Who we are

The Equity Release Council represents the equity release sector and exists to promote high standards of conduct and practice in the provision of and advice on equity release which have consumer safeguards at its heart.

These standards and safeguards have allowed the sector to grow, giving financial advisers and their customers confidence in the products, dispelling myths about equity release, and educating the public about the potential to access the wealth in their home for a variety of uses.

The reputation and standing of the brand and the trust developed has seen its membership grow, bringing the sector together and helping it strengthen its voice: providers of equity release plans, solicitors, intermediaries, financial advisers, consultants, surveyors and other industry professionals – all committed to the Principles of membership. The Council builds on this unified voice of its members, while remaining independent from the specific views of individual member firms or particular segments of the equity release market.

Our values

The Council is guided by four brand values which guide everything it does. They are:

Authoritative : To be at the vanguard of substantiated, credible, evidence-led market insights, knowledge and data.

Progressive: To be the advocate of market change, innovation, betterment and reform.

Incisive : To have clarity of thought, commitment of decision making and the rigour to deliver the right solution.

Trustworthy: To inspire confidence, reliability and transparency across all stakeholders.

 

Board of directors

We are supported by a framework of contributors to our work primarily drawn from the membership who have in-depth knowledge and experience of this sector and of the wider socio-economic environment.

Subject to a set of Articles of Association, the directors appointed to the board of the Equity Release Council are responsible for the management of the Council’s business.

In 2023, the Council adopted a new governance structure which represents best practice for non-profit organisations. This has led to the appointment of three wholly independent directors (including the chair) and representatives from the Council’s executive team.

Board members

MEMBER NAME

COMPANY NAME

Michelle Highman

Standards committee chair and chief executive, of The Money Charity

Michelle Highman was appointed as the independent chair to the standards committee in April 2023 and an independent non-executive director in December 2023.

She is the chief executive of The Money Charity, the UK’s financial capability charity. The Money Charity’s vision is for everyone to be on top of their money as part of everyday life. And so, it empowers people across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, to make the most of their money throughout their lives.  It provides education, information and advice on money matters to young people and adults across the UK

Previously she was a trustee of GambleAware for 6 years, a member of Pay.uk’s end user advisory council, the Financial Inclusion Commission’s advisory panel, the London Institute of Banking & Finance’s validation panel for their post graduate certificate in financial capability and of the Institute of Inertia.

Michelle was instrumental in setting up the consumer financial education body, the Money Advice Service where she was manager of the chief executive and chair’s office. Prior to that Michelle worked for 13 years at the Financial Services Authority and the Personal Investment Authority, undertaking roles in pensions, regulation, communications and financial capability.

Mike Hughes

Independent Non-Executive Director,

Equity Release Council

 

Mike has been an avid supporter of the later life sector for many years. As sales and marketing director of Legal & General Bank, he developed an equity release product that became market-leading shortly after launch in 2001. All of his career Mike has been involved in the regulated financial services sector. He worked at a top 10 building society for ten years before it demutualised. He was CEO of the longest established IFA network with over 500 advisers which specialised in investment and pension planning. Mike was also involved with the launch one of the first banks to be approved by the newly-formed FCA.

 

Donna Francis

Chief Operating Officer, Equity Release Council

Donna is the Equity Release Council’s Chief Operating Officer and has been in this role since 2013. Her responsibilities include overseeing the governance and operational day to day delivery of the Equity Release Council, including the development of its membership propositions, and oversight of a key committee focused on conduct risk. Having started her financial services career with LV= Donna has a history with other professional bodies such as the Life Insurance Association (LIA) before joining the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) as Head of Marketing Operations and Strategic Projects where she was responsible for a number of the professional body’s major Business Improvement Programmes including the launch of The Personal Finance Society and The Society of Mortgage Professionals.

Jim Boyd

Chief Executive of the Equity Release Council

Jim Boyd, Chief Executive Office, the Equity Release Council Jim was appointed CEO of the Equity Release Council in June 2018. He joined from Reform think tank, where he was Deputy Director and Head of Research. Prior to this he was an Expert Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions, initially supporting Lord Freud, then Welfare Reform Minister. Jim has extensive experience of retirement and social care funding having led the Corporate Affairs functions at specialist life assurers Britannic Retirement Solutions, Just Retirement and Partnership Assurance. He is an adviser to the Intergenerational Longevity Commission-UK, a leading longevity, ageing and population change policy unit. Jim is a former tax and trusts lawyer.

David Burrowes

Chair of the Equity Release Council

David has been a practising solicitor for 25 years. During this time, he was first a Councillor in Enfield and then Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate between 2005 and 2017. David championed social justice and consumer protection and led campaigns on issues affecting elderly people. David served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to three Cabinet Ministers and sat on the influential Home Affairs and Public Accounts Select Committees and was also Shadow Justice Minister from 2007-2010. David lives in Southgate with his wife Janet and their six children.

Michelle Highman

Standards committee chair and chief executive, of The Money Charity

Michelle Highman was appointed as the independent chair to the standards committee in April 2023 and an independent non-executive director in December 2023.

She is the chief executive of The Money Charity, the UK’s financial capability charity. The Money Charity’s vision is for everyone to be on top of their money as part of everyday life. And so, it empowers people across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, to make the most of their money throughout their lives.  It provides education, information and advice on money matters to young people and adults across the UK

Previously she was a trustee of GambleAware for 6 years, a member of Pay.uk’s end user advisory council, the Financial Inclusion Commission’s advisory panel, the London Institute of Banking & Finance’s validation panel for their post graduate certificate in financial capability and of the Institute of Inertia.

Michelle was instrumental in setting up the consumer financial education body, the Money Advice Service where she was manager of the chief executive and chair’s office. Prior to that Michelle worked for 13 years at the Financial Services Authority and the Personal Investment Authority, undertaking roles in pensions, regulation, communications and financial capability.

Mike Hughes

Independent Non-Executive Director,

Equity Release Council

 

Mike has been an avid supporter of the later life sector for many years. As sales and marketing director of Legal & General Bank, he developed an equity release product that became market-leading shortly after launch in 2001. All of his career Mike has been involved in the regulated financial services sector. He worked at a top 10 building society for ten years before it demutualised. He was CEO of the longest established IFA network with over 500 advisers which specialised in investment and pension planning. Mike was also involved with the launch one of the first banks to be approved by the newly-formed FCA.

 

Donna Francis

Chief Operating Officer, Equity Release Council

Donna is the Equity Release Council’s Chief Operating Officer and has been in this role since 2013. Her responsibilities include overseeing the governance and operational day to day delivery of the Equity Release Council, including the development of its membership propositions, and oversight of a key committee focused on conduct risk. Having started her financial services career with LV= Donna has a history with other professional bodies such as the Life Insurance Association (LIA) before joining the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) as Head of Marketing Operations and Strategic Projects where she was responsible for a number of the professional body’s major Business Improvement Programmes including the launch of The Personal Finance Society and The Society of Mortgage Professionals.

Jim Boyd

Chief Executive of the Equity Release Council

Jim Boyd, Chief Executive Office, the Equity Release Council Jim was appointed CEO of the Equity Release Council in June 2018. He joined from Reform think tank, where he was Deputy Director and Head of Research. Prior to this he was an Expert Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions, initially supporting Lord Freud, then Welfare Reform Minister. Jim has extensive experience of retirement and social care funding having led the Corporate Affairs functions at specialist life assurers Britannic Retirement Solutions, Just Retirement and Partnership Assurance. He is an adviser to the Intergenerational Longevity Commission-UK, a leading longevity, ageing and population change policy unit. Jim is a former tax and trusts lawyer.

Our team

MEMBER NAME

Lee Blackwell

Director of Communications and Marketing

With 25-years’ worth of experience in communications, Lee has worked for a wide variety of different organizations from large lenders, funders and advice firms to membership bodies and PR agencies.  Managing change, building stakeholder relationships, and helping brands develop robust communication functions which focus on delivering excellent results while mitigating risk are at the core of her skill set.

 

Simon Posner

Public Affairs Consultant

Jennifer Logue

Executive Personal Assistant and Admin Support

Jennifer joined the Equity Release Council in 2022 as an executive PA and admin support. She has over 15 years’ experience in administrative roles in local government and healthcare, in both public and private sector settings. Jennifer has a degree from the University of Surrey and now lives in Essex with her family.

Laura Gibson

Membership Business Development Manager

Laura has spent more than 12 years working within the non-profit/membership sector. She has a strong background in project management, product and service development, communications and business operations.

With a passion for people and all things membership, Laura is an enthusiastic collaborator who thrives at building professional relationships, cultivating meaningful partnerships, and takes pride in developing and implementing initiatives that increase relevance, diversity and value to membership communities.

Allyson McAlister

Communications Officer

Kelly Melville-Kelly

Director of Risk, Policy and Compliance

Kelly brings over 20 years of financial services expertise, working with both lenders and networks in later-life lending, helping to drive improvements and create best practice. Kelly has previously held regulated positions at Alliance & Leicester and Legal & General.

Sue Read

Risk, Policy and Compliance Manager

Sue has a wide range of experience as a business development manager, underwriter, operations manager, trainer, compliance officer and, most importantly, adviser, across a several firms and networks. This breadth, covering over 30 years, provides a unique insight into both consumer and adviser perspectives.

Laura Hall

Administration Assistant

Laura started working in financial services on an apprenticeship scheme with St James’s Place, since leaving the apprenticeship scheme she has been working with Equity Release Council as an Administration Assistant. Laura deals with the onboarding of the new members, helping the application process to go smoothly and liaising with members.

Sarah Hall

Administration and Service Manager

Sarah has been work with the Equity Release Council for over 10 years. Having previously worked for an equity release financial adviser and Sun Life of Canada for over 20 years. Sarah is the Administration and Service Manager for Equity Release Council and deals with all aspects of the membership process, onboarding new members and dealing with the renewals and any membership queries.

Chris Fay

Communications Manager

Chris is a former journalist who has worked in media and communications for almost 20 years. He spent the first decade working in the newspaper industry before moving to consumer-focused trade bodies and professional bodies. He worked for the National Pharmacy Association and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute before joining the Council in 2019.

Donna Francis

Chief Operating Officer, Equity Release Council

Donna is the Equity Release Council’s Chief Operating Officer and has been in this role since 2013. Her responsibilities include overseeing the governance and operational day to day delivery of the Equity Release Council, including the development of its membership propositions, and oversight of a key committee focused on conduct risk. Having started her financial services career with LV= Donna has a history with other professional bodies such as the Life Insurance Association (LIA) before joining the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) as Head of Marketing Operations and Strategic Projects where she was responsible for a number of the professional body’s major Business Improvement Programmes including the launch of The Personal Finance Society and The Society of Mortgage Professionals.

Jim Boyd

Chief Executive of the Equity Release Council

Jim Boyd, Chief Executive Office, the Equity Release Council Jim was appointed CEO of the Equity Release Council in June 2018. He joined from Reform think tank, where he was Deputy Director and Head of Research. Prior to this he was an Expert Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions, initially supporting Lord Freud, then Welfare Reform Minister. Jim has extensive experience of retirement and social care funding having led the Corporate Affairs functions at specialist life assurers Britannic Retirement Solutions, Just Retirement and Partnership Assurance. He is an adviser to the Intergenerational Longevity Commission-UK, a leading longevity, ageing and population change policy unit. Jim is a former tax and trusts lawyer.

Lee Blackwell

Director of Communications and Marketing

With 25-years’ worth of experience in communications, Lee has worked for a wide variety of different organizations from large lenders, funders and advice firms to membership bodies and PR agencies.  Managing change, building stakeholder relationships, and helping brands develop robust communication functions which focus on delivering excellent results while mitigating risk are at the core of her skill set.

 

Simon Posner

Public Affairs Consultant

Jennifer Logue

Executive Personal Assistant and Admin Support

Jennifer joined the Equity Release Council in 2022 as an executive PA and admin support. She has over 15 years’ experience in administrative roles in local government and healthcare, in both public and private sector settings. Jennifer has a degree from the University of Surrey and now lives in Essex with her family.

Laura Gibson

Membership Business Development Manager

Laura has spent more than 12 years working within the non-profit/membership sector. She has a strong background in project management, product and service development, communications and business operations.

With a passion for people and all things membership, Laura is an enthusiastic collaborator who thrives at building professional relationships, cultivating meaningful partnerships, and takes pride in developing and implementing initiatives that increase relevance, diversity and value to membership communities.

Work for us

The equity release industry is growing fast and as its dedicated trade association, so are we! Follow the link below to view our latest roles:

Check for Roles