Mr Julio SUAREZ

Mr. Julio Suarez is the Research Director at the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME), based in London, UK. He has been with AFME since June 2014, where he manages a comprehensive portfolio of data publications on European capital markets. His role involves preparing detailed market updates, conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, and contributing to policy proposals that affect credit and rates markets across Europe. Julio’s background is rooted in economics and public policy, with advanced degrees from the University of Chicago and Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. Prior to AFME, he held senior economic positions at BBVA Research and the Colombian Insurers Federation, where he also engaged in coalition-building and lobbying activities. Julio is recognized for his expertise in financial regulation, banking, and capital markets, and he actively participates in the American Political Science Association. His work at AFME places him at the intersection of financial market research and regulatory advocacy within the EU and UK financial sectors

Julio Suarez’s lobbying efforts at AFME are intricately tied to promoting the interests of the UK’s financial markets within the broader European regulatory framework. AFME represents a wide range of market participants including banks, asset managers, and capital market infrastructure providers, with a strong focus on ensuring that financial regulation supports a competitive and integrated European capital market that benefits the UK as a leading financial center.

His lobbying aims to influence EU financial regulatory policies such as MiFID (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive), FEMR (Financial Entity Market Regulation), and FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) reviews, ensuring they align with the UK’s market structure and regulatory preferences. Suarez contributes to research-based consultation responses and policy proposals that seek to preserve the UK’s competitive edge in credit, covered bonds, and government bond markets. By providing rigorous data analysis and market insights, he supports AFME’s advocacy to minimize regulatory fragmentation and promote harmonized rules that facilitate cross-border capital flows and market access for UK-based financial institutions.

Furthermore, his lobbying includes building strong relationships with senior members of sell-side financial institutions, regulators, and venues across Europe, which helps position the UK’s financial markets favorably in EU policy discussions. His work supports the UK’s post-Brexit strategy to maintain influence in EU financial policymaking, ensuring that regulatory developments do not disadvantage UK firms or restrict their ability to operate within the EU market. His true and underlying intention is to safeguard and enhance the UK’s status as a global financial hub by shaping EU policies that impact capital markets, thereby facilitating growth, innovation, and market stability in the UK financial sector

Julio Suarez has been actively involved in a series of lobbying activities aimed at promoting the UK’s financial market interests within the EU regulatory environment. His role involves preparing and presenting detailed market reports and data-driven analyses that inform AFME’s advocacy strategy. These reports, including quarterly data publications and the annual Capital Markets Union report, provide key insights into market trends and regulatory impacts, which are used to influence EU policymakers.

He has participated in numerous meetings with EU politicians, regulators, and supervisory authorities, including the European Central Bank’s Single Supervisory Mechanism (ECB SSM), the European Commission, and the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. These engagements focus on critical regulatory dossiers such as MiFID reforms, capital requirements directives (CRD5/CRR2), and insolvency regimes, where Suarez’s research supports AFME’s position papers advocating for market-friendly regulations that align with UK interests.

Notably, his lobbying has contributed to shaping regulatory outcomes by providing evidence-based arguments on the economic impact of proposed rules, which has helped prevent overly restrictive measures that could hinder UK financial institutions. His involvement in coalition building with other industry stakeholders strengthens AFME’s influence in Brussels and London. For example, his work on primary dealer systems comparison and credit market analyses has informed policy debates that directly affect market liquidity and funding conditions favorable to UK markets.

These activities demonstrate a strategic approach to lobbying, combining rigorous economic research with targeted stakeholder engagement to advance the UK’s financial sector objectives in the EU context. His efforts have been instrumental in ensuring that regulatory developments consider the unique characteristics of the UK market, promoting regulatory coherence and market integration that benefits UK-based market participants

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Julio C. Suarez – AFME (Association for Financial Markets in Europe)
Phone: Not publicly available
Website: AFME official website (www.afme.eu)
Social Media: No personal social media profiles publicly listed; AFME active on Twitter and LinkedIn

This profile synthesizes publicly available information and documented lobbying activities to present a comprehensive view of Mr. Julio Suarez’s role and influence as a lobbyist for the Association for Financial Markets in Europe, with a focus on promoting the UK’s financial market interests within the EU regulatory framework.