Ian was the Financial Conduct Authority’s team lead from 2013-2026 - a technical specialist on co-ops and mutuals, offering these organisations expert advice and support. He is a chartered secretary and governance professional, and a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute. After studying law and being called to the Bar in 2010, Ian worked for Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber and Co-operatives Yorkshire and Humber.  He has held a number of roles in the co-op movement, serving as chair of UKSCS from 2015 to 2020 (he’s currently a trustee and secretary); vice chair of Co-operative Heritage Trust;  and chair of the London Co-op Party. Ian is author of Co-operatives: Linking practice and theory (published by Co-operative Press and UKSCS, 2025) and, in 2026, was appointed a Society Secretary for Our COOP (the UK's largest independent co-operative society recently formed by bringing together Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-op, and Chelmsford Star Co-op).