Danny Lopez (businessman)

Danny Lopez (born May 1974) is a British businessman who between 2011 and 2016 was the British Consul-General to New York and Director-General of the Department for International Trade in the United States and Canada. He is currently the CEO of cybersecurity firm Glasswall Solutions and a non-executive director of Innovate Finance, the independent industry body that represents and advances the global fintech community in the UK.

Danny Lopez
Her Majesty's Consul-General in New York
In office
July 2011 – July 2016
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
MinisterWilliam Hague (until 2014)
Philip Hammond (from 2014)
AmbassadorSir Nigel Sheinwald (until 2012),
Sir Peter Westmacott (2012–2016),
Sir Kim Darroch (from 2016)
Preceded bySir Alan Collins
Succeeded byAntonia Romeo

Career

Lopez joined British bank Barclays through its graduate recruitment scheme in 1996. During his ten years there he held a number of senior international positions, including Head of Global Inward Investment in London, Director of Business Banking in New York and Director of Business Development in India.[1]

In 2006, Lopez took up the position of Managing Director of Marketing & Communications at UK Trade & Investment, the UK government's foreign commercial arm.[2]

From 2009 to 2011, Lopez worked for the Mayor of London’s office, under Boris Johnson.[2] During this time he led the establishment of London & Partners, London's promotional agency for business, visitors and students, and was its inaugural CEO.

In 2011, the role of HM Consul-General to New York was opened up to applicants outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Lopez was confirmed as the successful candidate, becoming the youngest-ever British Consul-General to New York. As the senior British diplomat to New York for five years, he was responsible for promoting the UK’s economic profile, foreign policy and national security priorities, engaging at the highest levels of US political and business leadership. In addition, Lopez led the Department for International Trade's presence across nine cities in the US, working closely with multinationals on both sides of the Atlantic. During his tenure as HM Consul-General, he hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to New York in December 2014.[3][4] Lopez also actively promoted the expansion of high-tech US startups into the UK[5] and facilitated collaboration between the tech industries of both countries. In November 2013 he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.[6]

In June 2016, Lopez left his diplomatic position and returned to the private sector.[7] He became the COO at London-based technology company Blippar,[8] a role he held for two years until July 2018.[9] In 2016 Lopez became a special advisor to New York-based venture capital firm FinTech Collective and in 2017 Innovate Finance, the industry body that represents and advances the global fintech community in the UK, announced that Lopez was joining its board as a non-executive director.[10] In 2019, cybersecurity firm Glasswall Solutions announced Lopez's appointment as its CEO.[11] In 2020 Lopez was appointed to the Council of the University of Essex, his alma mater.[12]

Lopez speaks regularly on platforms across the world on topics including geopolitics and the intersection of market-disrupting technologies and government policy.

Personal life

Born in England to José Antonio and Elizabeth, and brought up in Spain, Lopez was educated at the Marists School of Zaragoza. Fluent in both English and Spanish,[1] he holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in economics and a Master's degree in international economics and finance from the University of Essex.[2] In 2012 he married his Australian fiancée, Susan Grieve. They have three children.[13][14]

References
  1. LeRoy, Bridget. "British Consul General: The Star Talks to Danny Lopez", The East Hampton Star, East Hampton, NY, 18 August 2011. Retrieved on 5 April 2012
  2. British Consulate-General, New York
  3. "Actor Matthew Rhys Finds Himself Tongue-Tied over Princess Kate". People.
  4. "Prince William and Duchess Kate: 9 Things That Have Happened Since They Arrived in the US". ABC News - Good Morning America, Dec 8, 2014,
  5. "British Want Philly Tech Companies to Expand to U.K.". By Lauren Hertzler | Philadelphia Business Journal.
  6. https://www.themarque.com/members/danny-lopez
  7. "Change of Her Majesty's Consul General in New York - News stories - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  8. "Tech upstart poaches top British diplomat in New York". The Independent. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  9. CNBC (25 June 2018). "Blippar Appoints Seasoned Technology Executive and Digital Agency Veteran Libby Penn to Chief Operating Officer". CNBC. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  10. "Innovate Finance Appoints New Non Executive Directors". Innovate Finance – The Voice of Global FinTech. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  11. "Glasswall Solutions Appoints Danny Lopez as Chief Executive Officer". www.businesswire.com. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  12. "University of Essex - Welcoming our new members of University Council « Essex Daily". Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  13. "'Susan Grieve, Danny Lopez". New York Times.
  14. "New British Consul General in New York". British Academy of Film and Television Arts]
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Sir Alan Collins		 Her Majesty's Consul-General in New York,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
2011–July 2016		 Succeeded by
Antonia Romeo
as HM Consul-General NYC
and Director-General, Economic
and Commercial Affairs, USA
Director-General,
Economic and Commercial Affairs USA,
UK Trade & Investment
2011–July 2016
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