Access Financial Services launches new Equality Council 

Access Financial Services has announced the members of its new Equality Council.

The mortgage and protection brokerage says five members of staff will sit on the council: head of operations Amrit Bahee; Adrian Brewer, head of later life as well as the Access All Areas referral scheme; business quality assurance manager Kamelia Azaad; Megan Hind, an operations coordinator; and Adam Niedzielski, a protection admin supervisor.

Alongside Access FS employees, two brokers from the firm’s mortgage division will sit on the council: Rakhi Wojkowska and Areeb Jalali. They will be joined by two advisers from the brokerage’s protection team: Farhan Ali and Anita Wokomah.

The Equality Council aims to foster an inclusive environment by amplifying underrepresented voices and addressing systemic barriers. Its objectives include championing fair representation for marginalised groups, promoting allyship, and ensuring equitable opportunities for all staff and advisers. The Council will review company policies, advocate for inclusive practices, and hold Access FS accountable for its diversity and inclusion commitments.

Access FS unveiled the Equality Council at its 2025 annual conference in October and has since been taking applications from its 200 mortgage and protection brokers.

Nick Jones, mortgage sales and marketing director at Access FS, said: “By engaging with employees and advisers, the Equality Council seeks to identify challenges, propose solutions, and drive cultural change, ensuring we reflect the diverse communities we serve. Through regular feedback and transparent reporting, the Council is going to help embed D&I into our core operations, setting a benchmark for the industry. Given nine in every ten (92%) of Access FS’s advisers are from minority background – and are drawn from 23 different national communities, it was really important that we launched the council with a strong team. With these such a strong Access FS team on board, it’s off to a great start.”

Adrian Brewer, head of later life lending at Access FS, said: “The role of the Equality Council is to scrutinise what Access does, how we do it, and how we can improve to better embrace difference. By fostering open dialogue and actionable change, we want to ensure we represent marginalised groups and actively champion their voices. I feel very lucky to have so many passionate colleagues join me as we try to shape a fairer, more equitable future for Access FS and the wider industry.”