TheCityUK appoints Anne Richards as Chair of its Board

Press release

12 December 2021

Anne will lead TheCityUK Board, working closely with TheCityUK Leadership Council Chairman, Sir Adrian Montague, and its executive team to progress TheCityUK’s mission to champion and support the success of the UK-based financial and related professional services industry.

I am excited to be taking on this role at such a pivotal time for our industry. As we emerge from the pandemic, new ways of working, technological innovation and heightened expectations will continue to revolutionise how we operate and serve our customers. We must also play our part in accelerating a just and sustainable transition to a low carbon economy. Demonstrating our contribution and leadership in these areas will be crucial to ensuring our continued success as a world-leading international financial centre that is truly representative of the communities which we serve. I look forward to working with colleagues across the industry and with the team at TheCityUK to deliver this important agenda.” “I would also like to pay tribute to the tremendous job Mark has done in leading TheCityUK through a period of unprecedented challenges. He has set the organisation on a clear strategic course and provided both real clarity of vision and focus on execution and outcomes. His will be a tough act to follow.

Anne Richards, Chair Designate of TheCityUK

Mark Tucker, Chair, TheCityUK Board, said,

Anne is the right person to be steering a course for TheCityUK and addressing head on the challenges that the industry needs to tackle in the years to come. “When I took on this role, among my priorities was creating a better public understanding of the economic and societal benefits our industry brings to everyday lives across the United Kingdom. It is therefore with real pride that I reflect on how the industry has adapted post Brexit, and, over the past nearly two years, has responded magnificently to the challenges of the pandemic. Our industry has more than fulfilled its role of supporting people, businesses, and communities, through momentous times. The need for the UK to step up and secure the competitiveness of the financial and related professional services industry is paramount. TheCityUK will continue to play a critical role in promoting this, and I wish Anne all the very best when she takes the reins next year.

Sir Adrian Montague, Chair, TheCityUK Advisory Council, said,

It has been a tremendous pleasure working alongside Mark through some of the most challenging times for our industry and our country. He can stand down from the role with real pride in his legacy – not least the growing recognition of what an asset this industry is to the country. “I much look forward to working with Anne as the industry moves forward from the pandemic to tackle some of the other great challenges, including climate change, technological transformation, and the development of the truly diverse and talented workforce we need to succeed.

Anne Richards joined Fidelity International as CEO in December 2018 and was appointed a Director of FIL Limited in September 2019. She has worked in the asset management industry since 1992. Anne has almost three decades of experience as an analyst, portfolio manager and CIO and is a strong proponent of sustainable investing. Her career path spans many blue-chip global names in the financial sector, including Alliance Capital, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, Aberdeen Asset Management and M&G Investments.

Anne is a Chartered Engineer and began her career as a research fellow at CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research. She is a former chair of the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s Practitioner Panel and was appointed a board member of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in December 2020.

She was appointed a Dame Commander (DBE) in June 2021 for services to Financial Services, Women, Education and Science. She received the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Edinburgh in 2021.

Anne holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and holds an honorary degree from Heriot-Watt University.