Reflecting on 2023 by Vicky Kyproglou

Dear ISSA Members and Friends

Reflecting on 2023, I would like to thank all of you for your support and commitment. Your dedication and insights have propelled us to remarkable heights this past year.

Together, we’ve navigated through challenges, delved deeply into key themes across our industry and fostered an atmosphere of collaboration that’s truly inspiring. Your contributions and the resulting output continue to drive and develop the future of our industry.

We have continued to embrace the future by issuing the Digital Asset Custody and ESG Glossary papers and completing our fourth annual ‘DLT in the Real World’ survey. ISSA has also maintained great momentum with our working groups focused on the present such as T+1 Global Impacts paper and the revised Financial Crime Compliance questionnaire as well as producing numerous other papers on important topics for our industry – a fantastic set of achievements.

We have also welcomed new Board firms to the ISSA community: Roland – NASDAQ,  Hanna – JP Morgan, Justin – Northern Trust, and Padmaja – National Securities Depository Limited, India who joined in 2023 and I thank them and their representatives for their commitment to ISSA.

I would also like to thank Phil Brown for his leadership and achieving the Board’s goal of leaving ISSA in a better place than when he took it over. Phil remains on the Board so we look forward to his continued engagement and support.

My and the Board’s strategic ambition is to grow the influence of ISSA in the market – diving into topics where ISSA can make a real difference to shape the future of Securities Services.

Following our final Board meeting last year our plans for ’24 include, further growing the Association,  continuing to address the topics that are most important to our members with the WGs, and starting to rollout an educational offering to both the membership and regulators.

I am incredibly proud to be part of this community and honoured to be the new Chair of ISSA. I understand that it is the members who make ISSA what it is.

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, let’s carry forward the momentum and enthusiasm. With your continued commitment, I have no doubt we will make a real difference with our unique, front to back, and global view of the Securities Services industry.

Here’s to an exciting, collaborative and successful year ahead, and may you all have a great 2024!

Vicky Kyproglou

ISSA Chair