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1 Angel Court London EC2R 7HJ United Kingdom
Join us for our inaugural Financial Inclusion event, which is part of our Key Conversations series, highlighting one of the most important issues shaping the future of financial services. This half-day event brings together speakers from leading financial institutions, charities and market innovators to explore the challenges and opportunities in supporting vulnerable and financially excluded individuals.
With a clear direction set by the UK Government’s Financial Inclusion Committee and Financial Inclusion Strategy, discussions will focus on how the industry can drive meaningful progress in access to affordable credit, digital inclusion and financial capability.
Take part in lively panels, hear from inspiring keynote speakers and gain practical ideas that can strengthen financial resilience and inclusive growth. The event also offers networking opportunities to connect, collaborate and build partnerships with industry leaders and professionals.
Receive cross-sector insights and make connections.
Gain actionable insights to inform your organisation’s financial inclusion strategy
Learn directly from leaders across banking providers, charities, regulators and fintechs through practical case studies
Build valuable cross-sector relationships that support long-term collaboration on financial inclusion.
Highlight member activity that aligns with the UK Financial Inclusion Strategy
See how financial institutions are interpreting and delivering the national strategy
Understand how peers are addressing gaps, challenges and expectations set out by government
Benchmark your institution’s approach against others to identify opportunities for improvement and leadership.
We are proud to partner with organisations on our events. To discuss sponsorship opportunities at the Key Conversation: Financial Inclusion, please contact Sponsorship@ukfinance.org.uk.
If you are interested in speaking at this event, please contact events@ukfinance.org.uk
Registration open with networking lunch
Opening remarks and keynote address from UK Finance
An industry perspective on the National Financial Inclusion Strategy and why it matters.
Panel session
Financial inclusion: delivering the strategy, access to banking, inclusive design and credit.
Moderator: Eric Leenders, Managing Director, Personal Finance and Prudential, Reporting and Taxation, UK Finance
Consumer Duty in action: embedding inclusive design at the heart of your organisation.
Moderator: Peter Tyler, Director, Personal Banking, UK Finance
Speaker:
Networking break
Case Studies
From access to impact: lessons from industry pilots and real‑world inclusion initiatives.
Moderator: Fiona Turner, Head of Financial Inclusion, Capability and Vulnerability at UK Finance
Speakers:
Closing keynote speech
Closing remarks
Speaker: Eric Leenders, Managing Director, Personal Finance and Prudential, Reporting and Taxation, UK Finance
Networking drinks
CEO, Fair4All Finance
Head of Customer Vulnerability, Nationwide Building Society
Kathryn Townsend is the Head of Customer Vulnerability at Nationwide; the world’s largest building society. She is the former Government’s Disability ...
Kathryn Townsend is the Head of Customer Vulnerability at Nationwide; the world’s largest building society. She is the former Government’s Disability & Access Ambassador for the banking sector. Kathryn founded the deaf inclusion industry working group; a collective of over 40 financial services providers working together to raise banking standards for deaf people. Kathryn is a trustee of Euan’s Guide the disabled access charity and is part of the Project Nemo team tackling financial exclusion and sits on the Advisory Board for Money & Mental Health Policy Institute.
CEO, Surviving Economic Abuse
Head of Good Customer Outcomes, NatWest Group Plc
Managing Director, Personal Finance and Prudential, Reporting and Taxation, UK Finance
In his role as Managing Director, Personal Finance and Prudential, Reporting and Taxation, Eric is responsible for all personal finance matters, inclu...
In his role as Managing Director, Personal Finance and Prudential, Reporting and Taxation, Eric is responsible for all personal finance matters, including cards, complaints handling, conduct regulation, consumer credit, payments, savings and supporting vulnerable customers across retail and private banking portfolios. Eric is accountable to retail, private and mid-tier bank CEOs for the development and delivery of sector specific strategies, maintaining active senior-level engagement with politicians, regulators, consumer advocates and policy makers on a range of issues to support the economy, serve customers better and earn trust in the sector.
Eric is a chartered banker and a non-executive director at the Buckinghamshire Building Society (chair of risk), Registry Trust Limited and also holds non-executive roles on the government's Credit Union Expansion Project and Regional Growth Fund.
Head of Financial Inclusion, Capability and Vulnerability at UK Finance
Fiona has 25 years banking experience spanning personal and corporate banking, payments, risk, regulatory and consumer affairs. She leads on fina...
Fiona has 25 years banking experience spanning personal and corporate banking, payments, risk, regulatory and consumer affairs. She leads on financial inclusion, capability and vulnerability policy at UK Finance and works with Members to deliver positive change which improves the experience for the most vulnerable members of our society. An advocate for inclusive design, she led the development of the first accessible debit card and the vulnerable customer response to the COVID19 pandemic. She was a Commissioner on the Extra Costs Commission, an independent enquiry into the extra costs incurred by disabled people. She is a Fellow of the RSA, and an alumni of the University of Cambridge, Institute for Sustainability Leadership Programme.
Director, Personal Banking, UK Finance
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