Life after Swift

Belatedly proving that there is life after Swift, the banking co-operative's former head of securities James Donovan has landed a new role at US self-regulatory authority Finra. In his new job, Donovan will take charge of Finra's corporate technology and strategy, and will also be responsible for registration and disclosure, market transparency facilities, member relations and Finra’s international programme.

Donovan's appointment comes more than a year after he quit his position at the Belgium-based banking utility, preferring to do a spot of gardening than continue with the thankless task of pushing Swift's rather tired offering for the securities industry.

Donovan's successor at Swift, former BT Radianz exec Chris Church was only appointed last month. With the slot left vacant for over a year, it will take a stellar performance to turn around the co-operative's stuttering progress ahead of this year's Sibos in Vienna in September.