The document summarizes the agenda for the MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015. The conference will bring together industry leaders and frontline workers from organizations operating in debt, debt advice, debt collection, and related sectors in the UK. Key topics to be discussed include fairness to consumers and creditors, the role of regulators, and new approaches to dealing with debt issues. The agenda includes keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops on topics such as unlocking pensions, debt collection practices, and supporting small business owners with debt. The goal of the conference is to promote better practices in the personal debt sector through open debate and sharing of ideas.

2. www.malg.org.uk MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015
What is MALG?
What is MALG?
The Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG), formed in 1987, is a non-policy
making discussion forum. Its aim is to promote better communication, best
practice, understanding and professionalism among organisations operating
on a national level with people in debt, debt advice, debt collection and all
related ancillary matters within the United Kingdom. It has 56 such national
bodies in its membership.
Who should attend?
The Conference is recommended to anyone working with people in debt,
debt advice, debt collection and all related sectors. We aim to strike a
balance of delegates.
The event will offer all delegates excellent networking opportunities across
all sectors, a rattling good debate, informative workshops and
thought-provoking speakers as well as the chance to admire the college!
Individuals who have successfully completed the IMA-led Certificate in
Money Advice Practice are able once again to obtain CPD points for
attendance without charge.

3. www.malg.org.uk MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015
About the Conference
About the Conference
All’s fair in love and war - but what about debt? Our theme this year is once
again controversial in tone but its focus will be on fairness.
Sadly all is not always fair in love or in war, but surely in the arena of personal debt
we should all strive to achieve fairness. Fairness to the consumer, fairness to the
creditor and fairness to the adviser. The FCA correctly believes in proportionality
in their dealings with the industry. They are not a consumer champion, of their
own admission, even though what is fair to the consumer is paramount in their
thinking. They equally have to ensure fairness to everyone they deal with - are
they doing this? Are we seeing an overall improvement in the way creditors and
debt collection companies are treating their customers? Are advisers always
offering the best solution for their clients when case time restriction, resource and
commercial gain keep ‘knocking at the door’?
Our Conference therefore wants to tackle these debates head-on and we hope
very much that you will wish to join with us and get involved.
The MALG Conference has a long and rich history of bringing together creditors,
regulators, debt collectors, advisers and other interested groups to help improve
practices in the personal debt sector. Here is another challenge that we need to
face together.
This year’s Conference will bring together industry leaders and frontline workers
to discuss some of the central issues facing the debt advice and creditor sectors.
Our Conference Chair this year will be Liz Barclay, broadcaster, writer and
author and the keynote speaker is the well-respected and innovative presenter
Justin Urquhart Stewart. Once again we will hold MALG’s famous panel debate
and interactive workshops and our exhibition will be as large as ever providing
that ever-important networking opportunity.
Anthony Sharp, Chair

4. www.malg.org.uk MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015
Programme
09.00 - 10.00
10.00 - 10.45
10.45 - 11.10
11.15 - 12.30
Registration & Exhibition, networking and refreshments
Conference housekeeping and administrative matters - Anthony Sharp,
Chair of MALG
Welcome to the Conference and Introduction by the Conference Chair -
Liz Barclay, Freelance journalist and broadcaster
“All’s fair in love and war - but what about debt?” Keynote Speaker -
Justin Urquhart Stewart, Director & co-founder, Seven Investment
Management
Coffee & Exhibition
Four optional Workshops - Session 1
A. “Unlock your pension - who stands to benefit?”
Presenters: Nick Lord, Consultant
Henry Aitchison, Senior Policy Adviser, Finance & Leasing
Association
Facilitator: Jane Vass, Head of Public Policy, Age UK
Scribe: Keith Osborne, Counsellor, Health & Wellbeing, Metropolitan
Police & representing MALG’s South East Discussion Forum
B. “Debt collection by local authorities and creditors - are they playing
by the same rules?”
Presenters: Lesley Pigott, Assistant Director of Finance (Revenues),
Camden Council
Peter Wallwork, Chief Executive Officer, Credit Services
Association
Facilitator: Alistair Chisholm, Creditor Liaison Policy Officer, Partnership
Intelligence Team, Citizens Advice
Scribe: Darryl Matthews, Group Head of External Relations, Harrington
Brooks and representing MALG’s Midlands Discussion Forum
C. “New approaches to dealing with debt - where Scotland leads should
the rest of the UK follow?”
Presenters: Christine Sinclair, Treasurer, Money Advice Scotland
Ian Fiddeman, Policy Director, Retail, British Bankers’
Association
Facilitator: Andrew Smith, Debt Resolution Forum and Director of
Marketing, External Affairs & Compliance, ClearDebt
Scribe: Yasmin Mohammed, Debt Advisor, Tameside Metropolitan
Borough Council

5. www.malg.org.uk MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015
Programme (Continued)
12.30 - 13.45
13.45 - 14.00
14.00 - 15.05
15.10 -16.25
16.30 -16.35
16.35 -17.30
D. “Small business owners‘ debt - the elephant in the room?”
Presenters: Claire King, Insight Manager, Money Advice Trust
Dawn Jennings, Adviser, Business Debtline
Facilitator: Leigh Berkley, President, Credit Services Association & Director
of External Affairs & Development, Arrow Global
Scribe: Phill Holdsworth, Proprietor of Phill Holdsworth Consultancy
and representing MALG’s North East Discussion Forum
Lunch & Exhibition
Valedictory speech by the Chair of MALG Anthony Sharp
Panel session - A question of fairness chaired by Liz Barclay
Panelists: Robert Skinner, Chief Executive, Lending Standards Board
Caroline Wayman, Chief Executive & Chief Ombudsman,
Financial Ombudsman Service
Paul Smee, Director General, Council of Mortgage Lenders
Yvonne MacDermid OBE, Chief Executive, Money Advice
Scotland
Four optional Workshops (repeated) - Session 2
Summary and close of Conference by Conference Chair
Post-Conference drinks reception & Exhibition

6. MALG is very grateful to the companies and organisations
below who have generously made sponsorship donations
towards the 2015 Conference & Exhibition.
SPONSORS - MALG Annual
Conference & Exhibition 2015
THE MONEY ADVICE LIAISON GROUP
c/o David Legg, Conference Manager
4 Squires Close
Crawley Down
West Sussex
RH10 4JQ
Tel: 01342 713152
Mobile: 0777 4026045
Email: davidlegg@malg.org.uk
www.malg.org.uk
@MALGconf
www.malg.org.uk MALG Annual Conference & Exhibition 2015
Follow us on Twitter at
@MALGconf and join in
the conversation using
#MALG15
for generously providing social media
support and photography.
MALG wishes to thank National
Consumer Federation Services CIC