In February 2025, the European Parliament’s ECON and LIBE committees conducted interviews to select the five members of the Executive Board for the newly established European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA). The successful candidates hailed from Germany, Lithuania, Denmark, Ireland, and Spain. The distinguished individuals and their professional backgrounds bring expertise to AMLA.
Marcus Pleyer (Germany)
Marcus Pleyer, representing Germany, has been appointed to the AMLA Executive Board. He serves as the Deputy Director General in Germany’s Federal Ministry of Finance. Pleyer is famous for his extensive experience in anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) initiatives. To note, he held the position of President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) from 2020 to 2022, where he led global efforts to mitigate financial crimes. His leadership at FATF was marked by impressive and significant advancements in international AML standards and the promotion of effective compliance measures among member countries. Pleyer’s appointment to AMLA is expected to enhance the authority’s strategic direction, leveraging his deep understanding of global financial crime prevention.
Simonas Krepsta (Lithuania)
Simonas Krepsta is joining the AMLA Executive Board from Lithuania, where he serves as a Board Member at the Bank of Lithuania. With respect to his current role, Krepsta is responsible for financial market supervision and digital development. His tenure at the Bank of Lithuania has been characterized by a proactive approach to including innovative technologies within the financial sector while maintaining stringent regulatory frameworks. Krepsta has played an important role in positioning Lithuania as a leading Fintech hub in Europe, bringing about a compliance ecosystem that focuses on cooperation between public and private sectors. His expertise in digital finance and regulatory oversight is anticipated to contribute majorly to AMLA’s mission of preventing money laundering and terrorist financing across the European Union.
Rikke-Louise Petersen (Denmark)
Denmark’s representative on the AMLA Executive Board is Rikke-Louise Petersen, who is the Deputy Director General at the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority. Petersen has a renowned career in financial regulation, with a focus on enhancing the integrity and transparency of financial markets. Her efforts have been crucial in strengthening Denmark’s AML and CTF frameworks, ensuring they align with international standards. Petersen’s commitment to fostering a culture of compliance within financial institutions has been recognized both nationally and internationally. At AMLA, she is expected to play a pivotal role in developing cohesive policies that address emerging financial crime threats within the EU.
Derville Rowland (Ireland)
The Irish appointee to the AMLA Executive Board has a strong background in financial oversight and regulation. Prior to this role, she contributed significantly to Ireland’s financial regulatory landscape, focusing on anti-money laundering initiatives and the implementation of robust compliance measures. Her work has been instrumental in enhancing Ireland’s reputation for financial integrity and in fostering international cooperation in mitigating financial crimes. At AMLA, this Irish representative is poised to leverage their experience to strengthen the authority’s supervisory capabilities and to inculcate uniformity in AML practices across member states.
Manuel Vega Serrano (Spain)
Spain’s representative, Manuel Vega Serrano on the AMLA Executive Board brings experience from his tenure in Spain’s financial regulatory bodies. He has been actively involved in the development and enforcement of policies aimed at preventing money laundering and terrorist financing. His efforts have significantly contributed to Spain’s stringent AML framework and its proactive participation in international financial crime prevention networks. Within AMLA, the Spanish appointee is going to be instrumental in enhancing cross-border collaboration and ensuring the effective implementation of AML directives throughout the European Union.
The establishment of the AMLA Executive Board marks an important milestone in the European Union’s commitment to strengthening its defenses against financial crimes. The diverse expertise, experience and leadership of the board members from Germany, Lithuania, Denmark, Ireland, and Spain are supposed to drive the authority’s mission to implement a unified and effective AML/CTF framework across Europe.
