Who are we?
The APPG is a cross-party group with members from the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In the current Parliament the Co-Chairs are Simon Fell MP (CON) and William Wragg MP (CON). The Vice Chairs are Bill Esterson MP (LAB), Lord Holmes of Richmond (CON), Tonia Antoniazzi MP (LAB), Lord Cromwell (Crossbench), Alison Thewliss MP (SNP), Lord McNicol (LAB), Ruth Jones MP (LAB), The Earl of Lindsay (CON), Sammy Wilson MP (DUP), Chris Stephens MP (SNP), Ben Lake MP (Plaid Cymru), Kirsty Blackman MP (SNP), Alexander Stafford MP (CON), Chris Law MP (SNP), Peter Gibson MP (CON), Peter Dowd MP (LAB), Alex Sobel MP (LAB), Seema Malhotra MP (LAB) and Greg Smith MP (CON).
Founded in 2012
The APPG is run by its secretariat, Athena Foundation, a non-profit company limited by guarantee. The APPG was originally founded in 2012 by Guto Bebb MP (CON) as the APPG on Interest Rate Swap Mis-selling. It brought the plight of businesses mis-sold these complex products to the attention of Parliament and the financial regulator, and was instrumental in triggering the FCA Review into their mis-selling. The remit of the APPG was subsequently expanded to that of Fair Business Banking in recognition of the wide range of problems which persist between private businesses and their finance providers. Since then, it has held three more debates in the Commons, set up an inquiry into dispute resolution, established the Contracts Working Group and has intervened over the mistreatment of customers by RBS’ Global Restructuring Group and HBOS Reading.
Officers of the APPG on Fair Business Banking
William Wragg MP
Co-Chair
Bill Esterson MP
Vice-Chair
Lord Holmes of Richmond
Vice-Chair
Tonia Antoniazzi MP
Vice-Chair
Lord Cromwell
Vice-Chair
Alison Thewliss MP
Vice-Chair
Lord McNicol
Vice-Chair
Ruth Jones MP
Vice-Chair
The Earl of Lindsay
Vice-Chair
Sammy Wilson MP
Vice-Chair
Chris Stephens MP
Vice-Chair
Ben Lake MP
Vice-Chair
Kirsty Blackman MP
Vice-Chair
Alexander Stafford MP
Vice-Chair
Chris Law MP
Vice-Chair
Peter Gibson MP
Vice-Chair
Peter Dowd MP
Vice-Chair
Greg Smith MP
Vice-Chair
Alex Sobel MP
Vice-Chair
Seema Malhotra MP
Vice-Chair
Key People of the APPG on Fair Business Banking
Heather Buchanan
Executive Director, Policy & Strategy heather.buchanan@parliament.uk
Heather Buchanan is the Director of Policy for the APPG on Fair Business Banking where she sets the strategic focus of the group and has 7 years’ worth of experience successfully working in UK Parliament for positive change on behalf of small business. She regularly advises MPs, peers, Government departments, regulators, trade bodies and civil society on the commercial relationships between businesses and their lenders. The work of the Group, in conjunction with other key stakeholders, led to the expansion of the remit of the FOS and the creation of the BBRS. Heather co-founded the Bankers for Net Zero initiative which puts small business at the heart of the banking sector’s transition and has been announced as the first country chapter of the UN convened global Net Zero Banking Alliance, putting banking commitments into action in a local context. She is a member of the UK Finance SME Advisory Group. Heather was on the Steering Committee of the BankingFutures project and has also contributed to the Lending Standards Board Standards of Lending Practice for Business Customers.
Michelle Thomson
Group Ambassador
Michelle Thomson is an Ambassador for the APPG on Fair Business Banking. Her extensive experience delivering change in various financial services companies saw her appointed by the APPG to lead the Contracts Working Group. She is a former Vice-Chair of the APPG and was prominent in speaking about related issues in her work in Parliament and on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee. She now runs the research and consultancy company Momentous Change Ltd and writes and presents for a number of banking and financial groups.
Fiona Sherriff
Director of Communications fiona.sherriff@appgbanking.org.uk Fiona Sherriff is Director of Communications. After careers in medical research and the pharmaceutical industry, Fiona’s current business interests include residential and commercial property. She has been working for fairer business banking since 2012.
Jackie Roberts
Director of Research robertsj@parliament.uk Jackie Roberts is Director of Research. Jackie’s background is in residential property. She has extensive knowledge of UK banking regulation and has been actively involved in helping to resolve business lending disputes since 2012.
The Athena Foundation
The APPG on Fair Business Banking is managed by its secretariat, the Athena Foundation. The Directors of the Athena Foundation are Heather Buchanan, Fiona Sheriff and Jackie Roberts.
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