The Financial Conduct Authority has appointed Ruairi O’Connell as the new director of international.
O’Connell will join the FCA from the Home Office where he has held the same role of director of international since 2020.
Prior to that, he worked at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, starting in 2001.
He began his career in the Eastern Adriatic department and has worked on a range of issues since then, with a particular focus on European security and sustainable economic development.
In his new role, he will be responsible for helping to shape the FCA’s international strategy as well as, overseeing the international engagement including matters arising from the UK withdrawal from the EU.
O’Connell’s appointment follows the appointment of six new directors in July as the FCA expanded its headcount to meet its three year-strategy launched in April.
FCA chief executive Nikhil Rathi, said: "I am pleased to welcome Ruairi to the FCA’s new senior leadership team to lead our international work, where he brings with him extensive experience of international affairs, security and strategy."
Meanwhile, O’Connell joins with a wealth of experience, having also served as British Ambassador to Kosovo between 2015 and 2019 and as second secretary political and as deputy head of mission to the British Embassy in Kosovo between 2004 and 2008.
In London, he served as head of unit of the Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on climate change between 2008 and 2010 and head of strategy and analysis in the finance directorate between 2010 and 2011.
He was deputy director of the London 2012 and Great Campaigns, head of the illegal wildlife trade project in 2013 to 2014 and as deputy director and head of NATO summit unit within the Directorate for Defence and International Security from 2014 to 2015.
sonia.rach@ft.com
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