Responding to the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech on Tuesday 14 July 2026, Annette Spencer, Chief Executive of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT), said:
“The measures outlined by the Chancellor at Mansion House recognise the importance of ensuring the UK’s financial system continues to support investment, growth and competitiveness. Corporate treasurers welcome the focus on improving access to finance and upskilling the financial services workforce through The Financial Services Skills Compact."
“Only the very largest organisations have straightforward access to capital driven in part by their ability to access international markets. The ACT has long argued that for the UK to thrive, access to capital must be readily available to all, so we are pleased to see the expansion of the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee, which will provide much-needed support to SMEs."
“Corporates require access to a deep pool of talent, so the introduction of the Financial Services Skills Compact is a step in the right direction, but it only applies to financial firms. We therefore encourage the government to consider extending its remit, so that professionals on the ‘buy side’ - who run the finances of UK plc corporates - can benefit from the initiative as well."
“As the voice of corporate treasurers and the real economy, the ACT will continue to work with government, regulators and industry to ensure these measures deliver practical benefits for businesses of all sizes while maintaining the resilience and integrity of the UK’s financial system. A stable, predictable policy environment – coupled with a workforce that is equipped with the skills needed to harness rapid technological change - remains essential to supporting investment, managing financial risk and driving sustainable economic growth.”
Read the ACT reaction to the Chancellor's Mansion House speech here
Image credit: Michael Gwyther-Jones from London, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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