CISI appoints four new Board members

By Lora Benson | Oct 15, 2020

Members of The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) have elected three new members to its Board of Directors and appointed one new independent non-executive Director.

The CISI Board of Directors is comprised of non-executive directors who are typically employed in senior positions in firms operating in the financial services sector. They meet five times a year.

The Directors, who are also the Trustees of the CISI, are either elected for a term of three years by ballot of the membership at the AGM, or appointed by the Board:

Jane Valls (independent NED)

Jane Valls joined the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI), based in Dubai, in January 2016 as Executive Director. Jane has over 16 years of international experience in corporate governance and working with boards of directors. Jane is an accredited corporate governance trainer with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, and is an accredited trainer with the Ethics Institute, as well as being a Certified Ethics Officer. Jane holds a BA Hons in French and Italian from Birmingham University, UK. Jane was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the University of Middlesex for services to business, women’s empowerment and social justice and she was decorated by the Republic of Mauritius as a Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (CSK) for services to corporate governance.

Robert Hughes-Penney, Chartered FCSI

Robert is Investment Director of Rathbone Brothers plc, a CISI Chartered Fellow and a Chartered Wealth Manager with over 27 years’ experience managing portfolios for wealthy private clients, trusts, pensions and charities.

After University, RMA Sandhurst and serving as an Army Officer for four years, he joined the City stockbrokers Laurence Keen, which was acquired by Rathbones in 1995. Robert has held a number of senior roles within Rathbones, including sitting on the Board and Executive Committee of the main operating company.  In 2008 Robert established and chaired Rathbones’ Corporate Governance Committee in the belief that good and active stewardship is an important part of fiduciary responsibility.  Robert is currently deputy head of the London office.

In 2018 Robert joined the Integrity & Ethics Committee of the CISI and separately, was elected as Alderman for the Ward of Cheap having previously spent eight years as a Common Councilman, during which he chaired the City of London Corporation’s Investment Committee and the Financial Investment Board.  Robert is also the Immediate Past Master Guild of Investment Managers (2019-20), is on the Court of the Haberdashers’ Company and chairs the Company’s Securities Committee.

Graham Nicoll MCSI

Graham Nicoll is Head of Regions for Barclays Wealth Management in the UK.  Having spent many years advising entrepreneurs on growing and funding their businesses through to planning and investing for life after business, Graham is now keen to support the ongoing development of advisors in our industry through becoming a Non-Executive Director of the CISI. 

In his current role Graham leads the Regional Wealth Management business for Barclays across the UK, with a focus on running and growing its business day to day, while also transforming the business to meet the ever changing needs of clients.  Key priorities include how to attract and retain talent, how to develop advisors to meet client needs and regulatory requirements, and how to embrace technology to provide a better colleague and client experience.  Graham has been a trustee, NED and Chair of a number of charities and is currently NED of Think Active, which encourages individuals in hard to reach communities to get and stay active.  Graham is a CISI Member and sits on its Examinations Board.

Charles Ferry, Chartered FCSI

Charles joined Brewin Dolphin in 2008 as a Divisional Director. Having trained in corporate finance, he previously worked for Gerrard where he headed up the London and South East Region for Gerrard following its acquisition by Barclays Wealth. At Brewin Dolphin he led an investment team for six years before becoming Regional Director for London and South East in January 2015.

In 2016 Charles became Co-Head of Private Clients for the group before becoming Managing Director of Private Clients in 2017. In 2020 he was appointed Managing Director of Wealth and Investment. In his role Charles is responsible for Wealth and Investment services across Brewin Dolphin which includes all offices within the group, the intermediaries business and the marketing and research departments. He is a CISI Chartered Fellow, a graduate of Newcastle University and of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.