Top 10 Most Influential: Richard Gilbert

WHEN Richard Gilbert entered the Top 10 Most Influential People list last year, he had only just stepped into his new role as chief executive of one of the country’s most influential lobby groups and one of the industry’s largest associations.

Little more than a year later, Gilbert is again being applauded for his continued lobbying efforts, but also for managing to fill the shoes of formerInvestment and Financial Services Association(IFSA) chief executive Lynn Ralph.

While Gilbert took up the post at a challenging time for the industry and investors, according to our voters he has “grown into the role very well”.

Over the past year, the man who is commonly described as a “highly political animal” and who says advocacy is a hobby, has continued lobbying on behalf of the industry and consumers, with notable wins on many counts.

He has been recognised as one of the main drivers in combining the lobbying power of the industry and, according to our panel, “had a huge influence on issues we’ve dealt with as an industry, with fees being just one”.

Gilbert says he is flattered and honoured to make this year’s list, adding he thinks it is a good sign the industry is aware of the work being done by the association as “most of IFSA’s work is done in a non-public sphere”.