The Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association (Pimfa) has appointed Simon Harrington as senior policy adviser for public policy.
Mr Harrington, who joins the trade body on Monday (16 October), was until now senior public policy adviser at the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest).
Mr Harrington is “looking forward to helping Pimfa develop its forward-looking agenda for advice and wealth management firms,” and “ensuring that their best interests are well represented”.
He said: “Having come from a pensions background, I am acutely aware of the fundamental role the adviser industry needs to be playing in ensuring that individual savers are able to achieve the best outcome possible from their retirement savings.
“Access to financial advice is a fundamental part of a well-functioning financial services landscape, and I look forward to progressing the concerns of Pimfa members on this front in particular”.
According to Liz Field, chief executive at Pimfa, the trade body continues “to drive for a culture of savings and investments in the UK,” and Mr Harrington’s expertise in pensions “will be invaluable in advancing this cause”.
He will also help in creating an optimal operating environment for Pimfa member firms, “so they can focus on guiding individuals and families to build their personal financial futures,” she added.
Prior to Nest, where he was also corporate affairs manager, Mr Harrington worked at HM Treasury for four years, firstly as a corporate communications officer from 2008 to 2010.
After that, he moved to the Asset Protection Agency where he was communications and governance manager from 2010 to 2012.
Pimfa was formed in June out of a merger between the Wealth Management Association and the Association of Professional Financial Advisers.
At the time, the trade body said it would be carrying out a strategic review into its priorities, by meeting with advice firms of all sizes to find out what issues they want it to address.
maria.espadinha@ft.com
