Melissa Collett to leave the CII

Ms Collett was appointed as the CII’s first Professional Standards Director in 2017 and has since established the strong foundations on which the organisation’s new strategic ambitions for the profession will be built. Publication of the Institute’s new Strategic Plan has provided Ms Collett with an opportunity to consider her own future, and she has decided that now is the right moment to further develop her many interests and activities beyond the CII, while remaining a strong proponent for professionalism within the insurance and financial planning professions. 

Ms Collett said: “I am proud of the impact I have made with the CII team for our members and the broader market and I will be continuing on my journey of promoting and protecting professional standards across a wider set of organisations in the future.”

Alan Vallance, CII Group CEO, said: “During her time with the CII, Melissa has not only brought professional standards to the fore but has been a central contributor to our future strategy. She has built a high performing team and I am grateful for the support she has provided to our members over many years and me over the past nine months. We wish her well for the future.”

Ms Collett’s legacy includes overseeing a review of Corporate Chartered Status, the introduction of a new Chartered title for underwriting agents, and the development of the Institute’s ethical Companion Guides for a changing market.

The organisation has worked with Ms Collett to ensure she is able to explore live opportunities and she will leave the organisation in late May. Her responsibilities will be shared by other colleagues in the short term, with longer-term plans currently in development.