ShareSoc News

What inspired you to join ShareSoc's board and what motivates you to represent retail investors? I have seen the investment industry from both sides of the table. I spent over twenty years as a professional investor in emerging markets within large institutional houses, working in London, Edinburgh and Singapore, with stints in risk management and financial regulation before moving into academia. Today, I am a university lecturer teaching finance and investing, and I invest my own money as a private investor like ...

Why did I join the ShareSoc board? My professional background is investment banking. In 2016, I was working part-time for a fledgling asset manager and looking to build a portfolio of non-executive directorships. I saw an advertisement for the chair role at ShareSoc and realised I knew one of the existing directors. The role sounded intriguing and offered an opportunity to contribute towards improving the UK’s investment framework.  I chaired the organisation for five years, stepping down to a director role in 2021; I now focus primarily on ShareSoc’s policy and campaigns activities.  I ...

SIGnet, the national network of individual investor groups, is excited to announce the launch of a new virtual group focused on Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) investing. The group will meet online, with sessions held via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, most likely in the evening. Investors of all levels of experience are welcome to join. SIGnet groups typically meet monthly, to give individual investors the opportunity to socialise, discuss investments, and learn from each other. The primary goal is to improve members' knowledge and investment decision-making processes through open discussion and ...

ShareSoc, the UK’s premier membership organisation for individual investors, is delighted to announce the appointment of Thera Prins as Non-Executive Director. Thera Prins has worked in retail financial services for more than 30 years, including the last decade as a UK CEO delivering products and services to individual investors. Her experience spans supporting frequent traders, executives, commercial nominee holders, employee shareholders, and investors with certificated holdings.  Throughout her career, she has developed a strong passion for making personal finance, share ownership, and investing easier for individuals to understand, ...

On Wednesday, 29th April 2026, Cliff Weight (member of the ShareSoc Policy & Education committees) represented ShareSoc at the FCA Consumer Network meeting. This forum is an informal touchpoint where we can ensure that the voice of the individual shareholder is heard by senior FCA leadership, including on this occasion Director Sheldon Mills.  The agenda covered the future of retail financial services, specifically focusing on Consumer Duty and the role of Artificial Intelligence in investor education.  Our three key interventions for individual investors  During the session, ...

SIGnet, the national network of individual investor groups, is excited to announce the launch of a new in-person group based in the East Midlands area. The group will meet in the evening, most likely on a weekday. Investors of all levels of experience are welcome to join.   SIGnet groups typically meet monthly, to give individual investors the opportunity to socialise, discuss investments, and learn from each other. The primary goal is to improve members' knowledge and investment decision-making processes through open discussion and mutual education.  You are invited to an initial online launch meeting to hear more about the group, meet other investors, and confirm the details of future group meetings. The launch meeting will be held on Zoom at 5pm on 22nd June ...

In Memoriam  ShareSoc is sad to announce the death of Chris Spencer‑Phillips. Chris was a valued Non‑Executive Director of the organisation from 2012 to 2022 and remained an active member of the West Sussex SIGnet group.  Chris brought to ShareSoc a wealth of experience from his work with boards and businesses, including his leadership at First Flight Non‑Executive Directors. He was widely respected for his insights into board effectiveness, remuneration, and corporate accountability - areas in which he consistently emphasised the importance of aligning management with shareholder interests.  He was also a former director of Rye Golf Club and a council member of the Racehorse Owners’ Association.  Chris’s passing is a loss to ShareSoc and to the ...