Innovate Finance appoints three new non-executive directors

Source: Innovate Finance

Innovate Finance, the industry body representing the UK FinTech sector, has kicked off 2022 with a further strengthening of its Board, including the appointment of three new non-executive directors. This follows on from the permanent appointment of CEO Janine Hirt, who took on the role of Interim CEO in May 2021 and was appointed as CEO in autumn 2021.

Parveen Kaur, Adam French, and Simon Lewis OBE have been appointed as new non-executive directors of Innovate Finance.

Parveen Kaur is the Head of Operations at Lloyds. With over 23 years of experience across global organisations, including more than a decade at both RBS and ABN Amro, Parveen has outstanding expertise in pivoting diverse teams to transform the business and culture of an organisation. Parveen is also a Global Scot.

Adam French is a Partner at VC firm Houghton Street Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in London School of Economics entrepreneurs. He was the Co-Founder of Scalable Capital, a leading FinTech operating in the online brokerage and wealth management space now valued at $1.4 billion, and was instrumental in the organisation’s successful growth. Previously he worked as an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs within the capital markets division.

Simon Lewis OBE is the Vice Chairman of FTI Consulting’s EMEA region and Global Head of Financial Services in Strategic Communications. Previously, he was the founding CEO of the trade group the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME), a position he held for over 9 years. Prior to this, Simon was Director of Communications and the UK Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman at 10 Downing Street and in 1998 was appointed as the first Communications Secretary to The Queen.

The three appointments bring an impressive depth and breadth of expertise to the already strong Innovate Finance board, enhancing the organisation’s ability to represent, support, and advocate for its members and the wider FinTech industry. They will join current IF non-executive directors Yvonne Bajela, Iain Anderson and Danny Lopez, and non-executive Chair Louise Smith.

In other changes to the IF board personnel, Sue Hunter is stepping down from her role as a non-executive director after four years. Innovate Finance would like to thank Sue for her counsel over the past four years and her significant contributions to the success of the organisation.

Louise Smith, Chair of Innovate Finance, commented: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these three new non-executive directors. I know their passion for financial innovation, their impressive backgrounds, and their distinct perspectives will help to ensure Innovate Finance continues to best serve our members and the wider FinTech ecosystem. The Board is very excited to support Janine and her team in working with members to create a more inclusive and effective financial services sector that works for all, and maintain the UK’s global leadership position in FinTech. I am also very grateful to Sue Hunter for her incredible dedication and commitment to Innovate Finance over the past four years.”

Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, commented: “I am thrilled that Parveen, Simon and Adam will be joining our already impressive Innovate Finance board. All three bring incredible experience, insight and unique skill sets that will aid IF’s mission in serving as the trusted voice of UK FinTech and financial innovation, and in ensuring the UK remains the best place in the world to start, scale and grow a FinTech. I very much look forward to working with them. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Sue Hunter for her phenomenal contributions to the success of IF over the past four years. Her expertise, guidance and support have been invaluable to me and the entire IF team.”