Former British Bankers’ Association CEO, Ian Mullen Strengthens Huntswood Board
September 2007
Huntswood, specialists in consulting and customer services for UK clients, including the majority of the country’s major banks and insurers, has appointed one of the banking industry’s most senior influencers as an advisor to its board.
During the course of his distinguished 30 year career within UK and international banking, Ian Mullen has held a number of senior management positions. These include Director of UK Corporate Banking at Midland Bank (now HSBC Bank), MD of P&O Asia, CEO of Jardine Securicor Group Asia and Chief Credit Officer of UBS AG Private Banking, where he sat on the Group Risk Committee and the UBS Private Banking Management Board until April 2001.
From May 2001 to April 2007 he took on one of the most important roles in international banking as Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association, the voice of the Banking industry for all banks who operate in the UK. Here he represented 220 members with £6 trillion of assets and was uniquely positioned to be at the heart of the financial services industry in the UK, Europe and beyond, helping it prosper through the development of markets, influencing the shape of legislative and regulatory frameworks, supporting competition and promoting public understanding of financial services and financial literacy.
Mullen has also been instrumental in leading key industry steering and policy groups such as the International and European Banking Federations, the UK Banking Codes Standards Board, and the UK pan-industry Joint Money Laundering Steering Group. He leaves behind a legacy of succeeding in having the major banks recognise the need for the industry to provide thought leadership in the growing requirement for global regulatory standards that will underpin the future activities of international financial services organisations. Ian has now given over these responsibilities and is putting together a portfolio of international advisory posts that seek to continue to promote these aims.
In addition to his role with Huntswood, Mullen is using his industry expertise and experience of the Asian markets, gained during 20 years based in Hong Kong, to help promote best practice in financial law and regulation in China. As Foreign Chairman of the China International Finance Forum, he is helping the country to modernise its financial services industry, by building an institute of learning in Beijing to teach financial regulation to Chinese bankers.
Ian Mullen said: “Huntswood is highly successful in the area of banking law and regulation in the UK. As such it is well placed to tackle the key issues facing the industry as a whole, particularly best practice and principle based regulation, and to assist clients in doing business with integrity as the essence of future competitive advantage. I am delighted to be joining the team to support their ambitions to develop this expertise and strengthen their relations with the international banking community.”
David Brownlow, Huntswood CEO added: “Ian is a highly respected and well-connected industry professional whose experience is second to none. The advice and guidance he will bring to Huntswood on regulatory matters will be invaluable, as well as taking the company to the cutting edge of international industry thought leadership and developments. His appointment is a key part of Huntswood’s future direction and the strengthening of our consultancy offer.”
At Huntswood, Mullen joins an already impressive stable of advisors and non executive directors, which includes: Charles Owen-Conway, chairman of Yorkshire / Clydesdale Bank, Chilterns Region, , and Andrew Fulton, a former senior British career diplomat, who specialised in UK-US relations, Russia and Eastern Europe and is now a consultant on global political and commercial risk and security issues.
Clive Williams, a former managing partner of Ernst & Young and more recently the CEO of Capgemini in the UK and Ireland was appointed as a Non Executive Chairman during 2005, while Angela Lane, a partner in 3i's Growth Capital business and Huntswood founder Phillip Eaton represent the other non Executive Directors.