about fig
The Financial Industry Group (fig) is a partnership of leading firms, local government and higher education.
fig aims to develop a thriving cluster in Norwich that is recognised internationally as a centre of excellence for insurance, financial and professional services. In doing so, fig creates value for people, firms and local communities.
Established in 2001, fig is the only financial services trade association in England outside London. fig comprises senior executives from leading companies, local government and senior UEA faculty. From UEA, fig employs the latest thinking and research findings for achieving sustainable cluster growth and organises a range of activities to promote the cluster.
fig strategy
fig has four strategic objectives:
Partnership
Develop alliances with key influencers in local firms, education providers, trade associations and government.
People
Attract, develop and retain talent of the highest calibre. Support community well-being, diversity and cultural heritage. Facilitate the sharing of knowledge and skills across the cluster.
Profile
Promote the brand and goals of the cluster and expand the impact of its activities.
Prioritisation
Focus on the cluster’s competitive advantages and core firms that underpin the growth of a broader ecosystem of firms in financial services, professional services and technology.
fig activities are underpinned by the following core values:
Collaboration
We value working together with those inside and outside the cluster to achieve shared goals,
and build a stronger sense of community.
Innovation
We embrace technology, support experimentation, inspire creativity and learn from our outcomes.
Responsibility
We are committed to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Community
We are a business community within a wider community. We aim to engage openly and constructively with government, other businesses, public-sector bodies and the public at large.
The fig Board, chaired by Steve Davidson, former Managing Director at Marsh in Norwich, comprises a team of professionals from Norfolk’s thriving financial services community and local authority partners who, together, are dedicated to developing a thriving financial cluster that is recognised as a centre of excellence in the UK.
To contact the fig Board, email us at info@fignorwich.org
Steve Davidson
Steve is the Chair of the Financial Industry Group Board (fig) and is committed to the development of the financial and professional services cluster in Norwich and Norfolk. Prior to retiring in 2020, Steve was a Managing Director for Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor, and was Head of the firm’s Norwich office. Steve originally joined Sedgwick in Norwich (now part of Marsh) in 1989, having previously worked in the Insurance sector in the City of London and in Bermuda. Steve is also Chair of the Advisory Board of Norwich Business School (NBS) at UEA (since 2018).
Andrew Hunt
Andrew is a Head of Finance Shared Services for Aviva with more than 20 years of finance experience ranging from small to large organisations in the UK and overseas. As a former UEA student too, he is very passionate about helping grow the Norwich financial community.
Ellen Tilney
Ellen is Economic Development Manager at Norwich City Council. Starting her career in at McCann Erickson and then in a variety of fast-growing SME businesses; Ellen moved to the local area in 1998 focusing on business support and managed workspace at Business Link and also as chief executive of a local enterprise agency before joining the city council. Ellen is also director of a small media business alongside her husband.
Katie Snell
Katie is the Innovation and Sectors Coordinator for New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and supports the development and implementation of the LEP’s sector development activity, assisting with building the strategic connectivity between innovation hubs and key areas of innovation-based activity across Suffolk and Norfolk.
Stephen Scowen
Stephen is an Economic Development professional currently working for Breckland Council. He has over 17 years’ experience of working in a variety of growth-focused roles at numerous local authorities. He has been involved with Fig since 2015 and coordinates much of the activity undertaken. As well as Fig, Stephen has been an integral part of the New Anglia Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (NAAME) group since 2015.
Alastair Drew
Alastair is the Finance Director at the Alan Boswell Group. He is a Chartered Accountant and has worked in Financial Services in Norwich since qualifying (previous to Alan Boswell Group with Norwich based bank Virgin Money).
Anna Douglas
Anna is relationship manager for business, financial and legal services at the University of East Anglia. Her role is to promote collaboration and partnerships with external organisations to support growth and innovation. Anna's career spans a number of sectors including insurance, legal and voluntary services.
Roberta Willner
Roberta Willner is the Business Development Manager for Norfolk County Council. Roberta leads the Economic Development team, with key areas of delivery including business and supply chain support, sector development and site development. Roberta has worked in Economic Development for past 12 years, in various roles including grant funding programmes, delivering inward investment and leading on international trade programmes, predominantly for the energy and food & drink sectors.
Jodie Hosmer
Jodie is a lawyer, project manager and legal engineer at Mills & Reeve, with over 10 years’ experience as a transactional lawyer and manager. She has a strong regulatory and project delivery background and is passionate about ensuring the pathway for early entrants into professional services is inclusive and spent time on the Institute For Apprenticeship’s Legal Panel commenting on the Legal Apprenticeship Standards as part of the Government’s Trailblazer Scheme. Jodie is a frequent guest and panel speaker on the future of legal services.
Kerry-Anne Lyme
Kerry-Anne is a Head of BD & Marketing at Larking Gowen Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors with over 25 years’ experience in PR, marketing and project management. She is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and experienced in the planning and delivery of marketing plans across all channels. Kerry-Anne has worked agency and client side supporting businesses with their branding and marketing activity, delivering events and providing public relations support.
Aiden Watts
Aiden is a Divisional Director and Chartered Wealth Manager at Brewin Dolphin and has over 14 years' experienced in the financial services industry. He started his career in London with UBS before returning home to Norfolk and the Norwich office of Brewin Dolphin in 2009 and works closely with solicitors, accountants and IFAs with whom he continues to look after a wide range of private clients, trust and charity clients. Outside of work, Aiden is kept busy by his young family but attempts to play tennis and is a qualified Rugby Referee.
Alton Nutile
Alton is commercial operations director at Brown & Co. An accountant by trade, Alton is responsible for the firm's business operations, quality assurance, systems and IT, and financial reporting and control. Alton has worked in various financial industries from banking to insurance, and has held financial roles in companies in the facilities management, energy and retail industries. He joined the figNorwich board in 2022. Alton has worked in Norwich for the majority of his working career. He is passionate about the local economy and education, and has worked with schools and educational institutes to inspire the next generation of the financial service sector workforce.
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