PFS appoints Piers White MBE as independent chair along with other appointments – Intermediary

The board of the Personal Finance Society (PFS) has appointed Piers White MBE as its first independent chair. The position was created by the organization following an internal management review that was completed last year.

White will be joined by two new directors on the PFS board – Debbie Mitchell DipPFS and Mike Crane ACII – while Christine Elliott, who has served as interim board chair since December 2023, will leave.

White will be hired for an initial three-year term, and Mitchell and Crane will be hired for one-year terms, all effective June 1, 2024.

Anthony Ward, chairman of PFS, said: “I am delighted to welcome Piers as our new chairman, alongside the appointments of new directors, Debbie and Mike.

“Their combined experience in and beyond financial services further strengthens the expertise we have made available to our members over the past year.

“The appointment of an independent chair, carried out through a competitive and rigorous selection process, was one of the key recommendations arising from our governance review.

“We all look forward to working with Piers to enhance the benefits our members can derive from being part of our Society and pursuing our mission.

“At the same time, we would like to thank Christine, who has performed an excellent role as interim president, using her significant experience to ensure stability and make significant progress, especially in governance. We wish her all the best for the future.”

Dr Helen Phillips, Chair of the CII Group, said: “The CII Group Board warmly welcomes all new directors to the PFS Board, each of whom brings a wide range of skills and leadership qualities that we know will benefit members, those seeking professional advice, and the public more generally.

“I would also like to add my personal thanks and those of the CII Group Management to Christine for her dedicated and professional service.

“We are very grateful to her for everything she has done over the last year, including the way she has encouraged good governance, which I know Piers and his colleagues will build on as we move forward.”

White said: “I am honored to serve PFS members as their organization’s first independent chair.

“I believe that my significant experience running financial services businesses, combined with 20 years of experience in a variety of chair and non-executive roles across a range of sectors, complements the skills and knowledge brought by my fellow board members.

“It is clear to me that the PFS Board has made tremendous progress over the past year and I would like to add my personal thanks to Christine for her leadership and wise counsel in recent weeks.

“I look forward to talking and collaborating with members and colleagues to understand how we can together shape the next chapter in our organization’s future, deliver increasing value and benefit, and support our public purpose.”