Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Friday, June 19 2020 - 03:44
AsiaNet
Euroclear: Directorate Changes
BRUSSELS, June 19, 2020 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

The Euroclear group announces that Marc Antoine Autheman has decided to step 
down as the Chairman and Director of the Euroclear boards.

During Mr Autheman's eight year tenure, Euroclear's strategy has resulted in 
its strong financial position and performance, delivering consistently growing 
returns for shareholders and value for its financial market participants, 
whilst adapting to meet the requirements of the post-financial crisis 
regulatory and geopolitical environment. 

Having steered the business through its response to the current COVID-19 
situation, Mr Autheman considered that now was an appropriate time to stand 
aside, and for the group to appoint a new chairman. He leaves Euroclear well 
positioned for the future, in its role of serving global financial markets as a 
critical infrastructure.

The boards decided to take this opportunity to undertake the ongoing governance 
reforms at the level of Euroclear Holding (the group's financial holding and 
parent company) and Euroclear SA/NV (the group's fully regulated operating 
board).

In addition, Bert De Graeve has decided to take this opportunity to step down 
from his role as independent non-executive director of Euroclear Holding. 

As such, the Euroclear Holding Board has appointed two Euroclear SA/NV 
directors, Harold Finders and Franco Passacantando, to become independent 
directors at the level of Euroclear Holding SA/NV. 

Pending the appointment of a new permanent Chairman, who is expected to be the 
same for each Board, Mr Finders is appointed as the interim Chairman of 
Euroclear Holding SA/NV, while Mr Passacantando is the interim Deputy Chairman. 
At the level of Euroclear SA/NV, Mr Passacantando has been appointed as interim 
Chairman with Mr Finders as interim Deputy Chairman. 

A search will now begin for a new permanent Chairman of the two Boards.

Euroclear's financial position remains strong and current trading reflects the 
trends outlined in the first quarter statement, reported on 17 April 2020. The 
group intends to report first half financial performance in July 2020.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Autheman said: 

"It has been an honour and a privilege to lead the Euroclear boards during my 
time as Chairman. That Euroclear is the robust and relevant open financial 
market infrastructure it is today reflects the sustained contribution of many 
colleagues at every level of the company and a spirit of cooperation within the 
financial industry. Now is an opportune moment for me to pass the baton, 
allowing my successor to continue Euroclear's positive evolutions in the years 
to come."

Mr Finders and Mr Passacantando stated jointly: 

"We are grateful to Marc Antoine for leading the Euroclear group boards over 
the past eight years. Euroclear continues to perform very well from an 
operational, business and financial perspective, even in today's volatile 
environment. We will be working together with the boards and the executive 
management team to implement Euroclear's strategy, strengthening its role as 
critical financial market infrastructure and supporting client needs across its 
growing global network."

Note to editors

Franco Passacantando has been a director of Euroclear SA/NV since 2013, and has 
chaired its Risk Committee since 2017. He was also previously on the board of 
the group's holding companies, Euroclear plc and Euroclear Holding SA/NV until 
May 2019. Mr Passacantando held a number of senior positions at the Bank of 
Italy (including running the payments and market infrastructure area) until his 
retirement in 2013. He was also an Executive Director of the World Bank from 
1995 to 2003 and an Expert Member of the Board of the European Investment Bank 
from 2013 to 2018. He has a degree in Statistics from La Sapienza University of 
Rome and a Master of Arts in Economics from Stanford University.

Harold Finders has been director of Euroclear SA/NV since 2017 and Chair of its 
Remuneration Committee since 2018. He was previously on the board of the 
group's holding companies, Euroclear plc and Euroclear Holding SA/NV until May 
2019. Mr Finders was previously CEO of SunGard Financial Systems, leading a 
worldwide staff of 14,000, providing capital markets and asset management 
solutions to the world's leading financial institutions. During this time Mr 
Finders led several mergers and acquisitions, the largest valued at $800m. He 
is an investor in several early-stage technology start-ups, speaks four 
languages, is used to working in diverse multi-cultural organizations, and 
holds Swiss and Dutch nationality. Mr Finders has a MBA in Finance (HEC) from 
the University of Lausanne.

About Euroclear

Euroclear group is the financial industry's trusted provider of post trade 
services. At the core, the group provides settlement, safe-keeping and 
servicing of domestic and cross-border securities for bonds, equities and 
derivatives to investment funds. Euroclear is a proven, resilient capital 
market infrastructure committed to delivering risk-mitigation, automation and 
efficiency at scale for its global client franchise.

The Euroclear group includes Euroclear Bank - which is rated AA+ by Fitch 
Ratings and AA by Standard & Poor's - as well as Euroclear Belgium, Euroclear 
Finland, Euroclear France, Euroclear Nederland, Euroclear Sweden and Euroclear 
UK & Ireland. The Euroclear group settled the equivalent of EUR 837 trillion in 
securities transactions in 2019, representing 239 million domestic and 
cross-border transactions and held an average of EUR 30.1 trillion in assets 
for clients.

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Source: Euroclear Holding, Euroclear Investments, Euroclear SA/NV