Bank of America Europe DAC CEO Fernando Vicario has been appointed chair of the Federation of International Banks in Ireland (FIBI), the international division of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) lobby.
FIBI is the representative body for international banking and investment firms in Ireland and represents more than 30 member organisations collectively employing 14,200 people in Ireland.
Vicario, a native of Pforzheim, Germany and a Spanish national, has worked for Bank of America for over 25 years, serving in multiple roles, including head of corporate banking for financial institutions in Europe and emerging markets, and head of EMEA global product solutions.
He sits on the EMEA regional executive committee, the global Diversity & Inclusion committee (D&I) of BofA and co-chairs the EMEA environmental, social and governance (ESG) Strategic Council. He is also a board member for the Open Doors Initiative in Dublin.
Vicario said he would make it a priority to promote further accessibility, cultural diversity and female leadership within the sector during his time in the role.
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"We need to leverage diverse views and experiences in order to foster innovation, generate new developments and to continue to attract top talent in a competitive market," he added.
"We look forward to working collaboratively with the government in the development of its international financial services strategy so that Ireland remains a key financial centre.”
Fiona Gallagher, CEO of Wells Fargo Bank International and outgoing chair of FIBI, said: “It is a privilege to hand over the chair to Fernando. The International Banking sector is going from strength to strength, and we are focused on making Ireland the sustainable banking hub for Europe.
"With Fernando’s passion, drive and focus on diversity and inclusion, the Federation of International Banks is extremely well-positioned to deliver our key goals.”
BPFI last week appointed AIB's Jim O'Keeffe as its new president. Ireland is ranked as the sixth largest exporter of financial services in the world, and the 19th largest international banking sector globally.
(Pic: Getty Images)
