a Board-member at NESTA and is recognised globally as a leading thinker and practitioner in the field of responsible investment and business practice. David is a winner of the Transparency Trophy and his ground-breaking work on ‘Purpose’ was the initial inspiration behind the creation of Team PISCES. David is a frequent speaker at TTF events.

Currently working on an idea to help democratise wealth, transparency is an essential component for creating a more equitable society. My background in financial services goes back to 1987 with a significant part of it in marketing and communications, becoming a prominent speaker and commentator on all things money and the economy. I have had the honour to work with leading broadcasters including: David Dimbleby, Dermot Murnaghan, Andrew Marr, Evan Davis, John Humphries and Dame Jenni Murray. Programmes include: BBC Budget Special, BBC News, ITN News, Channel 4 News, SKY News, Newsnight, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, Radio 4 Today Programme, Moneybox, Radio 5, Radio 2 and Women's Hour. I was also an original member of Sky News' Money Panel. Other work includes: being on the judging panel of numerous investment and pension fund awards, acting as an expert witness for Which magazine, and being consulted by Government on pensions policy and the issues affecting women. Delighted to be part of the Transparency Task Force team.

My name is Eric Lytra, I am married with two children and four granddaughters. I am retired but my qualification as a Mechanical and Production Engineer provided me with fantastic work opportunities that took me around the world. I have been a Project Engineer, Design Manager, Product Reliability Manager and Quality Director. This last roll saw me spending time in China setting up production facilities and developing long term friendships. My hobbies include Diy, carpentry, model railways and occasional clock repairs. Voluntary work has included being a Parent Governor, Editor of the Neighbourhood Watch Monthly Bulletin and Publication Officer for the Parent Teachers Association of my local school. I am now looking forward to helping out the TTF in anyway I can, having been a victim of a Ponzi type scam myself.

"Gareth is the founder and director of Iridescent Ideas (a social enterprise business advice firm) and has been a champion of the social enterprise movement in Plymouth and the South West of the UK. He was the elected chair of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network for seven years 2013-2020 and chairs Plymouth’s Inclusive Growth Group. Gareth led Plymouth’s successful bid to become the first ‘Social Enterprise City’ in the UK and has a history of working successfully with a range of social enterprises from tiny start-ups to national organizations on issues such as governance, social investment and social impact. Gareth was the Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Plymouth University from 2016 to 2018 and lectured frequently on social enterprise. He writes regularly for national and local newspapers and media about social enterprise related themes."

Gareth is a pensions technical consultant with Aries Insight. His job is helping pension professionals make sense of ever-changing pensions law and regulation. He has worked in the pensions industry (with a couple of breaks) since 2002. For the last few years he has also volunteered with the Pension Ombudsman’s early-resolution service, using that experience to mediate in disputes pension providers and their members. The Financial Services sector was not the most obvious career choice after studying Film at university, so Gareth is delighted that TTF’s Film Club gives him the opportunity to marry the two disciplines. He originally learned of the TTF though from its laudable efforts to tackle the greatest blight on his industry: pension scams.

Gavin explores the impact of data and the web on business, society and culture. Amongst many other things he is involved with important, pioneering work that is highly relevant to the mitigation of climate change risk; highly relevant to the topic of financial stability. Gavin has co-created over a dozen data-driven organisations to bring multidisciplinary leadership to the digital age. These have addressed data infrastructure, policy, science, communications, innovation and skills across fintech, climate change, supply-chain management, modern slavery, the circular economy, digital media, telecoms, machine learning, blockchain and the internet of things. He co-chaired the development of the Open Banking Standard and was founding CEO of the Open Data Institute. He is currently convening federated partnership programmes to help address the Sustainable Development Goals; is Advisory Board Chairman at blockchain company, Provenance.org; Non-exec at circular-economy IoT company, CupClub; Trustee at environmental charity, Blue Ventures; Chairman at Rinse Media Group; strategic advisor to governments, for-profit and non-profit companies who create global impact with data. Some detail: Gavin was the Open Data Institute’s founding CEO, working with Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Under his leadership, it unlocked over $100M of direct economic impact, incubated over 50 companies, launched franchises across 20 countries, trained 6,000 people, recruited a world-class board and team, and grew its turnover to $7M/y in under three years. In 2015, at the request of HM Treasury, he co-chaired the development of the Open Banking Standard, laying the foundations for regulation and catalysing international innovation. He served on the Data, Science and Evidence advisory board of the Ministry of Justice and the Smart London Board reporting to the Mayor’s office. He has been creating businesses for over 20 years, leading projects with organisations such as Arup, Cap Gemini and the World Bank. He has been recognised as one of the most influential people in data: winning awards for his innovation and expertise, and providing Parliamentary Select Committee evidence. He is a regular international speaker on the topic of the web of data and its impact on society. His previous ventures include: organising the world’s environmental data and standards into an open web-service, AMEE, raising over $10M from leading VCs (sold 2015); chairing development of the first Gold Standard Carbon Offset; building the world’s leading digital music distributor, CI, the first company to deliver digital products to iTunes, and sent Amazon 25% of its download store at launch; creating award-winning streaming media company, Tornado in 1999 (sold 2003); joining Branson’s Virgin Net as employee #5 in 1995 to deliver Virgin Net (now Virgin Media). At Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory, Gavin helped develop systems designed to map and interpret the Universe. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, created courses and lectured in Engineering and Music at Glasgow University, and has degrees in both Astronomy and in Electronic Music (on which he has published research & released ab album) He converted a century-old ship to live aboard and built a cooperative historic harbour on the Thames to put it on.

George Mellman is a veteran finance consultant with decades of senior-level, client-facing work for institutional money managers, fiduciary oversight committees, C-suite executives, and third-party advisory firms. He is a skilled analyst in all major asset classes, with special expertise in “best practices” for DB and DC retirement plans. For over fifteen years, George was a Vice President and Senior Consultant at Fidelity’s Investment, where he was responsible for maintaining ongoing investments relationships with many of its largest corporate and non-profit clients. Previously, he had been Director of Consultant Relations at a Connecticut-based asset management firm and a pension consultant for multi-employer and public-sector clients. For his institutional clients, George has evaluated investment portfolios, made buy-sell and asset allocation recommendations, and assisted with their other fiduciary oversight decisions. For these clients, this has led to improved portfolio risk-return metrics, measurable cost savings, and greater overall alignment with stated investment goals. Additionally, for many years George was an MBA and undergraduate level Finance Instructor at both Northeastern University in Boston and Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. He also has been engaged in litigation analysis support activities and various start-up organizations. Published research includes “401(k) Lawsuits: What Are the Causes and Consequences?” (https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IB_18-8.pdf) George has been an active volunteer with the CFA Institute, where he has served on Technology, Education, and Committees Governance committees. Earned professional designations include: Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”), Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (“CIPM”), Financial Risk Manager (”FRM”), and Certified Financial Planner (“CFP”). He holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University and an MBA from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Dubbed “the leading [U.S.] national watchdog of state and local economic development subsidies,” and “an encyclopedia of information regarding subsidies,” Greg founded and directs Good Jobs First, a research and policy center promoting accountability in economic development. His two books include The Great American Jobs Scam, which Publishers Weekly called ““…a parade of damning case studies showing why communities should not woo corporations with subsidies.” GJF is home to Subsidy Tracker, Tax Break Tracker and Violation Tracker. Violation Tracker captures 20 years of federal and state regulatory penalties; it reveals the U.S. financial services sector to be by far the nation’s most heavily-penalized corporate sector. GJF led the campaign for Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 77 on Tax Abatement Disclosures, a landmark in U.S. municipal finance. It requires all states and most local governments (cities, counties and school districts) to finally disclose how much revenue they lose to corporate tax breaks. It remains the only form of tax expenditure ever codified by GASB.

Harry Chemay is an experienced finance professional focused on delivering innovative investment solutions. His experience spans a period in excess of 23 years, incorporating: Wealth management/advisory – assisting HNW individuals and SMSF trustees to take control of their own retirement outcomes; Institutional asset consulting – assisting superannuation funds (amongst others) to execute their fiduciary in respect of investment strategy; and A Co-Founder of one of Australia’s first digital advice solutions, delivering highly transparent, low-cost investment advice & asset management to cohorts previously priced out of such services. Harry commenced his career in financial services within KPMG’s private wealth division. He advised primarily within the accounting sector, with senior adviser roles at Horwath (now part of Grant Thornton) and WHK (now Crowe Horwath). After more than a decade in wealth management Harry transitioned from personal to institutional advice, joining Mercer investment consulting. He spent some 4 years at Mercer, providing advice and asset consulting services to superannuation funds, university endowments and financial planning firms. During that time he completed the Certified Investment Management Analyst programme, offered by the then Investment Management Consultants Association (now the CIMA Society of Australia). Prior to co-founding Clover, Harry consulted in the profit-to-member pension space, with a particular focus on retirement income innovation. His work resulted in an award-winning retirement income solution, one of the first in Australia created to deal with the complexities of sequencing risk. An active participant within the wealth and superannuation space, Harry is a regular contributor to investment websites in Australia and overseas, writing on a range of topics across investing, financial planning and FinTech. Harry is also a sought-after presenter, both in Australia and abroad. He has spoken at numerous conferences, facilitated Australian masterclass panels for S&P Dow Jones Indices, and in 2017 was invited to deliver a presentation on Robo-Advice at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul. Other invitees to this prestigious conference included former First Lady and Presidential Candidate Hilary Clinton, former French President Francois Hollande and former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Harry holds a Bachelor of Business (Banking & Finance) from Monash University in addition to post-graduate qualifications in finance.

Heidi Fisher is the Director at Make an Impact CIC. Heidi is a multi-award winning specialist in social enterprise and social impact. She received an MBE for Services to Innovation in Social Enterprise and to Impact Measurement in the 2020 New Year Honours. Heidi’s background is as a Chartered Accountant, having set up the UK’s first social enterprise Chartered Accountancy firm in 2008. Through Make an Impact CIC, Heidi has worked with over 2,100 social enterprises, from start-ups to those with over £1billion of income, supporting them to become more sustainable, develop their trading income and to better measure, manage and communicate their impact. Her vision is a world where all businesses are social enterprises that positively impact people and the planet.

Helen is CEO at Eris FX, an international payments firm based in Leeds promoting transparency, technical innovation, competition and good governance.

Ian passed away in February 2023. We are continuing to include him on this page so that people can read his comments – they continue to be very important. May he Rest in Peace. I normally repair & service Garden Machinery, but out of necessity, also ended up investigating fraud. when I was conned out of my life savings. This below is from my experience as one of the 11,600 victims of the FCA authorised & regulated London Capital & Finance Plc Ponzi scheme, run by a group of criminals connected to global fraud. Anyone who has been unfortunate to have been a victim of any type of fraud will know only too well the devastating effect it has on you :-

Aries Pension & Insurance Systems Ltd is the industry’s leading independent pensions technical service provider, with a mission to make sense of the morass of legislation. 33 years after co-founding Aries, Ian retired from the business on 31 May 2022. Always passionate about customer service, he had been responsible for sales and marketing as well as the content of the Aries website.

Ian has over 30 years experience in global financial services with a focus on product development and business development within the life assurance sector. This career included senior management roles within Aviva, Mercer and Zurich Insurance – and a number of board appointments for insurance companies in Ireland and Luxembourg. Ian is now focused on helping organisations that are looking to build businesses or products within the financial sector which can address real customer needs in a fair and transparent manner. Ian is a qualified actuary and holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School.

Affectionately known as JB, Jon Beckett was a well known and outspoken professional fund investor and analyst for two decades until he retired in 2018 including the world’s largest single asset mandate (£189bn) for Lloyds Banking Group where he was also co-Lead if it’s Responsible Investing framework for the Insurance division. As a Non Executive Director (NED) JB continues to be a vocal campaigner for better fund governance and value. A campaigner for professionalism and better standards in fund investing and due diligence; as Emeritus of the Association of Professional Fund Investors he previously led a global team to tackle issues arising from transparency, sustainability and technology. As Author of ‘#NewFundOrder’ and Co-Author of ‘The WealthTec Book’ and ‘Paytech Book’ JB has been a thought leader in the digitalisation and sustainability of asset management, speaking and writing globally. A dedicated educator, JB is a guest lecturer at Stirling and Herriot Watt Universities and has written textbooks up to NQ Level 7 for the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments, with which he is Chartered and a member of its disciplinary panel. He is a member of the Stirling Student Investment Managed Fund oversight committee and a NED for Royal London and SVM Limited.

John Howard joined the BBC as one of the leading voices on Radio 4. He presented documentaries, phone-ins and discussion programmes, winning several awards. He became best known as the consumer’s champion on the daily magazine programme ‘You and Yours’, which he presented for 14 years. In 1997 he was invited to join the Mortgage Code Compliance Board as an independent director. He subsequently became a member of the Financial Services Consumer Panel, which he chaired for 3 years until 2008. Between 2006 and 2008 he was a member of the Market Participants Group of CESR, the European committee of securities regulators, and he also joined the Treasury’s Retail Financial Services Group. On stepping down from the Consumer Panel, he joined the Board of the Financial Ombudsman Service and also became a Non Executive Director of the energy Regulator, Ofgem. In 2010 he was appointed as an Independent Commissioner by the Treasury for the Equitable Life Payments Commission. He served on the With Profits Committee and the Independent Governance Committee of Scottish Widows. He was a Trustee of the Thalidomide Trust. He is currently Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director of the Family Building Society and a Non Executive Director of the Banking Competition Remedies Company. He is Chief Executive of the company he founded, Consumer Insights, which provides advice on principles based regulation and fairness in the financial, energy and water sectors.

I have joined the TTF as a volunteer to help make a difference by changing the ‘behaviours’ of organisations, people and leaders in the Financial Services sector. As a professional with 30+ years’ experience, I bring expertise, understanding and thought leadership to challenging the historical ways of working, whilst embracing new innovative and sometimes disruptive, collaborative ideas. My consultancy firm, Plutus is like no other; owner-driven and owner managed. Gritty determination to really know my clients and the industry in which we operate, is the springboard from which we build long-term trusted relationships that endure. I develop commercially-astute ideas that propel tactical and strategic growth, blending cultures and changing behaviours, creating synergies and success – without a responsible and accountable infrastructure in place, this would be impossible. I am passionate about restoring trust in the banking sector with the goal of driving change for a more sustainable future; creating options for me is core to my mantra of empowering people so that they can make informed choices or inspiring debate.

Julian is Liminal’s founder and ManagingDirector, andhas been advisinginternational financial services brands on communications strategy for 15 years. His work ranges from global banks and asset managers to local startups, disruptive FinTechs, and anything in between. He focuses on devising and executing thoughtful, results-led communication programmes that help clients stand out in an often crowded space. Prior to this he ran the UK operation of CitySavvy, for several years. Julian is a fluent Dutch speaker, and in 2015 was recognised as one of Britain’s outstanding PR practitioners in PR Week’s ‘30 Under 30’ list.

Kate is a co-founder and the Chief Marketing Officer of Startup2Exit Club, a management consultancy and venture fund created by three people who met through Tech London Advocates. With over 20 years of experience in senior marketing roles at American Express, J.P. Morgan Chase, HSBC, RBS and Deutsche Bank, her product knowledge extends across asset and wealth management, investment banking, payments, FinTech and RegTech. Kate has been recognised as a tech evangelist, connecting with business partners to drive the adoption of new technologies, from e-commerce and SSL protection, to AI and machine learning. She is also an advocate of good governance, risk management and compliance, having worked on a variety of regulatory and audit remediation projects. A dual US/UK national, Kate studied strategy and innovation at Oxford and political economy at Yale and Cornell. She is a qualified Independent Non Executive Director in fund management and serves as a trustee of the Wentworth Africa Foundation and on the advisory board of RegTech Women. Her passions include diversity, mentoring, sustainability and transparency.

I am honored to be part of Transparency Task Force (TTF). I believe that the rarest and most valuable element in the world, is the person or group that will tell you the truth just because it is the right thing to do. Telling the truth without needing a reward goes along with the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who said, “What wisdom can you learn that is greater than kindness?” TTF is a beacon of hope in a world of financial predation and deception. I am proud to use my voice to support their efforts globally. When TTF wins, we all win. Larry Elford lives in Canada, and is a former investment industry insider and whistleblower, now retired. Founder and Chairman of Investor Advocates, established in 2000. Author, speaker and Youtube Channel producer of public service clips and information on fair investment rules for all. Larry published a book in 2020, titled “Farming Humans”. Farming Humans looks at some rules or social constructs that wolves simply do not follow. Larry believes that pandemics of human inequality and poverty are connected to a cunning ability to create rules which fence the public in, while letting the most rapacious financial minds run wild, and prosper by harvesting humanity. Because wolves do not follow rules…

Louise Dolan, Founding Partner, Camarco "Louise has over 25 years’ of media and communications experience specialising in pensions, investments and wealth management. She started her career working in-house for a specialist pension firm before moving into agency life. As a media relations and communications specialist Louise has developed a network of top tier media and business contacts. In addition to successfully running critically acclaimed campaigns and on-going public relations programmes, Louise is highly experienced in issues and change management having headed a number of sensitive projects for global organisations. Louise is one of the founding partners of Camarco, an employee owned communications consultancy, which protects and promotes its clients’ reputations. The consultancy helps clients communicate with all their critical stakeholders so they can meet their business and social objectives and enhance their valuations. In a world where businesses need to consider multiple stakeholders, Camarco’s multi-disciplined, holistic approach to communications helps their clients, which include companies in the FTSE100, FTSE250, multi-national, European listed and private companies, navigate the complex stakeholder issues and risks of today and of tomorrow."

I have worked in insurance for many years, on the administration of the bond schemes and teams across working sectors. In 2003 I joined Dave West and Paul Holton-Frances in the bond schemes and worked with Paul to successfully launch a bond scheme for Scotland. We have now brought two new bonds to market, guiding them through the challenges of ensuring the bonds were fit for purpose for the very different clients but also that the premiums were affordable, despite having little information to offer Insurers. I am very pleased to offer any help I can to support this important organisation.

Mark advises the Transparency Task Force leadership team on strategy matters. Having entered the world of financial services consumer advocacy in 2012 as de facto leader of the Connaught Action Group and member of the liquidators' committee of the Connaught Income Fund Series 1, Mark now works with the principals of other action groups and lobbies regulators and politicians to improve the regulatory environment. Having worked as a journalist, media company executive, strategy consultant and corporate finance advisor, Mark holds an MBA from Cranfield University School of Management (where he is now a Visiting Fellow) and sits on the Advisory Board of the MBA programme at Sussex University, where he gained his first degree. He is also the author of a business book, The Future of Private Equity - Beyond the Mega Buy-Out.

"Mark has worked in the pensions and in particular pension income (decumulation) space for many years. His passion for helping consumers to understand their pension income options and to get the very best out of their pension savings is widely known. He frequently promotes best practice through his research, speaking, presentations and articles. Mark is a Director of Retirement Line ltd, a leading pension income intermediary in the UK and is an active member of multiple pension sector groups. He has great policy and consultation experience through his various positions across the pensions sector. Mark is extremely proud to be a TTF Ambassador and believes that the TTF has the consumer in mind with everything it does"

Michael has a wealth of commercial and operational experience having worked with several UK listed companies noticeable Grand Metropolitan, Whitbread, Laurel Pub Company and P&O Ferries at operational and main board level. Michael really enjoyed corporate life both in the boardroom and at the sharp end, always happy to talk to customers and staff alike and was always visible through out his corporate business career Today, Michael puts his experience, knowledge, energy, organizational skills and enthusiasm to challenges in his client's business, helping them to assess situations and providing them with practical and realistic solutions that can be implemented with the minimum of fuss. Michael provides business advice, support and guidance in five key areas: Leadership Michael is a strong, natural leader with an open management style. Who recruits, mentors and motivates individuals creating highly effective teams and business leaders who recognizes and rewards success. Delivery Maintains a high level of focus, flexibility and enthusiasm in delivering commercial success and customer satisfaction. Financial Awareness Fully understands the importance of the fiduciary duties of company directors Influencing Understands people, culture and organizational dynamics and is an agent of change which is both well communicated and executed. Change Management Utilizes business experience to create an environment of continuously improvement to remain ahead of the competition. Michael gains the greatest buzz from seeing people, teams, boards and companies fully achieve their goals.

Noha is the Director of Fundraising & Communications at UK charity Arthritis Action. She has over 15 years' experience in marketing, communications and fundraising. She has worked across various sectors, including higher education, nonprofits and healthcare, both in the UK and internationally. She has recently been named in PRWeek UK’s Power Book 2021, which recognises the top comms professionals in the country. Noha joined TTF to advise on income generation strategies to help it become more financially sustainable. She also supports its PR activities to extend its reach and impact across the UK.

Philip is TTF's Media Scanner for The Times, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, Parliament TV, Financial Conduct Authority, Professional Pensions and Investment Week. Philip graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Industrial Economics and after an early career in advertising he forged a business in developing and managing export sales in emerging markets for global consumer goods companies. His concern about corporate governance has grown out of his chairmanship of the trustees of his family trading company’s SSAS and he came to public prominence in 2012 during the first Shareholder Spring – now a fixture on the corporate calendar. The Times described his performance at the 2012 Aviva plc AGM which criticised the Board about excessive executive remuneration in relation to business results as a “slasher fest” – the CEO resigned four days later and the Chairman departed within two months. Philip demonstrated that company AGM’s could – and should – be converted, where appropriate, into robust challenges from ordinary retail shareholders – the more so when institutional shareholders generally prefer to stay away from such meetings.

Sandy has specialised in advising young high growth companies and their investors for over twenty five years. His particular areas of interest are:- Corporate Finance: Over the years he has developed a particular interest in Corporate Finance. In 1992 he brought together the founders of Archangel Informal Investment and they have since gone on to become one of the biggest business angel syndicates in the world. Since then, he has been involved in numerous other initiatives to support the funding of high growth young companies including the formation of Seraphim Capital, the UK's first Business Angel led Enterprise Capital Fund. He has been involved in setting up five enterprise capital funds and a number of other early stage venture capital funds, some of which are based close to the famous "Silicon Roundabout". Startups and Spin-outs: He has helped to establish numerous start-ups and spin-outs, many of which have gone on to become successful award-winning companies; M&A: He has assisted many clients in pursuing successful "buy and build" and consolidation strategies, and has helped numerous clients to achieve successful exits; MBO/MBI: He has undertaken a substantial number of MBO/MBI transactions, acting both for management teams and for sellers; Corporate Governance: Advising boards and individual directors. Sandy recently retired from chairing the Converge Challenge, which is the leading pan Scotland programme for University spinouts. He is currently the Board Observer for HIE on odxinnovations.com, which is an outstanding example of a University spinout, and a Director of grassmarket.org, which is a highly-successful and award-winning charity working with people suffering from deep social exclusion. He serves on the Advisory Board of CivTech.atlassian.net, which is an inspiring public/private collaboration to solve IT issues and is also a Director of the Scottish Tech Army which was established to provide IT support to numerous public and third sector organisations. It has already made a real impact since it was established only a couple of months ago. Sandy is also on the Advisory Boards of three technology start-ups and on the Investment Committee of one Business Angel Syndicate. Sandy was delighted to receive the first ‘Local Hero’ Award at www.eie-invest.com in 2016, He was awarded an OBE for services to entrepreneurship and voluntary activities in 2017 and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2018.

I am a Chartered Accountant and operations professional with a proven experience of project managing change projects. Experience in all field of the investment process from stock broking, asset management and pensions administration.

Scott is kindly leading a very important TTF initiative, the retired professionals project is all about providing an active forum for individuals that have retired from the financial services sector, wherever they might be in the world, who want to "put something back" into the financial services sector. This project will appeal to retired individuals who have one or more hours available per month, who would like to be part of a collaborate team that is dedicated to helping the financial services sector to become more ethical. If this appeals to you or somebody you know, please get in touch. SCOTT'S BIO: Having spent many years in the financial services sector, Scott is passionate about ensuring consumers (personal and corporate) get a fair deal from their financial service providers, and are not penalised by fraudulent activity. He is also keen to ensure that issues of financial exclusion for whatever reason are addressed. Scott started life in the late 1960’s as a government statistician working in HM Treasury for 10 years, including 2½ years at the OECD in Paris. From there he moved into financial services, working in Williams & Glyns, RBS Group, Girobank (when part of Royal Mail) and Bradford & Bingley when it was still a building society. After Bradford & Bingley, Scott joined the LINK Interchange Network in 1999. He won a contract with the Post Office to enable individuals on state benefits to use their benefits card account to access cash at post office counters. This primed Scott’s fascination in financial exclusion and the treatment of customers by financial institutions generally. His work in LINK on access to cash and the wider aspects of financial services brought him in to contact with a fintech start-up company, Monitise. In the early years of this century, Monitise was one of the very first companies to commence developing mobile banking services. Early business development included working in Uganda, to bring mobile banking to the country. This was around the same time that M-PESA was starting to take off in Kenya. Latterly at Monitise, Scott took on responsibility for corporate responsibility, ethical behaviour and regulatory relationships. Semi-retirement has included work with the Open University, working with Helen Scott (a TTF Ambassador) at Eris FX to help obtain equity and transparency in the foreign exchange market, and a non-executive directorship at ALCO, a small technology company focusing on programme assurance and transit solutions. It has also provided more time for his other passion – walking. Following a catastrophic fall in the Yorkshire Dales in 2018, Scott was airlifted to the major trauma unit at Leeds General Infirmary. As a result, he is now an authorised volunteer for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance!

Sophie has been the fundraising and operations manager at the Centre for European Reform, an independent think-tank, since 2014. Since graduating she has been involved in the charity and not-for-profit sector, including the then think tank Open Europe and most predominantly for East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) in Cambridgeshire.

Stephen works as an independent consultant and advisor partnering with institutions big and small that are committed to improving the retirement outcomes of Australians. His clients range from established entities, including some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, through to emerging businesses bringing new solutions to the industry. Stephen is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia and has over 30 years’ experience in Superannuation, Wealth Management and Life Insurance. He is active on social media, a frequent contributor to publications, and a regular speaker and facilitator at industry events.

I’m a retired academic and public sector lecturer and manager with a degree in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Physics which I gained part-time. Coming from an engineering and science background and thinking about economics issues is fascinating. Unlike many TTF members I do not have professional experience in financial services. However, when combined with those who do, this may in some way be beneficial because it perhaps enables me to look at the issues from a different perspective. Part of the fun is meeting and listening to people who are involved in the TTF, and hoping to make a difference by working with others in meeting our shared objectives.

Steve has managed the Secretariat of the UN Global Compact Network UK since 2008, connecting UK companies and other organisations in a global movement dedicated to driving corporate sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals. He also Chairs UNGC’s Global Network Council and sits on the UN Global Compact Board. He was previously a Programme Director at the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) leading projects across a wide range of responsible business issue areas. Prior to joining IBLF, Steve was the founder and Managing Director of a successful retail sports equipment business in Canada. He has a B.Comm from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Business & Environment from Imperial College London.

Sue Flood has worked in the Television Industry since 2001, starting out at Television Centre and progressing through a successful TV programme-making career that included various roles such as Researcher for Top of the Pops, Celebrity Guest Liaison, Location Sourcing, Production Budget, Sales and Promotions (including through BBC Worldwide with responsibility for selling all BBC Programmes to all 130 Global TV Stations Worldwide). More recently, Sue flood has become a key figure in helping to prevent people falling victim to pension fraudsters, having become a victim herself. Sue lost here entire pension fund; along with over 500 other victims of the Ark Pension Scandal. Her response was to set up a campaign group which she has tirelessly supported ever since. She is now also involved in supporting numerous other pension scam victims and pension scam support groups. She has unique insight and experience in the pensions scam prevention and support space and her relentless campaigning has led to interaction with the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Financial Conduct Authority – watch this space. Sue is also highly supportive of the Transparency Task Force; for which she is a central figure in our Anti-Scams Special Interest Group, an Ambassador and a member of the Transparency Task Force Advisory Board.

Sue is an independent Board member and consultant. She is a Trustee Director at The People’s Pension, a leading UK multi-employer scheme. She is also a Trustee of UK national charities StepChange debt charity, the FairBanking Foundation and Surviving Economic Abuse. Until December 2018, Sue chaired the Financial Services Consumer Panel, an independent statutory body that advises the UK Financial Conduct Authority on consumer issues in financial services regulation. Sue is a member representative on the EIOPA Occupational Pensions Stakeholder Group, and was previously a member of of the European Commission’s Financial Services User Group. She is also a consultant specialising in financial education, financial inclusion and consumer protection regulation, working with international organisations such as the OECD and Alliance for Financial Inclusion. Sue was previously a senior civil servant, working in HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and Department for Education. Sue has a B.Sc degree in Mathematics and a Masters degree in Statistical Methods.

Tom is a Certified Fraud Examiner / Forensic Accountant who has, for 35 years, specialized in detecting and investigating complex accounting fraud schemes within the insurance and reinsurance industries. Tom’s career has been a wild ride…ranging from state regulatory examiner of insurance companies, to assisting the U S Attorney’s Office and FBI in an undercover capacity, to consulting and testifying as an expert. In recent years he has focused primarily on accounting sleight-of-hand and absolute absence of transparency within the for-profit life insurance industry. Tom felt compelled to reach out to the TTF to expand his reach in educating consumers and regulators in Europe and elsewhere where he has seen the U.S.-based schemes flourishing.