The Financial Secretary has appointed Paul Kennedy as the Securities & Futures Commission's new Executive Director-Chief Operating Officer for three years from October 16.

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau said Mr Kennedy has extensive management and operational experience in the financial services field and was selected through an open recruitment exercise.

Mr Kennedy was previously a partner of KPMG Hong Kong, and has more than 20 years experience in providing services to leading financial institutions in Hong Kong, the Mainland and the Asia-Pacific region.

He will assume full management responsibility for the commission's Corporate Affairs Division, which is responsible for overseeing its corporate communications, investor education and communications, the Commission Secretariat, finance and administration, human resources, training and development, and information technology.