New Chair Annette Meyer at the helm of the European Services Forum

Annette Meijer, Vice President European Affairs & Deputy Head Brussels Corporate Representation at Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL), has now taken the helm at the organisation with effect on 1st January 2022. She commented “I am proud to be asked to lead the European Services Forum during this very productive period for the members who saw an increase of market access and of the legal certainty in their international activities.” Outgoing Chairman Noel Clehane, BDO Global Head of Regulatory & Public Policy said. “I want to congratulate Annette on her nomination as the first chairwoman in ESF 20 years’ history and wish her every success in pushing forward ESF priorities. It has been a great honour for me to chair this fantastic organisation since 2017 and I am sure that it will go from strength to strength under Annette.” (see Statement here).

Annette Meyer Biography

Noel Clehane has been elected ESF Chairman on 12th October 2017.

Noel Clehane is the Global Head of Regulatory & Public Policy Affairs at BDO and is a very experienced chartered accountant with almost 30 years’ experience of practice and high-level public affairs in the accounting profession and broader financial services sector. He coordinates the involvement of the BDO network globally in regulatory and public policy affairs by developing, overseeing and ensuring execution of its public policy strategy. His primary qualification is that of Chartered Accountant being a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and also both a Fellow and Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. He has extensive involvement in many related extracurricular activities. He is based at the BDO Global Office at Brussels, Belgium.

Noel Clehane Biography

Sir Thomas Harris has been Chairman of the European Services Forum (ESF) from April 2013 until October 2017.

Sir Thomas Harris has been a Vice Chairman in Standard Chartered Bank since 2004.  Standard Chartered has a history of over 150 years in banking and operates in many of the world’s fastest-growing markets with an extensive global network in over 75 countries.

He is a non-executive director of Standard Chartered Bank (Korea), the UK India Business Council, the Taiwan British Business Council and the Trade Policy Panel of the British Bankers Association.  He also serves as a Director of TheCityUK and is a member of the Investment and the International Advisory Board of British American Business.

 Sir Thomas Harris Biography

Mr. Christoffer Taxell has been Chairman of the European Services Forum since 11 December 2007.

Until 2006, Mr Taxell was Chairman of the ESF’s member the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK. Mr. Taxell’s career includes senior positions in politics, business and academia. He held in particular ministerial functions in Sweden for over ten years, was a member of the Parliament for over fifteen years, and has been Member of major Swedish Companies’ Boards since 1985.

Mr. Taxell also served as a Chairman of Finnair, and the Nordic Distribution company Stockmann for many years.

CV Christoffer Taxell

Mr. Taxell took over the ESF Chairmanship from Lord Vallance of Tummel who chaired the ESF from 2002 until 2007. Lord Vallance of Tummel is a former Chairman of British Telecom Plc, of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and a former Vice-Chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.

Lord Vallance Biography

The Founding Chairman of the European Services Forum was Mr. Andrew Buxton, then Chairman of Barclays Bank Plc. He chaired the ESF from 1999 to 2002.