The Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA), which represents the common interests of the world’s leading financial and capital market participants, has appointed Allison Parent as its new Executive Director, effective 19 June.
Parent will succeed David Strongin who announced his retirement earlier this year. In this role, Parent will be responsible for the day-to-day management of GFMA including all policy initiatives, advocacy and communications efforts. Parent will be based in SIFMA’s Washington, DC office and report directly to the CEO of GFMA.
“We are thrilled to welcome Allison to GFMA,” says Mark Austen (pictured), CEO of GFMA and CEO of the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA). “She brings two decades of strong legal, regulatory and financial policy expertise to GFMA’s advocacy efforts.”
GFMA brings together three of the world’s leading financial trade associations to address the increasingly important global regulatory agenda and to promote coordinated advocacy efforts. The Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) in London, Brussels and Frankfurt, the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) in Hong Kong and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) in New York and Washington are, respectively, the European, Asian and North American members of GFMA.
Sandra O’Connor, Chair of GFMA and Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Co, adds, “Allison has a broad and detailed understanding of the industry, and is conversant with the key global standards setting bodies, as well as those at the regional level. Her deep experience will be an asset to GFMA as we continue to advocate for effective and efficient global markets.”
Parent most recently served as Head of Global Policy and Strategy at Barclays, London. Previously, she served as Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel for Markets at the Bank of England. Prior to that she was Director for Government Policy and Finance with Barclays in Washington, DC. Earlier in her career she served as General Counsel to the US Senate Committee on the Budget. Parent earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and her law degree from South Texas College of Law.
Parent will succeed David Strongin, who announced his retirement in March after thirty-five years of service to the GFMA, SIMFA, and its predecessor the Securities Industry Association. “David Strongin is among the most respected and knowledgeable international policy advocates for our industry having played a critical role in all of the major cross-border regulatory and trade issues during the last three decades,” says SIFMA President and CEO Kenneth E Bentsen, Jr.
