IIF to Open New Office in Brussels

October 19, 2017
Appoints Robert Priester as Chief European Representative and Matthew Ekberg as Head of the IIF London Office

Washington, D.C., October 19, 2017 - Today, the Institute of International Finance announced that it will be opening a new European representative office in Brussels in the coming months, and that Robert Priester will serve as Chief European Representative and Regulatory Counsel. Matthew Ekberg, currently Senior Policy Advisor at the IIF's offices in Washington D.C., will move to London to head the IIF local office, replacing David Schraa who recently retired after an exemplary career of over 14 years at the Institute.

"Europe is an active and vital area of our membership and for the global financial system," said Tim Adams, IIF's CEO. "Establishing an office in Brussels, the political heart of Europe, will ensure that we continue to remain actively engaged with key policymakers, and represent the interests of our global membership on key European policy issues and their implications for global finance. I am grateful that Robert is bringing his expertise and experience to the IIF to advance our priorities in the region."

"The IIF is the premiere global association for the financial industry and I am pleased to represent the interests of its members throughout Europe," said Robert Priester. "The European financial services sector has undergone tremendous change since the global financial crisis, and the forces of regulatory reform and technological innovation will continue to reshape the industry. I look forward to working with our members and the European regulatory community to ensure that the sector remains safe, sound and helps to drive growth and prosperity throughout the continent."

Robert Priester previously served as Deputy Chief Executive for the European Banking Federation (EBF). In that role, he oversaw EBF advocacy communications, both internally and externally, and managed the organization's relationships with EU and international counterparts. Prior to that, Robert served as Executive Director of EBF's wholesale and regulatory policy department, where he influenced legal and regulatory policy developments in the banking sector, both at the EU and international levels.'  From 2005-2007, Robert also served as head of EBF's legal department. Prior to his career at the EBF, he served in various roles at the European Fund and Asset Management Association, the Comité Européen des Assurances (now Insurance Europe), and the European Savings Banks Group. Robert holds a law degree from the University of Leyden, the Netherlands.

Matthew Ekberg, currently a Senior Policy Advisor at the IIF's headquarters in Washington, will relocate to the U.K. as head of the London office and Senior Policy Advisor. Matt joined the IIF in 2015 and has helped lead the Institute's engagement concerning standards of the Basel Committee, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) in the policy areas of capital, liquidity, cross-border resolution planning and financial crime. He was previously head of global government relations for the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT), where he led the group's advocacy initiatives focused on the international transaction banking industry in Europe, the US and Asia.

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