Britain’s IA Increases Gender Diversity with Four New Board Members

The British Investment Association (IA) announced Wednesday that is has appointed four new Directors to its Board. With this decision, the association has increased its gender diversity, nearly doubling its female representation.

The new Directors are Caroline Connellan, Michelle Scrimgeour, Hanneke Smits, and Dan Watkins. Their new positions are effective immediately. The appointees are replacing retiring Board members Paul Feeney, Andrew Formica, Andrew Laing, and Mark Zinkula.

Three of the four new Board members are female, as a result, this has increased the female representation on IA’s board from 20 percent to almost 40 percent. According to the statement, the appointments reflect the association's commitment to diversity.

Commenting on the new members, Peter Harrison, Chairman of the Investment Association, said: “I am delighted to welcome Caroline, Michelle, Hanneke and Dan to the IA’s Board of Directors. Their perspectives and experience will enable the IA to remain an authoritative voice for the asset management industry."

“I would like to pay tribute to the contribution of those retiring Directors, who have given us many years of service. Their wisdom and experience have helped to build the IA into the organisation of influence that it is today.”

Details on the New Board Members of IA

Connellan is the current Chief Executive of Brooks Macdonald Group where she has worked since April 2017. Scrimgeour is the Chief Executive Officer for Columbia Threadneedle Investments EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region. She has been working with the company since 2017.

Smits is also a CEO, but of Newton Investment Management. She has held this position since 2016. Watkins is the Chief Operating Officer, EMEA – JP Morgan Asset Management. He has been with JP Morgan since 1997.

Chris Cummings, Chief Executive of the Investment Association, added: “The Board of Directors sits at the heart of the IA and it is essential that we have a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives around the table. We know that firms with diverse management teams make better decisions, so I am particularly pleased that we have been able to increase the diversity of our Board with these four new appointments."