The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has announced the appointment of two new board members: Dr Desmond Bermingham, chair of the education & learning committee (ELC), and Jon Graham, chair of the audit & risk committee (ARC). Bermingham and Graham join the CII board for an initial three-year term, effective from 3rd June 2024.
Dr Helen Phillips, CII group chair, said: “The CII Group Board warmly welcomes Desmond and Jon, who each bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their respective positions. We look forward to working alongside them both, as we continue in our pursuit of building public trust in the insurance and financial planning professions.”
Bermingham said: “It is an honour to join the CII Board and serve the organisation’s membership as chair of the education and learning committee. The work delivered by the CII to the insurance and financial planning field is of immense value, and I look forward to making my contribution towards this.”
Graham said: “It is my great pleasure to be appointed as chair of the audit & risk committee. I am delighted to join the CII Board, and work alongside the esteemed individuals who deliver opportunity for growth and progress within the insurance sector.”
Bermingham also serves as chair of the independent technical advisory panel for the Global Partnership for Education at the World Bank and is a non-executive director for Greenheart Action Ltd. His previous leadership roles include UK chief executive of the Australian Council for Education Research, director of programmes for the Varkey Foundation, and managing director of the Education Above All Foundation and Educate a Child International.
Graham trained as a chartered accountant before moving into professional training, specialising in audit and financial reporting. He has held several leadership roles in training businesses, including a successful management buyout before being appointed managing director of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
He has also served as a skills advisor to the government and sat on the board of the Skills Funding Agency and their audit and risk committee. Currently, he is the deputy chair of the audit and risk committee of the British Medical Association and a non-executive director of the Education and Training Foundation.
