Welcoming Sian Williams as Chair of the Financial Inclusion Commission
We’re delighted to announce that Sian Williams has been appointed as the new Chair of the Financial Inclusion Commission, bringing with her decades of leadership, policy influence, and an unwavering commitment to making financial systems work for everyone.
Sian has long been one of the UK’s most respected voices on financial inclusion. She’s built a career at the intersection of policy, innovation, and community advocacy, ensuring that the people most affected by financial exclusion are not only heard, but shape the solutions themselves. In her current role is CEO of Switchback, a London based prison resettlement charity. she sees the impact of financial exclusion on young people caught up in the justice system on a daily basis.
“Every day I see the impact that financial exclusion has on the young people supported by Switchback who are caught up in the justice system. I’m looking forward to bringing their often-overlooked experiences, and those of so many other communities across the UK, to the platform of the Financial Inclusion Commission, helping to lead change with people and lived experience at its heart.” — Sian Williams, Chair, Financial Inclusion Commission
At Toynbee Hall, Sian led research, policy and innovation programmes that tackled the root causes of financial exclusion in London’s East End. She’s represented consumers on some of the UK’s most influential bodies, including the Payments Strategy Forum, PSR Panel, Link Consumer Advisory Council, and APP Scams Steering Group. Her work has contributed to landmark policy changes such as the fee-free Basic Bank Account entitlement and the Treasury-funded No Interest Loan Scheme pilot — both of which have opened doors for people previously shut out of mainstream financial services.
Sian’s appointment comes at a critical time ahead of the release of the Governments Financial Inclusion Strategy and Autumn Budget statement. Across the UK, millions of people still lack access to affordable credit, secure savings, and digital payments. Financial exclusion isn’t just a social issue, it’s an economic one. When people are locked out of fair and affordable financial products, spending power decreases, productivity suffers, and communities lose resilience.
At the Financial Inclusion Commission, we believe that a financially inclusive economy is not only fairer but stronger. The evidence is clear: when everyone can access and use financial services well, it drives growth, builds social cohesion, and reduces pressure on public services. Employers benefit from a more financially confident workforce; businesses gain new customers; local economies thrive.
As Chair, Sian will build on the fantastic work done so far to lead the Commission into its next phase, strengthening its role as a bridge between government, industry, and civil society, guiding the Commission’s mission to influence policy, share evidence, and ensure that financial inclusion remains a central pillar of economic decision-making.
“Having had the honour of sitting on the Financial Inclusion Commission since its inception, I am now delighted to be asked to lead it into its next phase. With the Government's Financial Inclusion Strategy due to be published imminently, the time is right for all sectors to come together behind a shared vision of achieving true financial inclusion for everyone in the UK.”
— Sian Williams, Chair, Financial Inclusion Commission
The Financial Inclusion Commission will continue to press for a financial system that works for everyone, where people have the confidence, capability, and opportunity to participate fully in the economy.
