The Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) has appointed Simon Lewis as chief executive, replacing Jonathan Taylor, who left the post in January 2010.
Mark Austen, AFME head of markets policy, who has been acting chief executive since Taylor's departure, has been appointed chief operating officer.
Prior to taking on his new role, Lewis was UK prime minister Gordon Brown's official spokesman from June 2009 until May 2010. Following the general election, he joined government advisory body UK Trade and Investment as strategic communications adviser. Previously, he had been group corporate affairs director at telecommunications firm Vodafone since 2004. From 1998 to 200, he served at Buckingham Palace in London as the first communications secretary to The Queen.
“Simon brings to AFME a unique blend of political insight, experience of operating in highly regulated industries and communications expertise,” commented Gael de Boissard, AFME chairman and head of global securities at Credit Suisse. “He will be an excellent and influential ambassador for the participants in the European financial markets and an inspiring leader for the association.”
AFME is a representative body for wholesale financial market participants Europe. Its members are pan-European and global banks as well as key regional banks, brokers, law firms and investors. The association has a global alliance with SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) in the US and ASIFMA (Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) through the Global Financial Markets Association.