Speakers

Arba Kokalari has been a Member of the European Parliament since July 2019, representing Sweden and the Moderate Party. She has a broad background in both national politics and the private sector before being elected as a MEP. In her role on the committees for the Internal Market (IMCO) and Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), Arba is bridging the gap between internal market and capital market matters. She focuses on promoting tech, AI and circular economy and a stronger digital single market in Europe.

Stephanie Yon-Courtin is a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, a member of the Renew Group and of the French political party Renaissance. Stéphanie Yon-Courtin is Renew coordinator of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Vice-chair of the Committee on Fisheries (PECH) and substitute of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).

Stephanie Yon-Courtin’s main commitments at the European level are the establishment of fair competition rules that are favourable to innovation and business development, as well as the protection of consumers in the digital world. She was rapporteur on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), the Solvency 2 review of the rules of the insurance market and the Retail Investment Strategy.

She is also a member of the Delegation for the UE-Canada relations at the European Parliament.

Stephanie Yon-Courtin is a former lawyer. She was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2004. Specialized in competition law, she has worked in international law firms (Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer, Allen & Overy LLP). Before that, she worked as a jurist for the European Commission. Between 2007 and 2011, she joined the French Competition Authority as an international affairs adviser to President Bruno Lasserre.

Stephanie Yon-Courtin is also Regional Councillor of Normandy and she was mayor of Saint-Contest in Calvados until 2019.

She holds a Master’s degree in law from the Universities of Caen and Bristol and a Master’s degree in European law from the University of Brussels.

Alessandra Atripaldi graduated at LUISS Guido Carli law school in Rome and completed her academic career with an LL.M. at the Institute for Law and Finance in Frankfurt am Main, and a PhD at Luigi Bocconi University in Milan; she was also a visiting scholar at the Stanford Law School in California.

Alessandra is an experienced financial lawyer admitted to the bar of the highest Courts in Italy. She started her career as a trainee at the European Investment Bank and at the European Central Bank. After years of private practice in banking and financial law at Studio Legale Macchi di Cellere Gangemi, she has served for more than a decade the Italian securities’ regulator (CONSOB) as internal counsel in the Legal Service.

In 2017, she was seconded as national expert to the European Commission in the Securities Markets Unit of Directorate General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA). After joining the European Commission as official, in January 2022 she was appointed as Deputy Head of the same Securities Market Unit. As of September 2024 she is Deputy Head of the Capital Market Union Unit.

In addition of being a passionate civil servant, Alessandra is engaged in a number of initiatives in the Italian civil society. She has been board member and chairperson of CONSOB women’s association and had leading roles in other associations and movements in Italy.

Experienced regulatory and policy professional and negotiator in EU regulation within financial services having negotiated multiple pieces of regulation both as an expert and as an attaché (diplomat on posting within financial services). My experience stems both from the public and private sector ensuring a nuanced view on tackling policy issues.

Joe Heavey is a Senior Officer for International and Institutional Affairs at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), covering international cooperation and relations with EU institutions. Before joining ESMA, he held various regulatory policy and supervisory roles in the Central Bank of Ireland. He holds a Master’s degree in Law, specialising in Corporate Governance and Public Policy from Queen’s University Belfast and a Bachelor of Commerce degree, focusing on Law and Economics, from University College Cork.

Jyrki Katainen is a Finnish politician and executive with extensive experience in both national and European roles. In October 2023, he joined Nordea Bank as the Head of Group Public Affairs.

Prior to his role at Nordea, Katainen served as the President of The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, focusing on climate policy, the circular economy, and the development of a fair data economy.

Katainen’s political career includes serving as the Prime Minister of Finland from 2011 to 2014 and as Minister of Finance from 2007 to 2011. He later became the European Commission’s Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment, and Competitiveness from 2014 to 2019.

At Nordea, he leads public affairs activities, engaging with policymakers and stakeholders across the Nordic region and the EU on sustainability and digitalization.

Maria joined AWS in 2019, after more than a decade in the banking sector dealing with emerging policy and regulatory requirements. Born in Buenos Aires, she previously worked at the Argentine Ministry of Industry as a political advisor before moving to London to pursue post-graduate research thanks to a UK Government Chevening Scholarship. At AWS, Maria supports Financial Services customers as they leverage the scale, security, and agility of AWS to transform the industry. Maria is a regular speaker at industry events and contributes her expertise to several industry bodies. She holds a Master of Arts in Globalization studies from Warwick University and an MBA from the UCEMA in Buenos Aires.

Henriette Peucker is the Chief Executive and Member of the Board at Deutsches Aktieninstitut (DAI), a position she has held since July 1, 2024. She succeeded Dr. Christine Bortenlänger, who led the institute for nearly twelve years.

Before joining DAI, Peucker served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Association of German Banks (Bundesverband deutscher Banken, BdB) until mid-2023. In this role, she was responsible for the “Politics and Innovation” division and acted as the deputy to the Chief Executive.

Peucker’s career includes significant experience in capital markets, banking, and political communication. From 2003 to 2010, she led European Public Affairs at Deutsche Börse AG, managing the company’s political advocacy in Berlin, Luxembourg, and Brussels. Following this, she was a Partner at Hering Schuppener (now FGS Global), advising companies across various industries on regulatory matters.

In addition to her executive roles, Peucker has been a member of the Supervisory Board at Redcare Pharmacy NV since 2021.

At DAI, Peucker represents the interests of its members, focusing on facilitating investments in growth and innovation through well-functioning capital markets.

Aleksandra Mączyńska is the Managing Director of BETTER FINANCE, the European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users. She joined the organization in 2016 as Executive Director and was appointed Acting Managing Director in July 2023.

Before joining BETTER FINANCE, Aleksandra served as the Deputy Director of the International Relations and Communication Department at the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK). She holds degrees from the Poznan University of Economics and the Warsaw School of Economics. Additionally, she participated in the Robert Bosch Foundation Programme for Young Executives in the Public Sector, working at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Throughout her career, Aleksandra has been actively involved in various European Union advisory groups. In 2019, she was selected as a member of the EU Ecolabelling Board. She also serves as Vice Chair of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority’s Occupational Pensions Stakeholder Group. Furthermore, she is a member of the European Commission’s Consumer Policy Advisory Group and the European Securities and Markets Authority’s Consultative Working Group for the Coordination Network on Sustainability.

In her role at BETTER FINANCE, Aleksandra leads research and advocacy efforts to defend the interests of individual investors and financial services users at the European level. She has been a vocal advocate for financial equality, notably urging action on financial equality for women during a European Parliament ECON hearing.

Adam Kostyál is the President of Nasdaq Stockholm and Head of European Listings at Nasdaq. He began his tenure at OM Group in 2001, which later became part of Nasdaq, and has since held various senior leadership roles, including Head of the Strategic Initiative Groups and Vice President of Market Technology Business Development, where he was responsible for business development and account management across Europe.

In his current role, Adam oversees over 1,200 companies listed on Nasdaq’s exchanges in the Nordics and Baltics. He has been instrumental in promoting sustainable investments, introducing initiatives like the Nasdaq Green Equity Designation to encourage transparency among listed companies.

Adam is fluent in four languages: Swedish, English, Italian, and French. His extensive experience and leadership have significantly contributed to the growth and development of Nasdaq’s European markets.

Urban Funered is the CEO of the Swedish Securities Markets Association since 2019. He has 30+ years of experience from the private financial services and legal sector, having held senior positions in leading law firms, investment banks, and asset managers in Stockholm, New York, Vienna, and London.

Urban Funered has also held senior positions in the public sector, as State Secretary and Senior Advisor to the Swedish Minster for Financial Markets, and as Minister and Financial Services Attaché at the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.

Urban Funered hold LL.M. and Post-Graduate Degrees in Civil, Banking and Financial law from Lund University in Sweden and Queen Mary & Westfield College of London University, and a BSc in Business Administration and Economics from the School of Economics and Management at Lund University in Sweden.

Tanguy became the head of EFAMA in December 2018. In that capacity, he leads in the formulation of industry positions on the main policy developments and engages with relevant EU and international authorities.

He is a member of ESMA’s Securities and Markets Stakeholder Group, chairs FinDatEx’s Steering Group and teaches ‘Business interest representation in the EU’ at the College of Europe in Bruges. Tanguy is also a member of the IIFA Board and vice-Chair of the Board of the European Parliamentary Financial Services Forum.

Before joining EFAMA, he was Head of the Brussels office of AFME (European investment banking industry – 2015-2018), Director General of Leaseurope and Eurofinas (European leasing and consumer credit industries – 2006-2015), and Head of Banking Supervision and Capital Markets at the European Banking Federation (2001-2006). Other relevant roles include positions at Euroclear and Dexia as well as non-Executive Director of Belgium-domiciled UCITS (2006-2018).

He holds a degree in law from the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (BE) as well as a diploma in Political Sciences & International Relations and a certificate of specialised studies (DES) in Financial Risks Management.

Emma Hedman is the Head of Operations at Ung Privatekonomi, an educational initiative by Unga Aktiesparare aimed at increasing financial literacy among Swedish high school students. She began her tenure at Unga Aktiesparare in December 2021 as a Membership Manager, bringing her passion for savings and personal finance to the organization.

Prior to joining Unga Aktiesparare, Emma worked at Sörmlands Sparbank, where she gained valuable experience in customer service and financial advising. She also has a background in the restaurant industry, which honed her skills in customer relations and service.

In her role at Ung Privatekonomi, Emma leads educational initiatives targeting high schools, aiming to enhance students’ understanding of personal finance and investments. She is also the host of “Småbolagspodden,” a podcast that introduces listeners to Swedish small companies, delving into their ideas, visions, and market perspectives.

Emma’s dedication to financial education is further exemplified by her position as Vice Chairman of Ung Företagsamhet (UF) Södermanland, where she supports young entrepreneurship. Her multifaceted experience underscores her commitment to empowering young individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary for financial success.

Anders Antas is the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Carnegie Investment Bank, a position he has held since June 2018. He began his career at Carnegie in 2004 as a broker in the Helsinki office and has since held various roles, including Head of Treasury and Chief Operating Officer for the Investment Banking & Securities business area. Prior to joining Carnegie, Anders worked in equity research at SEB Enskilda Securities.

In May 2024, Anders was appointed Chairman of the Swedish Securities Markets Association (Svensk Värdepappersmarknad), succeeding Maria Janson, Head of Institutional Banking at Swedbank. This role involves promoting a sustainable and competitive securities market in Sweden.

Anders’s extensive experience in financial services and leadership roles underscores his commitment to the development and integrity of the Swedish securities market.

Anke Klein is Managing Director of the Investment Company Institute’s Brussels Office. Before joining ICI, Klein worked as a consultant. Prior to that, she served as an Alderperson (Deputy Mayor) of the City of Utrecht. Klein has almost 20 years of experience in financial services policy. She served as Financial Attaché at the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to the EU. During the Dutch Presidency of the Council, she led negotiations on behalf of the (back then) 28 Member States with the European Parliament and the European Commission on Financial Services. After moving to Amsterdam, she worked as Programme Manager, Innovation & FinTech at the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), in close cooperation with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the European Central Bank. She started her career at the Dutch Ministry of Finance. Klein gained active political experience as Alderperson and previously as a candidate for the European Parliament. She studied International and European Law in Leiden and Berlin (Leiden University and Humboldt-Universität).

Håvard Gulbrandsen has a MSc in Management Sciences from the University of Warwick (1988), Master in Finance & Investments (1989) and is authorized financial analyst from 1992. His previous experience includes portfolio manager – fixed income in Storebrand Asset Management and Director of investments in DNB Investor AS. He joined KLP from the position of Head of Asset Strategies Equities / Head of Core Corporate Governance in the Bank of Norway Investment Management.

He is Managing Director of KLP Asset Management since September 1. 2009.

Florence leads EuropeanIssuers Brussels team to position the views of Issuers towards the Institutions and represents the association externally. She drives the mission with strategic and operational know-how from her work at the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA), where she was responsible for the management of relations with the European Commission, other European institutions and organisations, and her background in media communication. Florence previously worked in the Brussels office of Mapfre Re as underwriter and manager of the liability coinsurance portfolio and reinsurance treaty portfolio analysis. She holds a master’s degree in law, an International Executive MBA from Louvain School of Management and a post-graduate degree in law and economics from ULB, a certificate in risk management and is a Certified Director from Guberna. She is also past president of ESAE (European Society of Association Executives), Vice president of the FAIB (Federation of International Associations in Belgium) and speaks fluent French, Spanish and English and good Dutch.