Personal Finance Society (PFS) director Eddie Grant has succeeded Zurich head of market engagement Peter Hamilton as disability and access ambassador for insurance.
Grant (pictured) is one of nine new disability and access ambassadors appointed by the minister for social security and disability the Sir Stephen Timm MP.
The voluntary posts are undertaken for a maximum of three years and supported by the Disability Unit (part of the Office for Equality and Opportunity).
Ambassadors aim to drive improvements in the accessibility and quality of services and facilities in their sector for disabled people, helping to ensure businesses are doing all they can to support disabled customers.
A non-executive director of the PFS, Grant is a past president and its longest-serving non-executive board member. He is also a board member of the European Financial Planning Association and vice-president of the Insurance Institute of London.
Grant said: “I’m deeply honoured to take up the role of disability and access ambassador for insurance – a sector that empowers people to navigate life’s uncertainties with confidence. Both personally and professionally,
“I’m acutely aware of the barriers many disabled people face. That awareness drives my unwavering commitment to championing meaningful, lasting change across our profession.
“My predecessor, Peter Hamilton, has been a brilliant champion in his role as disability and access ambassador.
“He led initiatives post-Covid encouraging the sector to build back better and continued to nurture the coalition of the willing initiated by Johnny Timpson.”
Grant added that through the vulnerability roundtables hosted by the Chartered Insurance Institute, and the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives survey it was evident that much progress had been made over the years,
However he noted there was “still more we can do to ensure that the insurance and financial planning sector is creating opportunities and delivering outstanding client outcomes for all”.
“Over the coming months, I look forward to listening to and collaborating with professionals across insurance and financial planning. Together, we can continue to unlock opportunities and deliver outstanding client outcomes creating lasting change for disabled customers and employees.”
Sir Stephen Timms MP, minister for social security and disability, added: “I am very pleased to be working with this impressive group of senior leaders, whose expertise and enthusiasm engenders positive changes in accessibility for disabled people.
“They are really supporting the government in this important work. They are generous with their time and support.
“The disability and access ambassadors help us to improve all disabled people’s lives, by using their experience and insight throughout their sectors, and supporting the changes in accessibility we want to see across a wide range of private sector industries.”
