Directors

Andrew Harvey is Managing Director, Europe, of the Global FX Division of GFMA (the Global Financial Markets Association). The Division was formed in June 2010 to support efforts to promote an efficient FX market, monitor regulatory developments that could affect the market and assist the industry in building out the infrastructure of the future. While focused on Europe, Andrew has responsibilities for global initiatives as the Division seeks to harmonise evolving rules for FX across jurisdictions. Previously, Andrew was an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley where he worked for seven years - initially as European Head of FX and Cash Fixed Income. Andrew co-chaired the GFXD Operations Committee, and was an active member of the Bank of England Operations Committee. After leaving this role, Andrew ran the Global Emerging Markets Rates and Credit groups before moving to be the Global COO for Derivative Operations. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Andrew worked at Goldman Sachs for nine years within its Foreign Exchange group.

April Day is Managing Director, Head of Equities Capital Markets. With a strong background in investment banking, her previous roles have included Director of Equity Sales for both Dresdner Kleinwort and Panmure Gordon. April holds a Legal Practice Certificate from the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice and an LLB (Hons) in Business Law.

Constance is part of the Prudential team and works across a number of areas including risk weighted assets, non-performing loans, cross border aspects of CRDV and green finance. She also works on preparations for CRDVI/CRR3 and the prudential aspects of cross-cutting issues such as Capital Markets Union and Banking Union. Constance joined AFME from HSBC, where she was Prudential and Trade Policy Manager with responsibilities, amongst other things, for assessing upcoming international regulatory standards, and assisting in formulating and advocating policy positions with high-level policy makers and European legislators. Prior to that, Constance worked as a Policy Expert at the EBA on promoting supervisory convergence in relation to CRR. Constance started her career in the European Parliament where she was Policy Advisor to UK MEP Sharon Bowles for three and a half years. Alongside managing the Brussels office, she had a broad range of responsibilities, including the drafting and negotiation of amendments to a wide range of post-crisis financial services legislation. She has a BA Hons in Modern Languages from Pembroke College Oxford and is a German speaker.

David Ostojitsch is the Director of the Technology and Operations Division at AFME, having joined the association in June 2017. In this role, David brings together members to engage on matters of policy, advocacy and thought leadership, focused on three priority areas: Cyber Security, FinTech and Emerging Technologies, and Industry Utilities. Before joining AFME, David was a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specialising in IT Strategy and Technology Transformation in capital markets, investment management and insurance. During this time, David spent five years working in the Asia-Pacific financial services industry leading engagements in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Prior to management consulting, David worked in both the UK retail banking and IT outsourcing sectors.

Gary Simmons is the Managing Director of the AFME High Yield division, for which he leads AFME’s efforts to lower costs and increase efficiency in the execution of high-yield transactions, and lobbies for the reform of corporate insolvency laws. He also heads the AFME Prime Services division, which monitors business, legal and regulatory issues affecting the prime brokerage industry, and provides advocacy for member positions. Gary is a New York-qualified lawyer and was previously a senior associate at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. After an initial period in New York, Gary spent several years in London, gaining extensive experience in cross border and emerging markets debt transactions, particularly high-yield bond issuances and leveraged loans. Gary has a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law (with honors) and a Bachelor of Arts (with highest honors) from Rutgers University. Following law school, he was a law clerk to the Honorable William H. Walls of the United States Federal District Court, District of New Jersey.

Jouni Aaltonen leads the association’s work on several prudential dossiers at the global level as well as in their European implementation. He also guides the GFMA’s work on several initiatives in relation to the Basel Committee and FSB work programmes, and was seconded to Washington where he worked on the U.S. and global regulatory agenda. His current main prudential focus areas are broader global initiatives such as FSB’s regulatory fragmentation, too-big-to-fail and post-crisis reform evaluation as well as the regional implementation of the BCBS's operational risk, FRTB, and leverage ratio frameworks. Jouni began his banking career in cash management, later advancing into product management and financial and regulatory advisory. His main focus areas have been on product management, balance sheet efficiency, liquidity risk and new business initiatives. He has also been involved with major projects including legal entity simplification and building financial and regulatory platforms. Jouni holds a Master’s degree in International Business Administration.

Julian leads the cross-product MiFID/MiFIR Steering Committee at AFME. Julian has a broad product background in both fixed income and equities. Before joining AFME, Julian worked for Market Axess/TRAX in a senior sales and relationship management role responsible for market participants utilizing MiFID/MiFIR regulatory reporting and trade matching services. Prior to that, he was in senior relationship management in the prime services teams at JP Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and prior to that as Head of Membership at the London Stock Exchange. Julian read Economics at The University of Reading and has an MBA from Henley Business School.

Julio Suarez is AFME’s Research Director and leads on the production of AFME’s quarterly data reports on European capital markets and the annual Capital Markets Union (CMU) Key Performance Indicators report. He has also written several key analytical reports including on Insolvency Reform and Capital Markets in Central and Eastern Europe. More broadly, he is also engaged in AFME’s work on Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) and CMU matters. Prior to joining AFME, Julio was Senior Economist at BBVA, leading macroeconomic and financial sector analysis. Julio has a BSc in Economics, BEng in Industrial Engineering and a MSc in Economics from Los Andes University in Colombia as well as a Master in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Louise Rodger is responsible for the running of AFME’s Compliance Committee and associated working groups. Louise joined AFME in July 2017, as Director, Compliance. Previously, Louise spent six years at the Financial Conduct Authority, most recently engaged in their implementation of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II. Louise has also worked in legal and regulatory policy roles at the Electoral Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and Ofcom. Louise has a BA in English & History from Greenwich University.

Mark Bearman is a director in the Prudential Regulation Division. His main focus is in relation to regulatory capital and liquidity standards arising from Basel III/CRD4 and from developments to the wider prudential framework. Mark has degrees in Economics and Financial Services and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. Prior to joining AFME in January 2011, Mark was a Manager in KPMG's Risk and Regulatory Practice. He worked primarily on Basel II proposition and its implementation, which included the provision of analysis of the post Basel II environment and its implications, the design and completion of ICAAP documents, and leading work on assessing the effectiveness of Basel II implementation. In his later years with KPMG, Mark's work expanded to include also engagements on liquidity and the preparation of ILAA documents. Before joining KPMG, Mark worked for several years in banking supervision at the Financial Services Authority where he was primarily responsible for the risk assessment and supervision of wholesale banking groups.

Oliver Moullin is Managing Director, Brexit and Head of Recovery and Resolution. He is also AFME’s General Counsel and Company Secretary. Oliver joined AFME in 2012 and leads AFME’s work on Brexit and Recovery and Resolution policy. He also advises on legal and governance matters. Prior to joining AFME, Oliver was a Senior Associate at the law firm Hogan Lovells, where he advised on restructurings and insolvencies of large companies and financial institutions crisis, including Lehman Brothers, MF Global, the Icelandic banks and Irish banks. He also spent a period on secondment to Barclays’ legal team. Oliver has a law degree from the University of Bristol.

Pablo is Managing Director in AFME’s Advocacy Division. His main focus is analysis and engagement across Europe on securities markets and banking regulation, having led AFME’s advocacy work in various regulatory debates and cross-cutting projects. Pablo is responsible for AFME’s horizontal work on the Capital Markets Union and is a Member of the Board of the European Capital Markets Institute. Prior to joining AFME, he was engaged with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, where he worked on financial reporting, auditing and financial sector issues. His experience includes roles in European organisations and the United Nations. Born in Peru, he holds a BSc Econ (first class) from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and a Masters Degree (with distinction) from the London School of Economics.

Pedro Pinto is Director for Advocacy at AFME's Brussels Office. Pedro has more than 15 years’ experience working in the financial services industry. Prior to his current position he worked at NYSE Euronext where he headed the Legal and Regulatory department in Lisbon for 6 years. Mr. Pinto held these responsibilities in conjunction with his position as Chief Compliance Officer for the NYSE Euronext Lisbon market. From 2002 to 2005, he was a Senior Legal and Regulatory Counsel at Euronext and Euronext Lisbon Corporate Secretary. Pedro started his career as a Lawyer in a Portuguese law firm alongside tenure as a lecturer in economics at the Law School of the University of Lisbon. Mr. Pinto is a lawyer by training with a degree in law and post graduated studies in Securities Law from the Law School of the University of Lisbon and executive management studies at the INSEAD and at the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.

Richard Hopkin is Head of Fixed Income and a managing director in the Securitisation Division. He joined AFME in June 2010 after a 25 year career in the law and finance during which he held leadership positions at J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Société Générale. He has originated, structured and distributed securitisations funding the real economy through a wide variety of asset classes including mortgages, credit cards, auto, consumer and SME loans, from across Europe, Australia and the US. Born and brought up in Wales, Richard read law at Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor with leading international law firm Clifford Chance.

Richard Middleton is Managing Director and Head of AFME’s Policy Division, which focuses on European Compliance, Sustainable Finance, Financial Reporting, Valuation and European Tax. Prior to joining AFME, Richard was a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns, and Executive Director at GE Capital. Richard qualified as a chartered accountant with EY. Richard has an MA and DPhil in Mathematics from Oxford University.

Sahir Akbar is Managing Director, Prudential Regulation and Head of Finance. His main policy focus is own funds, large exposures, counterparty credit risk and credit valuation adjustment, as well as being primary contact for accounting issues, working closely with AFME’s Accounting division. He began his career as an auditor in the financial services audit division of KPMG, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant before moving into banking supervision at the Financial Services Authority (FSA). At the FSA and its successor, the Prudential Regulation Authority, he supervised a number of Category 1 wholesale and investment banks in the International Banks division and qualified as a CFA charter holder before managing the supervision of a portfolio of UK banks.

Stefano Mazzocchi is Managing Director for Advocacy at AFME's Brussels Office. Stefano has spent two years (2010-2011) as a Policy Advisor in the Regulatory Affairs Department at the Institute of International Finance in Washington DC. Prior to his work at the IIF, for six years Stefano Mazzocchi has worked for Intesa Sanpaolo's International Regulatory and Antitrust Affairs office as a Regulatory Advisor. Stefano spent five years at the European Parliament (1999-2004) as an Economic Advisor in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. In recent years he has also been a regular contributor for a number of Italian newspapers on key political and regulatory developments in the EU. Mr. Mazzocchi is an economist by training. He has a degree in Economics from the Università Politecnica delle Marche and a Master in Finance from Solvay Business School - Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Stephen Burton joined AFME in January 2011 and is Managing Director of the Post Trade division, with particular responsibility for matters related to clearing, settlement and custody. Previously, Stephen was responsible for implementation of equity business strategy in the post trade arena at Deutsche Bank. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Citi working with Operational groups to deliver pan-European market initiatives and represented the company at various market infrastructure user groups. Prior to joining AFME, Stephen was an active member of the clearing and settlement committees concentrating on post-trade cost reduction and safety.

Victoria is AFME’s Director of Fixed Income, having joined the association in November 2015. She is responsible for the AFME Primary Dealers, Credit and Covered Bond Boards, focusing on developments in regulation, policy and market structure. Victoria has more than 19 years of fixed income experience in banking, vendor sales, broking and market making. Prior to joining AFME, Victoria worked at Barclays Investment Bank in a role focused on fixed income electronic trading.