Money Advice Trust appoints Christine Farnish CBE as new Chair
Christine Farnish CBE succeeds Adam Sharples CB as the debt advice charity’s new Chair of Trustees
Posted March 23, 2023
The Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline, has today announced Christine Farnish CBE as its Chair of Trustees – a role she will take up in July this year.
As a former Managing Director for Public Policy at Barclays and Consumer Affairs Director at the Financial Services Authority, Christine brings 25 years of experience in commercial and consumer protection roles. In 2014, she led an independent review of the Money Advice Service (now part of the Money and Pensions Service), and more recently has held non-executive director positions at Ofwat and Ofgem.
Christine will take over from Adam Sharples CB, who has served two terms as Chair of the charity, on 17 July 2023. Since joining the Trust in 2016, Adam has overseen a period of significant growth for the Money Advice Trust with the expansion of its advice services and training offer. More recently he helped navigate the organisation through its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis and changes in the way debt advice services are funded.
Christine’s appointment comes at a time when the charity is making major enhancements to its National Debtline and Business Debtline services that will see it help 440,000 people over the next three years as part of new contracts with the Money and Pensions Service, as well as continuing to work with many other funders and partners across the credit industry and beyond. These enhancements include offering a new telephone casework service to National Debtline clients for the first time, and Business Debtline acting as the new national ’Centre of Excellence’ for business debt advice.
Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Christine as our new chair, and I look forward to working with her during what is an exciting time for the Trust. Christine brings a wealth of experience, expertise and influence that I know will play a vital part in helping us to support people in financial difficulty and improve outcomes for people in debt more widely.
“I would like to thank our outgoing Chair Adam, who continues in this role until the summer, for his outstanding leadership of the Trust over seven years. Adam was instrumental in shaping our response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and continues to play a significant role in strengthening our voice and influence, and in highlighting the profound difference debt advice makes to the lives of people experiencing financial difficulty.”
Christine Farnish CBE, incoming chair of the Money Advice Trust, said:
“I am delighted and honoured to be appointed incoming Chair of the Money Advice Trust. I can’t think of a charity doing more important work at this challenging time.
“I’m looking forward to working with colleagues and partner organisations so we can continue delivering the life-changing advice that is so vital to people and small businesses dealing with problem debt.”
Adam Sharples CB, outgoing chair of the Money Advice Trust, said:
“The Money Advice Trust is a great organisation with a clear mission, highly professional staff and an excellent leadership team. It has been an absolute honour to be associated with the Trust over the past seven years, and I am confident that, with Christine as Chair, it will go from strength to strength.”
