Polar Capital Holdings has appointed Fiona Fry as a non-executive director of the London listed asset management group. The company confirmed the appointment in a directorate change notice issued through the Regulatory News Service of the London Stock Exchange on 7 September 2026. Fry will join the board following the conclusion of the company annual general meeting, which is scheduled for 24 September 2026.
She is one of two non-executive directors joining at the same point. David Melvin, also a chartered accountant, will be appointed alongside her at the close of the meeting. Melvin is a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee at Baronsmead Venture Trust, and his background covers corporate finance, transactions, investment banking and strategy, including advisory work with listed alternative investment businesses.
The additions form part of an orderly refresh of the board. Win Robbins will not stand for re-election at the annual general meeting and will step down as a non-executive director, having served since 22 June 2017 and completed a full nine year term. Andrew Ross, a current non-executive director, will take over as chair of the remuneration committee. Fry is set to succeed Alexa Coates as chair of the audit and risk committee in the new year, after a transitional handover period.
Fry graduated from Aston University in managerial and administrative studies and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1985. She went on to hold senior executive roles at accounting and regulatory bodies, serving as head of investigations at the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation and later at the Financial Services Authority. She subsequently focused on audit and risk at KPMG, and completed her executive career at Aviva plc as director of regulatory affairs.
Her current portfolio is concentrated in regulated financial services. Fry is a non-executive director of Revolut Bank UK Limited. At AJ Bell plc she is senior independent director and chairs the risk and compliance committee. She is also a non-executive director of Aviva Insurance Limited, where she chairs the risk committee. Polar Capital said she brings extensive non-executive experience and deep expertise in compliance, risk and the navigation of regulatory challenges.
David Lamb, chair of Polar Capital, said the company was delighted that both Fiona and David had agreed to join the board, and that their extensive experience, insight and business judgement across complementary business backgrounds would further strengthen it. He added that he looked forward to working with them in the years ahead.
For an asset manager quoted on AIM, the audit and risk committee chair is a load bearing role. The committee oversees financial reporting, external audit and the group approach to risk, in a sector where regulatory expectations on conduct, product governance and operational resilience continue to tighten. Placing a former regulator and long serving risk practitioner in that seat gives Polar Capital a chair who has worked on both sides of the supervisory relationship.
The company disclosed that Fry has no interest in its share capital at the date of appointment and no directorships held in the past five years beyond those listed. She is 67. Formal effect of the appointment depends on the conclusion of the annual general meeting on 24 September 2026.
