MRM to champion mutuals

Following a competitive pitch MRM Public Affairs has been appointed by the Building Societies Association (BSA) and the Association of Financial Mutuals (AFM) to champion financial mutuals ahead of the 2015 General Election.
 
The MRM team will be led by Head of Public Affairs Havard Hughes and will work closely with the teams at the BSA and the AFM.  Having recently joined MRM to head its new public affairs division, Havard previously worked at the Financial Conduct Authority.  Hughes will be assisted by Sophie Robson, formerly of the CSFI, the City think tank and author of the influential Generation Y report on financial services and young people.
 
Havard Hughes added:
“Government and regulators need to work together to achieve the stated aim of the Coalition Agreement to foster diversity in financial services and to promote mutuals.  Mutuals exist to serve their members.  They hold the key to expanding competition and ensuring a fairer deal for consumers.  However, one size fits all regulation is severely constraining the sector.  Regulators and parliamentarians need to take urgent concrete steps to promote mutuals or risk further consolidation which will mean less choice and poorer outcomes for consumers.”