Alasdair is the founder and CEO of Aquis Exchange PLC: a creator and facilitator of next-generation financial markets through the provision of accessible, simple and efficient stock exchanges, trading venues and technology.

One of the FT1000’s fastest-growing companies in Europe (and in the UK’s top 100), Aquis is a challenger and innovator in capital markets. It consists of three divisions: Aquis Markets, a subscription-based exchange offering pan-European cash equities trading; Aquis Technologies, which develops and licenses next-generation exchange technology globally; and Aquis Stock Exchange, a growth and regulated primary exchange delivering capital to companies via the listing and trading of shares.

In addition to running Aquis, Alasdair is the Chairman of TheCityUK’s Business Council and he also sits on the FCA’s Practitioners’ Panel. Prior to establishing Aquis, Alasdair was CEO of Chi-X Europe (now Cboe) and CEO of ITG International (now Virtu). Alasdair began his 30 plus-year career in the City with Morgan Grenfell and has held senior positions at a number of investment banks, including HSBC and UBS.

Andrew Griffith is the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister. He is a former senior business executive and investor who now sits in the UK Parliament.

He served on Sky’s Board of Directors from 2008 until 2019, being the youngest FTSE100 Chief Financial Officer on his appointment. Between 2014-2019, Andrew was a Non-Executive Director of FoodTech start up, Just Eat plc and served for a year as its Chairman.

In July 2019, Andrew was appointed as the PM’s Chief Business Adviser and from February-July 2022 he was the Minister for Policy and Head of the 10 Downing Street Policy Unit.

As UK Financial Services Managing Partner, Anna is responsible for a team of over 200 partners and 4,500 people dedicated to serving the UK financial services industry. Anna is responsible for some of the member firm’s largest clients globally, and is the first female financial services leader in the UK.

As a tax professional, Anna previously ran the EY EMEIA Financial Services Tax & Legal practice, where she helped shape the innovation of EY tax services, developing technology-led solutions for clients and building the legal offering within EY EMEIA financial services.

Anna works closely with the corporate social responsibility team, and plays a pivotal role driving the organization’s sustainability agenda.

In addition to her role at EY, Anna is a Non-Executive Director for the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange, a non-profit organization providing leadership in promoting international trade and investment flows.

Anna read Law at Cambridge, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002.

In October 2016, Anne Marie Verstraeten was appointed UK Country Head for the BNP Paribas Group. Previously, she had been CEO and Country Head of BNP Paribas The Netherlands from July 2014 untill September 2016, leading the Dutch BNP Paribas Corporate and Institutional Bank and overseeing the other six BNP Paribas group activities in The Netherlands. From August 2010 to June 2014 she was CEO and Country Head of BNP Paribas Canada, overseeing the bank's offices in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary. She was a member of the BNP Paribas North America Management Team. Anne Marie Verstraeten holds a degree in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp. She graduated with a master's degree in International Economics from the University of Louvain. Anne Marie Verstraeten started her banking career in Belgium and subsequently took up business development and management positions in Private, Commercial and Corporate & Investment Banking in New York, London and Singapore in various entities and affiliated companies of the Belgian Generale Bank and Belgian/Dutch Fortis Bank Groups. Before joining BNP Paribas in 2009 she was Global Head of Energy of Fortis bank, out of London and Rotterdam. This position entailed overseeing the bank's worldwide Energy Structured Finance business and relationship management for the utilities, oil and gas sectors. She belongs to the Guild of International Bankers in London and is a Freeman of the City of London. In 2006 she was awarded a knighthood in the Leopold II Order of the Kingdom of Belgium for services to the financial industry. She is married and has two daughters.

Axe leads EY’s Private Equity, Venture Capital, & Value Creation capability for Financial Services, and is an experienced FIG-FinTech Banker, Investor, Operator and Adviser.

Axe is involved on the buy and sell side, and across the spectrum of Private Capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital, Corporate Venture, Growth Funds etc.,) on strategy, origination, transaction execution, capital raising, and value creation within the Financial Services and FinTech sector. He has held roles as a Board Advisor and Operating Partner, including positions of Chief Transformation Officer, Chief Strategy & Digital Officer, Chief Commercial & Product Officer, and Chief Operating Officer.

Axe’s role extends to being an adviser to UK Government, having authored the investment chapter of the Independent FinTech Strategic Review (Kalia Review), and more recently the Powerful Pensions: Unlocking Defined Contribution Pension Capital for UK Tech Growth report with the City of London Corporation.

Axe contributes regularly to thought leadership through industry forums, government reviews and the media on Financial Services and FinTech.

Axe is a strong advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the Private Equity and Venture Capital sector from an investor and founder perspective, and in supporting diverse and under-represented groups. 

Clare currently leads the Market Oversight Directorate at the FCA. The Directorate is responsible for overseeing the conduct of participants in the primary and secondary markets through the listing, prospectus and market abuse regimes. The mission of the Directorate is to promote the conduct that supports trusted, orderly and efficient primary and secondary markets in the UK which work in the interests of all participants and stakeholders. Prior to this Clare led the Primary Market Oversight Department, a department within the Market Oversight Directorate, focused on ensuring trusted and orderly primary markets in the UK, through the specialist supervision of Sponsor firms and Primary Information Providers, and the live and post-event market monitoring of issuers’ and other market participants disclosures to the market. Clare has worked in a variety of roles within the FCA, all focused on Securities Regulation, including as Head of Department for the UK Listing Authority. She has also represented the department on many cross FCA work streams and projects and has extensive experience of business change. Clare is a strong supporter of the FCA’s D&I agenda. She currently sits on the Executive Diversity Committee and is very proactive at supporting D&I across the entire organisation. Clare started her career as an apprentice at PKF before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. Clare is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Securities Institute.

Appointed to Citi Country Officer role in 2014 and Cluster Head, UK, Jersey and Israel in September 2019. Previously co-head of Corporate and Investment Banking for EMEA from 2009 to 2014. He has been with the firm for over 30 years and is a Senior Credit Officer.

Prior to joining Citi, James worked as an engineer and in marketing for GKN plc. James is the Chairman and a Trustee of the Coggeshall Youth Project. He is also a deputy Chairman and a Trustee of the UK Career Ready charity and sits on the TeachFirst Business Leaders Council. James is the Chairman of the British Banking Association and member of TheCityUK Advisory Council.

He is the chair of UK Finance Capital Markets and Wholesale Board and sits on The Financial Markets Standards Board Advisory Council. He is also a member of the UK Investment Council. James graduated with first class double honours degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics from the University of Birmingham and completed the Corporate Finance Programme at London Business School in 1988.

Julia Hoggett joined the London Stock Exchange plc as CEO in April 2021. Previously, Julia was at the Financial Conduct Authority as Director of Market Oversight, overseeing the conduct of market participants. Prior to this, she was a Managing Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, running various fixed income origination businesses in EMEA.

Julia was previously a Board Member and CEO of DEPFA ACS BANK in Ireland. She began her career at JPMorgan. Julia holds a degree in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University and undertook a research scholarship at Kings College, Cambridge University on public policy in East Africa. Julia was included in Financial News’ 100 Most Influential Women in Europe’s Financial Markets (2010, 2011, 2012, 2021 and 2022). Julia was number 2 on the OUTstanding Top 100 list in 2022 and on its predecessor lists in 2014 and 2013 and also named in the DIVA Power List in 2022. Julia has been an active speaker on Diversity and Inclusion in the City for two decades.

Katey Neate is the Chief Risk Officer for Securities Services & Digital at BNY Mellon. In this capacity, Katey is responsible for second line oversight of all risk management across the business. Katey has been directly responsible for the risk management oversight of all digital asset products at the firm, drawing on her extensive and diverse experience in the financial services industry.

Katey joined BNY Mellon in 2003 and has served in a variety of positions, including varying senior management roles within the Operations and Risk organizations. Prior to her current role, Katey served as the Chief Risk Officer of Asset Servicing & Digital and the Risk Officer of BNY Mellon UK Legal Entities. As a leader in Risk Management and Digital Assets, Katey is engaged in driving diversity, equity and inclusion in the Digital Assets space. She is actively involved in advising leadership of digital asset startups on business and risk management strategy, which includes representing BNY Mellon on the board of Coin Metrics.

Dr Kay Swinburne is the Vice Chair of KPMG UK’s Financial Services practice and Chair of KPMG’s EMA Risk & Regulatory Insight Centre, leading C-suite engagement for FS clients. As a former legislator having made award-winning contributions to regulatory reform, she is a prominent figure in the UK and international financial services community. She is an active voice in the market and heads special projects on financial regulation – including UK competitiveness and capital market infrastructure as well as Fintech, ESG, and EU/UK political issues. Kay is the Chair of the International Regulatory Strategy Group, one of the most influential regulatory and strategy cross-sectional groups in Europe. She was appointed to the UK Capital Markets Industry Taskforce, an industry-led group that aims to support wider regulatory reform and the international position of the UK capital markets, and is also a member of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Secondary Markets Advisory Committee which helps develop reforms that improve market competition, increase consumer protection and enhance the integrity of markets. Prior to joining KPMG, Kay was a Member of European Parliament (2009-2019), and a leading EU legislator serving as Vice Chair of the Economics and Monetary Affairs Committee. This role saw her shape EU and global financial services legislation, including setting up the EU supervisory bodies (ESAs, SSM, SRM), capital markets union (EMIR, MiFID II, Prospectus, CCP Recovery & Resolution), and the broader banking union files.

Matt has over 15 years of financial services, covering insurance, wealth and asset management, and capital markets. He sits within EY’s transaction diligence practice, leading across insurance and wealth transactions. Prior to joining EY, Matt worked at a number of investment banks and boutiques, largely as an equity research analyst covering the breadth of the listed European Insurance landscape. His most recent positions was as part of the #1 ranked insurance team at Exane BNP Paribas. Given his background, Matt also leads EY’s focus on equity investor positioning for financial services firms, ad also supporting Lord Hill’s UK Listing Review for HM Government.

Nick Dutton is Chief Regulatory Officer for Cboe Europe, overseeing regulatory strategy and the company's compliance and market surveillance functions. Nick supports the development of new business by advising management on the regulatory implications of new initiatives and on the likely impact of new regulation. Nick led the regulatory work both to establish and achieve authorisation for Cboe's new Dutch market operator, Cboe Europe B.V, and to secure Cboe's Recognised Investment Exchange status in the UK. Nick is a member of the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s Secondary Markets Advisory Committee.

Nick Kirrage is co-head of Schroders Global Value team who manage income, recovery and sustainable strategies across four geographies: UK, Europe, Global and Emerging Markets. Nick co-manages the Schroder Global Income and Global Recovery portfolios. He has managed value portfolios at Schroders since 2006 and was a founding member of the Global Value team in 2013. Nick also works closely with Peter Harrison to support Schroders work on the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT). He joined Schroders in 2001.

As Ernst & Young - United Kingdom Capital Markets Head, Pierre is seasoned in the financial sector, focusing on capital market, risk and regulations. With more than 25 years of experience in developing strategy, risk management, control and culture frameworks, he has published several articles and co-authored books on risk management. He has also been actively participating in industry debates and conferences as a speaker. Prior to joining EY, Pierre served as a partner at a multinational management consulting firm. He has also worked with large investment banks on defining their future shape. Pierre has also led the Risk and Compliance for Capital Markets team at a multinational technology company, and has also been a trader for a large French bank.

Between 2014 and 2016, Jonathan was European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union. In that role, he was responsible for regulating Europe’s financial services, for international regulatory co-operation, for the Banking Union and for taking forward work to strengthen the European Single Market for capital. He was nominated to be Britain’s European Commissioner in July 2014, having been Leader of the House of Lords since January 2013. As Leader of the Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, he was a member of the Cabinet and responsible for the delivery of the government’s legislative programme in the House of Lords. He now advises a range of companies as well as being Lead NED at HM Treasury and Chairman of the Ditchley Foundation. He has recently carried out the UK Listing Review for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Sarah is responsible for the delivery of the FCA’s statutory market integrity objective in the combined Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC) division and co-leads the SPC division with Sheldon Mills.

Sarah was previously the Director at the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), a multi-agency partnership housed in the National Crime Agency (of which the FCA is part) – which was created in late 2018 to deliver an improved response to economic crime.

Before her role in the NECC, Sarah was General Counsel/Legal Director for the National Crime Agency and led the NCA’s transformational people programme. Her career has involved stints in investigative, operational and legal roles in a range of government departments and in the private sector. Within the private sector she has led global financial crime compliance and reputational risk teams at HSBC and qualified as a commercial litigator with Dechert LLP.

Member of Listing Authority Advisory Panel and expert panel for Mark Austin on his Secondary Capital Markets Review

20 years+ UK Investment Banking experience advised on IPOs of Trustpilot, THG and Aston Martin; joint global co-ordinator for rights issues for The Restaurant Group and Whitbread and financial adviser the demerger of Ninety One from Investec and the sale of Entertainment One to Hasbro

Charlie Walker is Head of Equity and Fixed Income Primary Markets for the London Stock Exchange Group having joined in 2018. He is a capital markets specialist having previously worked within J.P. Morgan Cazenove’s Equity Capital Markets team responsible for originating and executing equity transactions. He has assisted in raising over £45bn of equity capital across five continents on behalf of clients. During his time at JPMC, Charlie also worked in Sydney raising capital for companies on the Australian Stock Exchange as well as taking primary responsibility for the South African equity capital markets practice