Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority is setting up an office in Australia in July to oversee its activities in the Asia Pacific region as part of a new strategy to support UK financial services firms. 

FCA director of wholesale buyside asset management department Camille Blackburn will lead the Australian branch as director of Asia Pacific. 

Ms Blackburn will focus on supporting financial services firms to navigate regulation to enter the UK market or raise capital and provide UK firms with support expanding into the APAC region. 

She has 25 years’ experience in financial services regulation and has held senior regulatory roles including at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, as leader of the Investment Banking Division over the financial crisis of 2008. 

FCA executive director for supervision, policy, competition and international Sarah Pritchard said: “The UK is a global hub for financial services. We are committed to continuing to build our global network and international reputation. 

“We recognise that major international investors want easier access to us, and having a presence in these key regions will help achieve that.” 

The planned Australian office comes after FCA’s Tash Miah moved to Washington to lead its US branch. Ms Miah started this month at the British embassy, working with the Department for Business and Trade to advance UK-US financial services policy and regulatory cooperation, and support financial firms in the US to navigate UK regulation. 

Ms Pritchard said: “These appointments will help us deliver on our mission to support growth through the export of UK financial services and attracting more inward investment to our shores.”