Mark Branson

Mark Branson (born 9 December 1968, Colchester, United Kingdom) is a British-Swiss financial market expert and former bank manager. He has been President of the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority since 1 August 2021 and was Director of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) from 2014 to 2021.

Life Education Branson studied Mathematics and Management Studies (M.A.) at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, from 1986 to 1990, and also obtained a master's degree in Operational Research (M.Sc.) at Lancaster University.

Bank Manager Initially, Branson worked for the major Swiss bank Credit Suisse, among other things in a management position in London. Between 1997 and 2009 he held various positions with UBS, another major Swiss bank, including Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) head of communications from 2001 to 2005. From 2006 to 2008, he held the position of CEO of UBS Securities Japan Ltd. and was country head in Japan. Most recently, he has been CFO of UBS's Wealth Management and Swiss Bank business division in Zurich, responsible for finance and risk control. There he was responsible for investment banking, the securities business as well as asset management and wealth management. As a result of the manipulation and the "Libor scandal" respectively, UBS Bank was to pay fines of EUR 2.5 billion and EUR 1.2 billion. The European Commission waived the EUR 2.5 billion fine because UBS helped to clarify the manipulation. As director of FINMA, Branson was chairman of the national committee for financial crises and a member of the advisory board "Future Financial Centre". On 1 November 2017, he also became Chair of the Resolution Steering Group (ReSG) of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and thus a member of its Steering Committee. He also represented Switzerland as a member of the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS). He left FINMA at the end of May 2021.

Federal Financial Supervisory Authority German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced on 22 March 2021 that Branson would succeed Felix Hufeld, former President of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), by 1 August 2021 at the latest. Branson took office on 1 August 2021. He is a member of the Financial Stability Committee (AFS) and continues to chair the Resolution Steering Group (ReSG) of the Financial Stability Board (FSB).