22 October 2026, Guildhall, City of London

Members of the Employee Share Ownership Centre, together with guests from business and private equity, gathered at Guildhall on 22 October for a High Table dinner devoted to financial literacy.

The guest of honour was the Rt Hon John Glen MP, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People. The evening was hosted by Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman Emeritus, who chaired the discussion, and Malcolm Hurlston CBE, Founder and Life President of the Centre.

The conversation was conducted under the Chatham House Rule, allowing participants to share ideas and information without identifying speakers or attributing individual remarks. Beginning with financial literacy and the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the discussion ranged across student loans, government debt, pensions, financial influencers, open banking, mortgages and artificial intelligence.

Underlying these diverse topics was a common question: how can people be better equipped to understand financial choices and make informed decisions throughout their lives?

Particular attention was given to measuring financial literacy through initiatives such as PISA and translating the findings into improvements in financial education and public policy. The discussion also considered the wider economic and social context, including the impact of artificial intelligence, changing employment patterns across generations and the implications for financial security and wealth creation.

These themes have special relevance to the Centre's work. Financial education should address not only the management of money and debt but also wealth creation, helping people understand saving, investment, risk and reward. Employee share ownership offers a practical means of financial participation, allowing employees to share in the wealth created by the businesses for which they work. Greater financial literacy helps employees make informed decisions about these opportunities, while share ownership itself can deepen financial understanding.

Financial literacy and employee share ownership can therefore be mutually reinforcing. Both contribute to the Centre's longstanding objective of enabling employees to participate more fully in the financial success of their businesses.

The Employee Share Ownership Centre thanks John Glen MP, the Guildhall Club and all who contributed to a stimulating and wide-ranging evening.

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