Who we are

The Leeds Financial Services Initiative (LFSI)

is a partnership body, whose primary aim is to promote the city as the leading financial centre in the UK outside London. LFSI was founded by Leeds City Council and the Leeds Chamber of Commerce together with a number of leading financial and legal firms in 1993. Membership has grown every year and over 100 firms and organisations are now subscription members, including all the major financial services organisations in Leeds. (click here for list )

LFSI is a leading player within the city's main public/private partnership body, the Leeds Initiative, which is implementing programmes for the long term development of the city.

LFSI's policy and activity programme is overseen by a Steering Group comprising senior members of the Leeds financial community led by a Chairman and a Chief Executive.

The current Chairman is Kevin O'Connor, office managing partner of Baker Tilly and the Chief Executive is John Ansbro.

The Steering Group includes the following:

Peter Claydon, YFM Group	Duncan Mycock, KPMG
Martin Dean, Leeds Initiative	Rob Norreys, Leeds City Council
Simon Foy, Yorkshire Forward	Prof . Stephen Parkinson, Leeds Metropolitan University
Keith Froud, Eversheds	Chris Powell, Deloitte and Touche
Paul Fullerton, Bank of England	James Rogers, Leeds City Council
Mark Jannam, Pricewaterhouse Coopers	Jeremy Shulman, Shulmans Solicitors
Joanne Lake, Evolution Securities	Mark St John Qualter, Royal Bank of Scotland
Prof. Andrew Lock, University of Leeds	Michael Taylor, Walker Morris
Martin Lunt, HSBC	Andrew Walker, Leeds Chamber/Watson Burton
Andrew McKeon, AJM Public Relations

Leeds Financial Services Initiative
53 The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7EY

Tel. 0113 247 4689

info@leedsfinancial.co.uk

LFSI Chairman - Kevin O'Connor

Kevin became chairman in 2007, having been a member of the LFSI Steering Group since 2004. He is a chartered accountant and Senior Managing Partner in the Leeds office of Baker Tilly, a full service accountancy practice with particular expertise in supporting smaller listed companies and growing entrepreneurial businesses.

Kevin is also a member of the Leeds Initiative Board, a member of the Leeds city region Business Leadership Group and a trustee of the Leeds Community Foundation.

LFSI Chief Executive - John Ansbro

John has been LFSI chief executive since 2001. In 2006 he was also appointed to UK Trade and Investment's Financial Services Sector Advisory Board and is a member of the National Skills Academy-Financial Services, Shadow Regional Employer Board.

Prior to his role at LFSI, John was Director of Leeds Development Agency for nine years. He was also appointed by Yorkshire Forward and Bradford Council in 2002 to set up the Bradford City Centre Urban Regeneration Company which was established in 2003. In 2007 he was interim Senior Manager of Marketing Leeds and is currently Chairman of the Leeds Community Foundation.

John has a degree in economics and a post-graduate qualification in Town Planning.

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