Stonebridge, the national mortgage and insurance network, has welcomed the appointment of Rob Clifford to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Smaller Business Practitioner Panel.

The Panel is an independent, statutory body established in April 2013 and exists to “represent the interests of practitioners of firms of small or medium size within their sector… across the range of regulated activities as regulated by the FCA”.

The Smaller Business Practitioner Panel has a key remit “to provide input to the FCA from the industry in order to help it in meeting its strategic and operational objectives from a smaller business standpoint”.

All members of the Panel are senior level representatives from each of the major regulated sectors, who join in a personal capacity rather than representing a particular firm.

Clifford’s appointment – for an initial three-year term – was formally approved by the FCA Board before Christmas and he represents the mortgage advice sector.

Members of the Panel are recruited through open competition and following a thorough due diligence process, the FCA states.

Clifford (pictured), chief executive of Stonebridge, said: “Having served the mortgage industry as both a founding director of the Mortgage Code Compliance Board and as a deputy chairman at AMI, I was really keen to continue to be an advocate for mortgage advice businesses in a formal capacity.

“Given the cost-of-living pressures facing both our customers and threatening the survival of some smaller mortgage advice businesses, not to mention the significant regulatory burden facing firms due to the Consumer Duty and AR Regime changes, I am pleased to have been appointed to the Panel at such a critical time.

“I look forward to doing my bit to help the FCA meet its strategic objectives and consistently remind the FCA about the impact of regulation on smaller firms such as mortgage advisers.”