The Personal Finance Society (PFS) has appointed Caroline Stuart as the professional body’s new President.

She is the first Paraplanner to fill the role in the organisation’s history.

Ms Stuart takes over from Financial Planner Sarah Lord, who served as PFS President for two years.

Ms Lord will remain as an adviser to the PFS board.

Ms Stuart has been on the PFS board for four years and has served two years as vice-president.

She was officially appointed to the role at the recent PFS annual general meeting.

Today she called for more people to join the Financial Planning profession.

Ms Stuart said: “I would like to thank Sarah for the incredibly important role she has played during her term both as a Board member and our President.

“I am looking forward to continuing her good work as we seek to build on recent principles of agreement with the Chartered Insurance Institute, engage with PFS members about their priorities for the wider profession and help policymakers and regulators recognise the important role our members can play during the UK’s cost of living crisis.

“One of those priorities must be around attracting more people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and ages with the goal of creating a profession as diverse as the public we serve. It is the job of myself, the Board, the leadership and our members to show that a career in financial planning is worthwhile, fulfilling and can deliver progression for anyone.”

Ms Stuart is the second key leadership for the professional body over the past couple of months.

In August the PFS appointed Don MacIntyre as interim CEO, with a permanent CEO expected to take over the role in the new year.

Last week Ms Stuart and Mr MacIntyre announced at the professional body’s AGM that PFS member fees will be frozen for the next two years, to help members during the cost-of-living crisis.