Personal finance society appoints interim CEO

Mr MacIntyre will provide executive leadership as the professional body evolves its working practices and governance to further its members’ interests and the positive reputation of personal finance and financial planning profession. MacIntyre joins the PFS following recent success leading the UK Cyber Security Council, a self-regulating body for the UK’s cyber security profession.

Commenting on the appointment, Sarah Lord, President of the Personal Finance Society, said: “The Board is delighted that Don will bring his varied expertise and extensive experience to this important role. Not only will he represent and advocate for PFS members’ interests, he will also work closely with the Board to preserve PFS assets and enhance our governance.”

Mr MacIntyre said of his new role: “The PFS is a professional body that continues to grow and evolve, to support members’ ability and professionalism in providing financial advice and planning services to clients. Maintaining public confidence and a laser focus on members’ interests and the means by which the PFS can meet their needs, efficiently, effectively, and consistently will be a significant part of my work in the coming months. The financial planning profession has an important role to play in an increasingly challenging economy and I look forward to helping further its ability to do so.”

MacIntyre will have a number of priority programmes for the remainder of 2022, including to:

• Promote the PFS strategic plan and deliver a successful Annual General Meeting in September 2022.
• Enable the PFS to deliver a world-class show-case event in November 2022, the Festival of Financial Planning.
• Support the Board to ensure that the PFS continues to meet its purpose and, through the CII, is able to provide members with their Statements of Professional Standing, contemporary training and valuable Chartered status.

MacIntyre will also work with the Board and an executive search consultancy to secure a permanent CEO and undertake a smooth transition in leadership early in 2023.

Jonathan Clark, outgoing interim CEO of the Chartered insurance Institute (CII), said: “One of the key findings from our Shaping the future together consultation was that members wanted continued collaboration between the CII and Personal Finance Society (PFS) Boards and a new PFS leader within the Group. This was both welcomed and supported by the CII Board, so I am delighted the PFS Board have recruited Don MacIntyre as interim PFS CEO.

“We look forward to closer collective engagement, so we have a united understanding of the challenges the professions face. We can then deal with those challenges in a simple clear way; a way that – without compromise – always has our membership at heart.

"The PFS is an absolutely critical part of what we do – its 39,000-strong membership is highly valued and is a great voice for advice, especially at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is impacting even the most resilient among us.”