FWD Research, a leading consultancy firm in the financial services sector, has announced the expansion of its market research and customer experience insight team with the appointment of Martin Grimwood, as Director of Research. Martin will be responsible for offering consultancy and research services that support firms in the successful implementation of Consumer Duty across their businesses.

With over 30 years of experience within the financial services industry, Martin has played a key role in leading research and consulting support to both service providers and regulatory bodies. His deep understanding of customer experience and customer protection has been instrumental in helping clients enhance their operations while ensuring compliance within regulatory frameworks.

•  Martin will be responsible for providing consultancy and research services to support the financial services sector in implementing Consumer Duty across their businesses.
• His vast regulatory experience allows the FWD offering to be cutting edge and relevant to the challenges the industry now faces under this new legislation.

At FWD Research, Martin’s immediate focus will be assisting clients in leveraging research insights to develop robust information architectures. These architectures are vital in measuring and monitoring customer outcomes, a crucial aspect of adhering to the Consumer Duty framework. With his understanding of the regulator’s compliance expectations, Martin is well-equipped to guide organisations in implementing effective strategies that align with regulatory requirements while enhancing customer satisfaction.

By leveraging Martin’s expertise, FWD aims to empower businesses to meet their obligations in delivering outstanding customer experiences and upholding consumer protection.

Commenting on his appointment, Martin said: “Regulated firms have accomplished so much in the past year preparing for the Consumer Duty deadline in July. They now have the summer to take a breath before reviewing their plans and identifying new priorities.  One priority will be to audit the information used to measure and monitor customer outcomes. There is both a regulatory requirement and a commercial reward for getting this stage right. I look forward to working with the FWD team to help clients develop their Duty information architecture to not only meet their regulatory obligations but to also become truly customer centric.

FWD Joint Managing Director Elliot Lane said: “We are delighted Martin has decided to join the business at this crucial time, as the financial services community faces the challenges of the Consumer Duty legislation. Martin’s experience of working alongside the FCA and his experience in developing consumer protection frameworks, including measuring customer outcomes and characteristic of vulnerability, means he is uniquely qualified to advise clients in this sector.

“We know that Martin’s extensive knowledge of the industry will undoubtedly help FWD achieve its 2023/4 plans. We have full confidence in his ability to assist our clients in driving change and leading FWD to reach new milestones.”