David Harker

What he does outside the Panel

David is on the board of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, which directs the work of Ofgem, the gas and electricity regulator, and the Advertising Standards Authority, which regulates advertising in the UK. He is an associate of the think tank Civil Exchange and a volunteer at Southwark Citizens Advice Bureau.

Positions held in the past

For thirteen years he was the Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, the national body for Citizens Advice Bureaux. The Citizens Advice Service advises over 3 million people every year and uses the evidence it collects to exercise a responsible influence on public and social policy in the UK. Under David's leadership, the service extended its influence, strengthened its quality assurance, transformed its governance, and modernised delivery, including an on-line information service which is now used by a million people a month.

Previously, David was the Managing Director of Sense, the national disability charity. His earlier career included management consultancy, policy analysis, and media relations. He received an OBE in 2003 and a CBE in 2011. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, and has an MBA from the London Business School and an MA in social policy.

Reasons for joining the Panel

David's time at Citizens Advice ignited his passion to help consumers get a fair deal from the financial services industry, to encourage regulators use their powers to make this happens, and urge Governments to fill any necessary gaps. He joined the Panel to continue that work.

Areas of particular interest on the Panel

David works with other Panel members to help influence the future of financial regulation in the UK, to ensure that new arrangements are a genuine improvement, and to extend the effectiveness of the Panel in offering well reasoned and practical suggestions to the FSA and its successors on consumer issues. David chairs the Future of Regulation Working Group and Working Group A, which deals amongst other things with the RDR, with profits insurance, and the business conduct.

Photographs

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