Shepherds Friendly has appointed Michael Williams as its first chief change officer.
This strategic addition to the mutual’s executive team comes as it prepares for a period of modernisation and growth in the lead-up to its 200th anniversary in 2026.
Williams (pictured) joins the society with more than 15 years of experience in managing large-scale business transformation and developing project management frameworks across a range of sectors.
His previous roles include a senior leadership position at Schroders Personal Wealth, where he served as portfolio, programme and project lead.
He joined the financial planning venture — backed by Lloyds Banking Group and Schroders — in 2020, shortly after its market launch.
Before that, he spent over nine years at PwC, most recently as the north change team leader. In that role, he worked with both early-stage businesses and multinational firms, helping to assure the delivery of major change programmes.
CHANGE REMIT
At Shepherds Friendly, Williams will lead the mutual’s key transformation initiatives, ensuring they are closely aligned with strategic business objectives. His remit spans oversight of the society’s change agenda, with a focus on ensuring the delivery of value to its growing membership base.
His appointment coincides with the society’s expansion of its intermediary reach through new distribution partnerships with SimplyBiz and The Money Group. These agreements support Shepherds Friendly’s ambition to modernise its platform and product range in response to changing customer expectations.
Williams said: “I’m extremely excited to join Shepherds Friendly, an organisation of like-minded people with a very attractive workplace culture.
“I look forward to working with teams across the society to determine which initiatives are best aligned with its strategy and provide the best value to members, then delivering on these with integrity.”
Ann-Marie O’Dea, chief executive officer at Shepherds Friendly, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Michael into our team at what is a pivotal time for both our organisation and the mutual sector.
“We anticipate significant growth and change in the near future and Michael’s experience in guiding businesses through similar processes will be invaluable as we move forward.”
