The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) has appointed 11 directors to its ISLA Americas board following its expansion into the US.
Mark Whipple, global head of securities lending at Invesco, will chair the newly created board of directors.
Officers and directors will work with the ISLA Americas’ senior management team to deliver the aims and objectives of the affiliate entity.
In addition, the board will work to ensure alignment with the wider association’s overall strategy.
The new directors are:
- Ina Budh-Raja, BNY Mellon
- Philip Winter, Citi
- Anthony Toscano, MUFG
- Jason Strofs, BlackRock
- Christel Carroll, Goldman Sachs Agency Lending
- Tom Poppey, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
- Justin Aldridge, Fidelity Agency Lending
- Tamela Merriweather, Northern Trust
- George Rennick, JP Morgan Chase
- Michael McAuley, BNY Mellon
The new directors were appointed to the board following the recent Extraordinary General Meeting, where ISLA members voted in favour of resolutions to support the expansion of its activities in the US.
In March, the association announced that it will be expanding its coverage and activities to the US with the creation of an affiliate entity in Q2 2024.
The industry trade association is planning a 2024 conference to be held in Florida in October for the securities finance industry.
ISLA aims to serve regional members, including current members operating global businesses. It indicates that it has seen a notable increase in demand to produce “a more cohesive output”.
Commenting on the news, Budh-Raja, chair of the ISLA EMEA board, says: “I would like to welcome Mark and the US board members to the broader ISLA universe and congratulate them on their appointment to the inaugural ISLA Americas board of directors.
“This period will shape the work of ISLA across both regions, and the strength of experience within the group will ensure that ISLA Americas’ strategy is progressive, and meets the demands of its membership, as well as the market more broadly.
“I am looking forward to working alongside the ISLA Americas Board, to help define one true advocacy voice across both EMEA and the US.”
Whipple adds: “I am delighted to have been elected as the first chairman and look forward to working with the new board to form a solid foundation for ISLA Americas for the years to come.
“I would like to thank the ISLA EMEA Board for their collaboration and the wider ISLA membership, as well as US market participants, for their support of our vision. As an initial priority, I am looking forward to hosting and welcoming new and familiar faces to the inaugural ISLA Americas conference in October.”
