The Board of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) today announces that Simon Lewis OBE, its Chief Executive, will be stepping down from his role when his current contract expires at the end of October.

Simon was the founding CEO of AFME when he joined in 2010. Since then AFME has more than doubled in size with over 80 people now based in London, Brussels and Frankfurt. Simon has led a team that has developed the Association into a powerful voice for banks operating in Europe’s wholesale financial markets and ensured that AFME plays a pivotal role as a bridge between its members and policy makers in the UK and the EU27.

He has led the Association in its engagement with the European Commission on critical issues, such as Capital Markets Union, Banking Union and the implementation of MiFID II. He has also played a key role in the Association’s work on Brexit, which has sought to inform regulators and policy makers about the potential impact of Brexit on the functioning of Europe’s capital markets.

During almost a decade with the organisation, he has overseen the opening of the AFME offices in Brussels and Frankfurt, which are instrumental in the Association’s fact-based advocacy. He also established the Association’s Frankfurt and Paris advisory boards, made up primarily of members who are on the ground and help to steer the organisation’s expanding footprint in Europe. Under Simon’s leadership, AFME was recently recognised as “Overall Best European Association” at the European Association Awards 2019 in Brussels.

The AFME Board has commenced a process to identify a successor, to ensure there will be time for a smooth handover.

Michael Cole-Fontayn, AFME Chairman, said: “Simon has been the driving force behind AFME for the past nine years and we are deeply grateful for his leadership. Simon will hand over a flourishing organisation that has achieved so much on his watch and will continue to be a leading advocate for Europe’s financial markets for years to come.”

Simon Lewis said: “I am proud of all we have achieved at AFME as a team as we approach our tenth anniversary this year. Over these years we have navigated many significant market events and ensured that Europe’s wholesale financial markets participants have been able to inform policy and thinking at the highest level.”

“It has been a privilege to work for three outstanding Chairs over the last nine years and to have had such a supportive, engaged Board committed to the aims and ambitions of AFME. I would like to thank Michael Cole-Fontayn for all his support and expert stewardship of the Board. I am looking forward to welcoming my successor into a great organisation that has so much to deliver.”

-ENDS-