Legal and Regulatory Compliance/Financial Sector Development and Policy

	Mr Michael Ryan Deputy CEO/Managing Director LRC/FSDP
	He began his career in 1989 as an attorney with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in New York, specializing in banking, securities and corporate law and in 1994 he joined CS First Boston as senior legal counsel for its North American derivatives group. In 1996, he joined Merrill Lynch to take the role of General Counsel for Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited, the group’s primary international bank and after one year with Merrill Lynch’s EMEA equities group in London, he was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited, a position he held for eight years prior to joining the Regulatory Authority. Following the combination of Merrill Lynch and Bank of America in 2009, he was also appointed Country Executive for the combined businesses in Ireland and he also served on the Irish Prime Minister’s advisory committee on financial services for seven years prior to taking up this post in Doha. He has held a number of senior industry positions, including President of the Irish Banking Federation, member of the Board of Directors of the European Banking Federation, member of the Financial Services Consultative Panel, and Chairman of the Federation of International Banks in Ireland.

	Mr John Leahy Director/ Legislative Counsel, Financial Sector Development and Policy
	Mr. Leahy has held distinguished positions within various jurisdictions across Australia and brings with him over 30 years of legislative drafting experience. Before joining the QFCRA, he worked as the Parliamentary Counsel for the Australian Capital Territory. Mr. Leahy was previously appointed as the Principal Legislative Counsel at the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department in 1996 and the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel in 1990. Mr. Leahy holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Columbia and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Adelaide. He is a member of the Australian Capital Territory Bar Association. He was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal for outstanding public service in 2004 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2006.