Criterion appoints Aegon’s Alison Morris as NED

2 December 2020

Standards and Governance body Criterion has appointed Alison Morris as non-executive director to the Board.

Criterion recently announced full independence as the industry’s not-for-profit Standards and Governance services body, having been a subsidiary of Origo.

Criterion’s Standards are used by providers, platforms and advisers, and ensure the movement of data and the automation of processes in the UK’s long-term savings, investment, pensions and protection markets, whilst helping organisations to significantly cut the costs of linking between systems.

Morris has over 25 years’ financial services experience including 19 years at Scottish Widows / Lloyds Banking Group, with a background in proposition development, strategy, risk and internal audit. She is currently Chief Internal Auditor at Aegon UK.

As a member of the executive team at Aegon, she provides insight and advice on business risks and internal control systems including key organisational change programmes. She also leads the ‘Women at Aegon’ Diversity Programme.

Pat Shea, chairman, Criterion said it was important that Criterion continued to bolster its “capability and bench strength”.

“I’m delighted that we continue to uplift capability and expertise on our Board from across the industry.  The experience that Alison brings in risk and audit, plus strategy development will help us continue supporting the UK’s long-term savings, investment, and protection markets.”

Morris said: “I am delighted to join the Criterion Board at this exciting time and help play a vital role in the positive development for our industry. The creation of Criterion to take forward our Standards and Governance provides a great opportunity for our whole industry to work together to the benefit of customers. I welcome the chance to work with the rest of the Board to ensure Criterion is well placed to support our industry.”

Criterion also works in partnership with TeX on the STAR initiative to deliver a cross-industry framework of good practice for improving consumer experience in moving their money from one financial institution to another.

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