The CISI has appointed Emma Black Chartered FCSI, co-founder and CEO of Cascade Cash Management, as its new President of the CISI North East Committee.

She takes over from Peter Douglas Chartered FCSI.

The CISI is the professional body which awards the Certified Financial Planner designation in the UK and has 50,000 members, nearly half of them students.

Ms Black helped to co-found a wealth management company called Tier One Capital and built a 'compare-the-market' savings tool called Cascade Cash Management, which was spun out into a standalone business in 2015.

She then co-founded a new bank - GB Bank - in 2017 that obtained its full banking licence in 2022. 

She has won several awards including Start-Up Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Recently she won Female Entrepreneur of the Year at Forward Ladies. She is a CISI Chartered Fellow (Chartered FCSI).

She was born in the North East but has lived around the UK and was raised in a family involved in professional sport. 

She was educated at Durham University where she achieved her BA (Hons), MSc and PhD specialising in in Behavioural Finance and M&A. She has lectured across undergraduate and post-graduate levels at Durham University, Newcastle University and Leeds University.

She was also deputy director of Postgraduate Programmes at Newcastle University, where she linked the university to CISI. 

Ms Black said: “It's been wonderful to be a part of the CISI family for six years now on the North East committee.

“I’m honoured by the opportunity to take the reins from the wonderful Peter Douglas and step into the President's role. Peter has worked hard and set in place a fantastic platform on which we can build. The North East is an exciting region with great opportunities today. Inward investment combined with a great talent pool makes the region a great place to live and work.”

Outgoing committee President Peter Douglas Chartered FCSI said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being able to make a contribution to the CISI and especially its most critical component – the membership, over the past four years, during which I’ve been very well supported by Colin Anderson and my colleagues on the North East committee.”

Tracy Vegro, CISI chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Emma as the CISI’s new North East committee president. We all look forward to supporting her and the committee in their work on developing the strategy for membership for the year to come. We must also extend our thanks to Peter Douglas for his leadership and vision.”