The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced the appointment of Thomas Vlassopoulos as Director General of Market Infrastructure and Payments. He will succeed Ulrich Bindseil, who is departing from the ECB.
Thomas Vlassopoulos has been serving as Deputy Director General of Market Operations since May 2021. His previous roles include heading the Monetary Analysis Division and serving as Deputy Head of the Financial Stability Surveillance Division. He joined the ECB’s Directorate General Economics in 2008 after working at the Bank of Greece. Vlassopoulos holds a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
The Directorate General Market Infrastructure and Payments (DG-MIP) is responsible for overseeing and coordinating payment systems and market infrastructure development within the Eurosystem. It also leads initiatives such as the digital euro project, oversees payment, clearing, and settlement systems, and fosters innovation in retail payments while exploring new technologies for wholesale central bank money settlement.
In his new role, Vlassopoulos will manage DG-MIP's strategic direction, focusing on innovation, project workstreams, and operational activities related to TARGET Services, the digital euro project, as well as retail and wholesale payments. He will chair various committees and high-level forums to maintain relationships with market participants and other stakeholders.
Information from this article can be found here.