UK’s IoD launches finance and fintech group

The IoD’s finance and fintech group, led by chair Yvonne de Ville, will serve “as a centre of excellence for leaders and entrepreneurs who share this common interest

The Institute of Directors (IoD), the UK professional organisation for company directors, senior business leaders and entrepreneurs, has launched a finance and fintech special interest group. 

The IoD’s finance and fintech group, led by chair Yvonne de Ville, will serve, in the words of the institute, “as a centre of excellence for leaders and entrepreneurs who share this common interest”. 

Likeminded IoD members will be able to share knowledge, learning, opportunities and new ideas, and use the group as a platform and voice to influence the institute’s own policy teams, as well as opinion leaders across fintech and financial services. 

Speaking at the group’s launch event in London, John McLean, the IoD’s chair, said: “UK fintech is world class. It is the leader in Europe and internationally in driving positive change throughout the financial sector.” 

“In a time when global UK is starting to find its feet, I believe that the IoD’s fintech group can contribute to our country. Today I am pleased to add that we have a new special interest group that will help directors represent the fintech sector.” 

Yvonne de Ville added: “Often the headlines about fintech successes focus on London-based firms. However, fintech as a sector is growing across the United Kingdom. From Belfast to Durham, Edinburgh to Cardiff, and from Bristol to Birmingham, there is a significant amount of fintech activity. Therefore, its only logical to have the IoD finance and fintech group as a centre of excellence for leaders and entrepreneurs who share this common interest and passion.” 

The IoD has brought together a range of experts to lead the new finance and fintech group. 

Its chair, Yvonne de Ville, is a business change expert. She has managed significant business transformations programmes at the likes of HSBC, BP and Unilever. She is also the author of a guide to utilising change management tools. 

The rest of the leadership team includes Russell Saunders, who worked at Lloyds for more than 40 years; Tim Howarth, chief executive officer at a digital technology consultancy firm; and Andrew Samu, editor at Disruption Banking. 

Image source: IoD

Josh Poyser Josh Poyser is an editor at FinTech Intel. He has written about fintech for several years and appeared at FinTech Connect 2023 on the 'Unlocking Success: The Art of Fintech PR' panel.