Professional experience in the European Institutions:
Since 04/03/2020: Director-General – DG Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA)
16/12/2015 – 03/03/2020: Deputy Director-General in charge of Directorates B, C, D and E in DG FISMA
11/2014 – 12/2015: Director for Financial System Surveillance and Crisis Management in DG FISMA: Part of the Directorate was transferred from DG ECFIN and remains responsible for analysis of financial-sector developments at global, EU and Member-State level (including participation in the external financial assistance programmes for Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus). Other areas of responsibility include (a) managing the EU framework for macro- prudential policy, including participation in the European Systemic Risk Board; (b) establishing/management of EU framework for crisis management in the financial sector, notably through arrangements for recovery and resolution; and (c) participation in the Single Resolution Board in support of the Commission’s role as joint resolution authority within the Banking Union.
05/2010 – 10/2014: Director for Financial Stability and Monetary Affairs in DG ECFIN: Directorate was created in response to the economic and financial crisis of 2008/2009 and was responsible for analysis of financial-sector developments at global, EU and Member-State level (including participation in the external financial assistance programmes for EL, IE, PT, ES and CY). Other areas of responsibility were (a) analysis of developments in the EU banking sector, specifically in co-operation with DG COMP in applying state-aid policies; (b) development of EU-level sovereign instruments (i.e. the EFSF, the EFSM and the ESM; and (c) monitoring developments in monetary policy in the euro area and the Member States, supporting the Commissioner in the ECB Governing Council.
05/2000 – 04/2010: Head of Unit for Financial Markets and Financial Intermediaries in DG ECFIN. Unit was responsible for monitoring developments in EU financial markets, notably for fixed-income securities, equities and derivatives. Other areas of responsibility included monitoring progress in the integration of euro-denominated financial markets, progress in completing the
Internal Market for financial services, developments in the EU venture capital markets, and issues related to prudential supervision. The Unit also provided technical/secretarial support to the Giovannini Group, producing two reports on EU clearing and settlement arrangements and the EFC Sub-Group on EU Government Bonds and Bills Markets.
01/1996 – 04/2000: Principal administrator/administrator in DG ECFIN, working mainly on analysis of monetary/exchange rate aspects of the preparations for EMU.
01/1994 – 12/1995: Economist in the Treasurer’s Department of the International Monetary Fund, monitoring foreign exchange and financial markets.
06/1992 – 12/1993: Administrator in DG ECFIN, monitoring foreign-exchange and financial markets in context of functioning of the European Monetary System.
05/1987 – 12/1991: Administrator/administrative assistant in DG ECFIN, working as desk officer for Ireland and covering the real, monetary and financial sectors of the economy
03/1986 – 04/1987: Administrative assistant in DG AGRI (EAGGF), working on financial aspects of agricultural intervention policy.
Professional experience before joining the European Institutions:
11/1984 – 02/1986: Economic adviser in the Department of Labour (Dublin), responsible mainly for providing economic advice to the Minister and Secretary General; providing economic assistance to the Department’s planning unit and European affairs unit; member of drafting team for the Government’s White Paper on training 1986; member of National Committee on Industrial Competitiveness; member of Department liaison group with the International Labour Office in
Geneva.
10/1983 – 10/1984: Executive officer in the Department of Energy, Dublin responsible mainly for economic analysis of oil supply and utilisation in Ireland; economic assessment of viability of national oil refinery; economic assessment of viability of alternative energy sources; managing data base of national statistics on energy supply, utilisation and prices.
10/1978 – 09/1980: Executive officer in the Department of Industry, responsible mainly for management of licensing system for mineral prospecting in Ireland; collection and dissemination of relevant statistics; liaison with the Geological Survey Office of Ireland; secretary of the ad hoc Committee on Uranium Prospecting in Ireland.
