Sasha Wiggins Appointed Chair of UK Retail Investment Campaign

• According to Barclays research, 13 million UK adults hold approximately £430 billion of “possible investments” in cash savings.
• Only 11% of UK households currently own shares, a sharp decline from nearly 25% in 2003, placing the UK at the bottom of the G7 for retail investing.
• The announcement of a mass retail investment campaign reflects Barclays’ call for a renewed focus on supporting savers to become investors.

Barclays is pleased to share that Sasha Wiggins, Chief Executive of Private Bank and Wealth Management, has been announced Chair of the UK’s new retail investment campaign. This flagship initiative was launched by the Chancellor in July 2025 as part of the Leeds Reforms, designed to make the UK the lead destination for financial services businesses by 2035.

The multi-year, industry-funded initiative aims to reshape the UK’s investment culture by helping more people understand the long-term benefits of investing and encouraging more people to participate in capital markets. It is supported by His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), with the Investment Association (IA) acting as Secretariat.

The appointment of Sasha reflects Barclays’ long-standing commitment to improving financial inclusion and closing the UK’s investment gap. Barclays’ research estimates that 13 million UK adults hold approximately £430 billion in potential investments in cash savings, which could be invested. Despite this, only 11% of households currently own shares, down from nearly a quarter in 2003.

The campaign will focus on helping adults take their first steps into investing, and central to its approach will be increasing access to credible support to empower consumers. By tackling barriers and providing practical guidance, the campaign aims to build a more confident, engaged investing population, strengthening the economy we all live in and unlocking opportunities for growth.

Barclays’ research has highlighted the barriers that continue to hold people back from investing:

• 41% of non-investors cite fear of losing money
• 21% feel they lack sufficient knowledge
• 74% want help identifying the right investment type
• 63% want help comparing products

Barclays recognises the importance of confidence with money at every stage in life and this campaign will build on action the bank is taking to develop individual financial confidence across the UK. For more than a decade the bank’s LifeSkills programme has given millions of children and adults access to financial education and employability resources which have been used in 94% of UK secondary schools. In July, Barclays LifeSkills announced a new partnership with charity National Numeracy. Through this partnership, Barclays LifeSkills and National Numeracy will work together to support communities where the need for number skills is the greatest, training up a ‘numeracy champion’ in more than 60 primary schools in these areas with the aim of reaching over 13,000 children, parents, carers and staff and boosting their number confidence.  

Sasha Wiggins, Chief Executive of Private Bank and Wealth Management at Barclays, said: “I am extremely pleased to Chair this important initiative which will help more people in the UK understand the benefits of investing. For too long, the UK has had the lowest level of retail investing among G7 countries – and significantly lower levels than we saw in the UK two decades ago. This campaign will help make investing an everyday reality for more people. By increasing awareness, the campaign will aim to empower individuals to make informed financial decisions that will contribute to their future wellbeing.”

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About Barclays

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