David Geale appointed executive director for payments and digital finance

In his role David will be responsible for helping to deliver the National Payments Vision and driving the FCA’s work on open banking and digital finance. 

David will also play a key role in the work to consolidate the PSR into the FCA, as announced by the Government in March. He will also be responsible for supervising payments and cryptoasset firms under the recently announced regime. 

Aidene Walsh, chair of the PSR said: 'David has played a key role in fostering greater alignment and strengthening the relationship between the FCA and the PSR. This will be increasingly important as we move towards consolidation while at the same time continuing to deliver the important work that the PSR does, including on APP fraud and card processing fees.'

Nikhil Rathi, Chief Executive of the FCA said: 'David brings a wealth of experience that will be vital as we deliver the National Payments Vision as well as unlocking the potential that open finance and open banking can bring.'

David Geale said: 'I’m delighted to be taking on this new role at such an important and exciting time for both organisations, and the payments sector as a whole. I look forward to working with colleagues, consumer groups and the wider industry as we take the next steps in our work.' 

David was previously director of retail banking at the FCA.  He has worked at the FCA and its predecessor, the FSA, for more than 20 years, carrying out a number of roles in policy and supervision. He was involved in leading and delivering policies such as the Retail Distribution Review and policy changes during the UK’s exit from the European Union. More recently, David has led the FCA’s work on developing a regime for cryptoassets as well as savings rates and reforming the mortgage market as set out in the FCA’s letter to the Prime Minister on growth. 

David has been acting as the managing director of the PSR since June 2024. 

Following David’s appointment, Emad Aladhal has been appointed permanent director of retail banking with Andrea Bowe becoming permanent director, specialist directorate. Both have been carrying out the roles on an interim basis. 

Notes to editors

1. Details of the consolidation of the PSR can be found here[1].
2. Prior to being interim director of retail banking, Emad was director of the FCA’s specialist directorate, which included financial crime, Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS), financial resilience, client assets, resolution and insolvency, and technology, resilience and cyber. Emad previously co-led the FCA’s strategy commitment on reducing and preventing financial crime, and is now part of the director team on helping consumers. Prior to re-joining the FCA in 2017, Emad was a compliance director at a top-tier investment bank, and has prior extensive experience as a regulatory consultant, where he has advised on various aspects of regulation, which included advising on the UK administration of a failed large investment bank during the last financial crisis.
3. Andrea has spent the last 18 years at the FCA, including 14 years in FCA enforcement and advancing to influential positions, including chief of staff to Nikhil Rathi, Chief Executive. Andrea led Nikhil's transition into the FCA and subsequently co-led the FCA’s ambitious transformation programme. During this time, she was also interim director of FCA communications. In her current role as director of the specialist directorate in supervision, policy and competition, she has responsibility for prudential policy, standards and supervision, cyber and operational resilience, client assets, resolution and insolvency and financial crime, fraud and OPBAS. She co-leads the FCA’s current 5-year strategy commitment to fighting financial crime, contributing to the UK’s national Economic Crime Plan and Fraud Strategy. She is chair of the International Organisation of Securities Commission’s (E)MMoU Monitoring Group and Monitoring Steering Committee, responsible for monitoring the operation of, and compliance with, the (E)MMoU, including decision making on disputes and matters of non-compliance.