The IA Annual Conference 2025: Engine for Growth

Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets, Hargreaves Lansdown

Susannah is a broadcaster, financial commentator and former RAF Reserve officer who has anchored flagship news shows on BBC TV and radio and hosts major conferences around the world. She is currently head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

At the BBC, Susannah was the anchor for World Business Report on the BBC World Service and BBC World TV. Prior to focusing on the financial news agenda, she was a reporter for the national BBC One Breakfast programme.

Between 1997 and 2007 Susannah served in the Royal Air Force Reserves, joining 7644 Squadron, a media operations unit, where she rose to the rank of Squadron Leader.

Patrick Thomson, Chair of the IA and CEO of J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Patrick Thomson joined J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Singapore and served as Global Head of Sovereigns. With extensive experience in reserves management in Asia and the Middle East, he has worked with many of the largest asset owners in the world.

Based in London, he is Chair of the Board of the Investment Association, representing the UK’s investment management industry, and is a Member of the UK Government’s Treasury Task Force.

After graduating from Edinburgh University with an MA (Hons), Patrick served as an officer in the British Army for five years. He qualified as a member of the CFA Society of the UK in 2000.

Chris Cummings, Chief Executive, The Investment Association

Chris Cummings is the Chief Executive of The Investment Association, a post he has held since September 2016. The Investment Association is the trade body that represents UK-based investment managers.

He is a member of HM Treasury’s Asset Management Taskforce, and was a founding member of its Financial Services Trade & Investment Board. He serves on the Chancellor’s Financial Services Industry Advisory Group and Department for International Trade’s Financial Services Trade Advisory Group.

He is a Board member on EFAMA, the European trade association for investment management and is Chairman of IIFA, the international association for investment management. He is also a Chair of Just Finance Foundation.

He was previously a member of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Regulatory Decisions Committee, a Settlement Decision Maker for the Payment Services Regulator. He served on the Foreign & Commonwealth’s Diplomatic Excellence Panel.

Before joining The Investment Association he was the founding CEO of TheCityUK, held senior posts in banking, insurance and consulting with major global firms. He is a regular columnist, commentator and speaker on issues of international competitiveness and regulation in financial services.

Kate Collyer, Chief Economist and Director of Strategy, FCA

Kate Collyer is Chief Economist at Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As chief economist, she manages the FCA's economic research and analysis, jointly heads the wider Competition and Economics Division and acts as an adviser to the FCA's executive committee and board. She is Chair of the Committee on Emerging Risks of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) since 2020.

Kate has 20 years’ experience as an economist in roles spanning the public and private sectors. She has undertaken several senior roles in government, including as Chief Economist for Energy and Market Frameworks at the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and as Deputy Chief Economist at the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Richard Oldfield, Group Chief Executive Officer, Schroders

Appointed as Group Chief Executive on 8 November 2024, having joined Schroders in October 2023 as a Director and Chief Financial Officer.

He is a chartered accountant and was Network Vice Chairman and Global Markets Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) until October 2023 where he led all market-facing activities, initiatives, and strategy.

Prior to this he was a member of PwC’s UK Executive Board for five years during which he was Head of Clients and Markets and latterly Head of Strategy and Communications. He also led the UK firm's Banking and Capital Markets Assurance practice and was part of the Assurance Leadership team.

His experience includes time spent working across Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.

Sasha Wiggins, Chief Executive, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management

Sasha Wiggins is Chief Executive of Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, and she is a member of the Group Executive Committee.

Sasha joined Barclays in 2002, progressing through a number of roles in the Private Bank. In 2015 she was appointed CEO of Barclays Bank Ireland and subsequently became the Group Chief of Staff in 2018.

Sasha joined the Group Executive Committee as the Group Head of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility, accountable for the Bank’s overall sustainability agenda and Barclays engagement with governments, regulators, the media and key policymakers. She assumed her current role in February 2024.

Sasha is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment. She is also Vice Chair of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s Corporate Partnerships Board and trustee on the Board of Grief Encounter, a national charity supporting bereaved children and young people.

Baroness Gustafsson, Investment Minister

Baroness Gustafsson of Chesterton CBE was appointed Minister of State (Minister for Investment) jointly in the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury on 10 October 2024.

Prior to entering government, Baroness Gustafsson was part of the team who founded Darktrace in 2013 and brought its AI-powered cybersecurity solutions to market.

Under her leadership, Darktrace experienced significant growth and global expansion leading to the company being listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, before being sold for over £4 billion.

Baroness Gustafsson is a chartered accountant and was honoured with a CBE for services to cybersecurity in 2025. Baroness Gustafsson studied maths at the University of Sheffield and is married with 2 children.

Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive, The Pensions Regulator

Nausicaa Delfas was appointed Chief Executive of The Pensions Regulator (TPR) on 1 April 2023. Before joining TPR, Nausicaa Delfas was Executive Director, Governance, at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Until October 2022, she was Chief Executive and Chief Ombudsman of the Financial Ombudsman Service (interim), clearing its backlogs, and spearheading its strategic, operational and digital transformation.

Before that, as Executive Director of International she was responsible for the FCA’s international and Brexit strategy and delivery. She has also served as the FCA’s Chief Operating Officer, and previously held other senior roles at the FCA and FSA, including in Supervision, Enforcement, Risk and Policy, across retail and wholesale sectors. She has led innovative and complex transformational initiatives, driving changes in regulation and culture.

Before joining the FSA, Nausicaa trained and qualified as a solicitor at City law firm Freshfields in London.

Jonathan Lipkin, Director - Policy, Strategy and Innovation, The Investment Association

Jonathan is Director of Policy, Strategy and Innovation at The Investment Association (IA) and a longstanding member of the IA's Executive Committee.

Jonathan’s role focuses on helping the investment management industry to best serve its customer markets at a time of accelerating change. The PSI Division has evolved into a multi-disciplinary and diverse team that covers a wide range of policy and regulation affecting the industry, including competition, communication, financial stability and fund governance, as well as the broader shape of pensions and long-term savings markets.

It also houses a specialist Innovation and Operations Unit to assist the industry in adapting to new technologies and help shape the broader landscape. Jonathan joined the IA in 2005, becoming Director of Public Policy and a member of the IA Executive Committee in 2012. Prior to 2005, he worked for a number of years at Oxford Analytica, a geopolitical analysis and advisory firm. At OA, he led European political and economic analysis serving a wide range of corporate and government clients, both domestic and overseas.

Jonathan is a Board Member of the Cost Transparency Initiative, Chair of the EFAMA Pensions Group, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Asset Management Research at Bayes Business School. He writes and speaks regularly both in the UK and abroad on investment management and pensions issues.

Michelle Ostermann, Chief Executive Officer, Pension Protection Fund

Michelle Ostermann joined Pension Protection Fund as the Chief Executive Officer on Monday 1 April 2024. She brings over 30 years of pension investment and senior leadership experience.

She’s the chair of the global pension industry association, International Centre for Pension Management (ICPM) and is widely recognised for her outstanding global network and knowledge of pension systems. Michelle has held several other senior positions at leading firms, including the managing director of Railpen Investments in the UK and most recently senior vice president and global head of capital markets at PSP Investments in Canada.

Rachel Elwell, Chief Executive Officer, Border to Coast

Rachel joined Border to Coast as CEO in November 2017 with more than 20 years’ experience working in pensions and institutional investment (at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Royal London Mutual Insurance Society).

Rachel sits on the boards of the Investment Association (the UK asset management industry’s trade body), Opera North, where she is Vice-Chair, and the Just Finance Foundation. She is also a member of the British Infrastructure Council. Rachel is a Cambridge maths graduate and a qualified actuary.

Nike Trost, Interim Director Wholesale Buyside

Nike Trost heads the FCA’s Buyside directorate. The directorate is responsible for producing the FCA’s strategic outlook for the asset management sector, supervision of asset managers, alternative firms and custody banks, and the regulatory framework for asset management and pensions.

Nike has 20 years regulatory experience gained from working across the FCA, including in in the FCA’s listing function and various capital market related roles.

Most recently, Nike headed the Buyside Market Analysis and Policy department and in that role led initiatives such as development of the LTAF, development of Targeted Support for pensions, development of a framework for value for money in pensions, and work on tokenisation in asset management. She was previously the Vice Chair of IOSCO’s C5 committee.

Andrew Ninian, Director of Stewardship, Risk and Tax, The Investment Association

Andrew is responsible for representing The Investment Association members interests as institutional investors on stewardship and corporate governance matters. Andrew also has executive team responsibility for the IA’s Risk and Tax Unit focussing on business risks affecting member firms.

Andrew is responsible for working with members to set the IA guidelines for investee companies and has oversight of The IA's voting research service IVIS, including company consultation and engagement. Andrew also oversees the IA’s work on helping to improve member practices on stewardship and policy development on stewardship and corporate governance matters.

Andrew joined The Investment Association in June 2014, through merger of the Investment Affairs division of the ABI with the IMA. Andrew read Economics at the University of Bath. Andrew is a member of the FTSE Russell Policy Advisory Board and the Advisory Panel to the FTSE Women Leaders Review.

Martyn Beauchamp, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Martyn was confirmed as permanent CEO on 6 March 2025, following his appointment as Interim CEO in October 2023. In addition to being an Executive Director of the FSCS Board, he is also member of the FSCS nominations committee. Martyn is a highly regarded and experienced financial services Chief Executive and board director who has worked across the UK, EU, Middle East and north and southeast Asia.

He has grown, digitised, and transformed businesses for listed, private and state-owned organisations. Martyn’s experience includes 10 years at GE Capital and subsequent spells at Tesco Bank, Sainsbury’s Bank and Apax Partners. Martyn is a Former Trustee with Citizens Advice and was also previously an independent non-executive director of Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank.

Wei Li, Global Chief Investment Strategist, BlackRock
Wei Li, Managing Director, is Global Chief Investment Strategist for BlackRock. She leads the Investment Strategy team within the BlackRock Investment Institute (BII), responsible for developing thought leadership on tactical asset allocation, and delivering actionable views across asset classes. She represents BlackRock's views on markets and the investment outlook for the firm's global clients and in the media. She is a member of the Global Operating Committee and Human Capital Committee.

Karen Northey, Director of Corporate Affairs, The Investment Association

Karen leads the Corporate Affairs function at the Investment Association (IA), which includes Communications, UK Government Affairs and European and International Regulatory Affairs. Karen joined the IA from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in March 2022 where she was Head of China, International Markets and Head of Government Relations, Asia Pacific. Prior to LSEG, Karen worked at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) where she held a number of roles including leading the FCA’s international relations function and the asset management and funds policy team.

Karen holds a JD/LLB and a BA from the University of Ottawa in Canada and an LLM from the London School of Economics. She is a qualified solicitor in both the UK and in Ontario, Canada.

Lee Foulger, Director of Financial Stability, Strategy and Risk, Bank of England

Lee is currently the Director of Financial Stability Strategy and Risk at the Bank of England, joining in January 2020. Before joining the Bank of England, Lee was Head of the International Department at the FCA 2017-2019 and oversaw the FCA’s brexit preparations and international and EU engagement. Before joining the FCA Lee Foulger was a Cabinet Member for Valdis Dombrovskis covering Financial Markets and Capital Markets Union and was also a Cabinet Member to Commissioner Jonathan Hill.

Lee started his professional career at the HM Treasury in 2001, where he undertook various different positions dealing with financial services, growth and taxation. Following that, he was involved in the creation of the ESAs, bank resolution and shadow banking at the European Commission. Between 2011 and 2014 he worked as the Head of Securities Markets Policy at Deutsche Bank, covering capital markets regulations.

David McCarthy, Head of International Regulatory Affairs, The Investment Association

David McCarthy leads the IA's International Regulatory Affairs team and is responsible for the IA's work outside of the UK. Based in London and overseeing the IA's Brussels Office, David engages directly with the European Commission, Parliament, and Member States on investment management issues for members, including AIFMD, UCITS, ELTIF, MIFIR, and on sustainable finance. David also heads our work with other major financial centers and standard setters, including IOSCO and the FSB, supported by the IA's Washington team, as well as our work with the International Investment Funds Association.

Prior to this role, David led the IA's Brexit and Trade Policy unit, supporting members navigate the political, legal, and regulatory considerations arising from the UK's departure from the EU. Before moving to the UK in 2016, David was the Senior Policy Adviser to the New Zealand Minister of Defence for North Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, India, and Pakistan.

Professor Anand Menon, Director, UK in a Changing Europe

Anand Menon is Director of the UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London.

He has written widely on many aspects of EU politics and policy and on UK-EU relations. He is a frequent contributor to the media on matters relating to British relations with the EU.

Miranda Seath, Director of Market Insight & Fund Sectors, The Investment Association

Miranda leads the team analysing data and trends in UK investment management, producing evidence-based insight to support the IA’s policy agenda. The division provides insight to members and external stakeholders through the Investment Management Survey, retail funds market commentary and investor research. Miranda is also responsible for the IA Sectors, the fund classification scheme designed to help UK investors navigate the retail fund universe.

Miranda joined the IA in May 2019. Before joining, she was Research Director at Platforum and NextWealth, research and consulting firms focused on retail investment distribution.

Sarah Wallace, Director, Just Finance Foundation (JFF)

Sarah is the Director of the Just Finance Foundation (JFF), with overall responsibility for all aspects of the charity’s operations, and is based in the London office. She began her career in HR and recruitment in the private sector before spending the last 15 years working for social action charities. Her experience includes leading a broad portfolio of national services at The Royal British Legion, such as Benefits, Money and Debt Advice services, and the Moneyforce website, which promotes financial capability among younger service personnel.

Sarah has also managed employability services, domiciliary care services, and projects supporting young carers. In addition, she has served on the boards of a youth education charity and a local Healthwatch.

Abigail Rose Foster, Founder and CEO, Elent

Abigail Foster is a qualified chartered accountant and the founder of Elent, an app and platform that provides you with educational resources and guidance on how to achieve the financial freedom and literacy you missed out on at school. Beyond this, Abigail is a leading financial expert, appearing frequently on LBC, Sky News, This Morning and Channel 5.

She is also an advocate for financial education to be brought into the school curriculum, interviewing ex-prime minister Rishi Sunak and Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey. Abigail has a large social media community with over 200k followers on Instagram and TikTok, educating people on their personal finances.

Michelle Moran, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Michelle Moran is a market-leading adviser to European and American clients on the establishment, authorisation, management and distribution of retail and institutional investment funds in the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg and Jersey. Michelle is dual-qualified and has served in global leadership positions in both private practice and in-house for preeminent law firms and asset managers. View Michelle's full biography.

Jack Knight, Deputy CEO, The Investment Association

As Deputy CEO, Jack helps to lead the IA Executive Committee. He is responsible for international trade & investment policy and activity, as well as the organisation’s finance, HR, IT, and membership functions, including the IA Enterprises events, training, and Engine business lines. Jack is Company Secretary and secretary to the IA Board Committees.

He was previously COO at the Takeover Panel, the UK's regulator of takeovers and mergers.

Jack has an MA from Cambridge University and an MAP certificate from Said Business School, Oxford University.

Tajinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General, IOSCO

Tajinder Singh joined IOSCO in January 2010 as Deputy Secretary General. Before joining IOSCO, Tajinder was head of International Affairs & Human Resource Development at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where he also served as advisor to the chairman. Tajinder was a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and held various positions in the Indian Government including in the Ministry of Finance.

He has 30 years of experience in senior leadership positions at different organizations dedicated to regulation, finance and administration. Tajinder has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and a Master's degree in Systems Science and Automation from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.  

Sir Douglas Flint, Chair, Aberdeen

Sir Douglas draws on his extensive board experience to shape a collaborative approach, which facilitates open and constructive boardroom discussion. He guides the board’s review of performance and shaping of Aberdeen’s strategy and promotes its stewardship responsibilities, including active engagement with key stakeholders. He has considerable global experience, including in Asia, and he remains actively involved in international, financial and governance matters. Previously, Sir Douglas spent over two decades at HSBC, serving as the banking group’s chairman for seven years and as group finance director for 15 years. Prior to this, he was a partner at KPMG. He was also previously a non-executive director at BP from 2005-2011 and a member of the Mayor of Shanghai and Mayor of Beijing’s Advisory Boards. Sir Douglas received his CBE in 2006 and knighthood in 2018 recognising his services to the finance industry. 

Julia Hoggett, Chief Executive Officer, London Stock Exchange

Julia Hoggett joins the London Stock Exchange Group as CEO of the exchange business from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) where she worked for nearly seven years, most recently as market oversight director. Julia brings to the Group a deep understanding of primary and secondary markets from both the regulatory and commercial sector. She has spent her entire career in capital markets, and knows the key role they play in providing vital capital to companies and institutions and delivering returns for individual and institutional investors.

Hoggett worked in several divisions at Bank of America Merrill Lynch across four years including head of covered bonds and financial institutions groups flow financing for EMEA. She began her career at JP Morgan as an investment banker in debt capital markets. 

Stephen Adams, Senior Director, Global Counsel

Stephen operates across the trade, investment, and financial services practices, working with clients on supply chain resilience, UK trade policy, and providing expert training for the UK civil service. Stephen is a Senior Director at Global Counsel. Over the last twenty years, Stephen has worked as a policy adviser on international trade and the EU single market in the European Parliament, as an advisor in DG Trade in the European Commission and an adviser to the British Secretary of State for Business. He was also an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs in London, where he worked on political risk in cross border M&A and supply chain design. Stephen is an Honorary Senior Research Associate in the School of Politics at University College London, where he lectures on contemporary aspects of public-policymaking, international trade policy and trade and investment politics.

At Global Counsel he chiefly supports the trade, investment and financial services policy practices, with a focus on industrial and trade policy, supply chain design and corporate internationalisation. He works with senior leaders in many GC clients to deepen and develop their engagement with public policymaking. 

Howard Dawber, Deputy London Mayor for Business and Chair of London and Partners

Howard was appointed Deputy Mayor for Business and Chair of London and Partners in December 2023. Before joining the Mayor’s team, Howard worked in business for thirty years, spending 17 years as Managing Director for Strategy of the Canary Wharf Group. At Canary Wharf, Howard was involved in the development of the Elizabeth Line and supporting the 2012 Olympic Bid and Olympic Legacy as well as commercial inward investment projects in tech, health and life sciences, and financial services. He has been an active member of business organisations including Business LDN, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TheCityUK and the London Property Alliance. He is a trustee of “The Line” art walk along the River Lea. Formerly Chair of the East End Community Foundation (2013-2022) he is now a patron of the charity, and a patron and former Vice-President of UK Youth.

Howard was Chair of the Business Advisory Board for the University of East London School of Business and Law and has been a visiting lecturer at the School. Howard was a Parliamentary Candidate for the Labour Party and is the Chair of Labour Friends of Bangladesh and Labour Friends of USA.