Effective corporate governance is essential in any healthy economy. That includes the rights of shareholders who provide capital for growth and bear the risk of loss if the investee company fails. Shareholders are affected by many issues across Europe, including dematerialisation of share certificates, pooled nominee accounts and dividend taxation.

I am pleased to serve as a director of the United Kingdom Shareholders' Association and as a board member of Better Finance, the European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users.

I have also served as a member of the Consultative Working Group of the Corporate Reporting Standing Committee of ESMA, the European Securities and Markets Authority, representing the voice of individual shareholders.