The Equity Release Council (the Council) has announced the creation of a Risk, Policy and Compliance team. The two new senior hires – a Head of Risk, Policy and Compliance and a Risk, Policy and Compliance Manager – come as the organisation grows to meet consumer needs and uphold consumer protections.

The Risk, Policy and Compliance team will help to enhance and deliver the Council’s standards as the organisation continues to evolve to support a consumer-focussed later life lending market.  The team will play a major role as an oversight function, while developing information and recommendations to the Council’s Standards Board and committees. These latest hires follow the addition of two senior hires at the Council last month – a Business Development and Membership Manager and a Public Affairs Manager – bringing yet more experience and expertise within the Council.

Kelly Melville-Kelly has been appointed Head of Risk, Policy and Compliance. She brings over 20 years of financial services expertise, working with both lenders and networks in later-life lending, helping to drive improvements and create best practice. Kelly has previously held regulated positions at Alliance & Leicester and Legal & General.

Sue Read is taking up the role of Risk, Policy and Compliance Manager, bringing a wide range of experience as a BDM, underwriter, operations manager, trainer, compliance officer and, most importantly, adviser, across a number of firms and networks. This breadth, covering over 30 years, provides a unique insight into both consumer and adviser perspectives.

Jim Boyd, CEO of the Equity Release Council said: “I am delighted to welcome Kelly and Sue to the Council at this time of growth for our organisation. These latest hires complement our professional capabilities and will help to inject even greater pace into the Council’s member and consumer-focused initiatives.

“The creation of a Risk, Policy and Compliance team adds further weight to our role as a standards-setter in the later life sector, as we continue to evolve and revise our important standards. Kelly and Sue’s abundance of experience will prove pivotal in helping the Council and the Standards Board ensure we continue to lead the way in setting the bar for best practice in later life lending. Given the many opportunities that exist in the market to deliver value to customers, the timing for this recruitment could not be better.”

Kelly Melville-Kelly (pictured right) said: “Working with the Council and its members to better support consumers will be a key focus of mine in the months ahead. I’m pleased to join the Council at such an exciting time of growth at the organisation and look forward to working with various committees to implement key initiatives going forward.”

Sue Read said: “Having been active in the equity release space for over 20 years, I am excited to come on board at this vital time to further reinforce the industry’s rigorous consumer protections. I look forward to working with the team to add value to the Council’s members and to the end customer.”