Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co’s Richard Goold has been named in Financial News’ first FinTech40, a power list of the top forty people in Europe’s thriving fintech industry.

Entrants had to be based in Europe, the Middle East or Africa and display influence and innovation in the finTech ecosystem.

Financial News is one of the key sources of information in the investment banking, fund management and securities industries.

The final list of forty describes Mr Goold as “fast establishing himself as a leading legal influence in the technology sector”.

It features a range of people from visionary entrepreneurs, to community organisers and technology buyers at some of the world’s largest financial institutions.

Mr Goold is co-chair of the firm’s 115-strong tech team and a corporate partner specialising in international mergers and acquisitions, and private equity with a focus on technology.

He spends a significant amount of time in the finTech ecosystem (both in the UK and the US - NYC and Silicon Valley), mentoring finTech companies at accelerators and shared workspaces and speaking internationally on the topic.

Mr Goold has led numerous finTech transactions and advises various high profile clients. Recent experience includes advising venture capital firm Greycroft Partners on its investment in money transfer company Azimo, acting for NYC-based new equities exchange IEX and various finTech startups such as OpenFin.

He said: “I’m fortunate enough to lead one of the largest tech groups of lawyers in Europe. When the team looked at the European Tech landscape several years ago, we identified finTech as being one of a number of nascent tech areas where we could build a world beating ecosystem.

“Everyone involved in our own specialist finTech programme has spent a huge amount of time investing in what we believe to be one of the most exciting shifts that the City will have ever seen. I’m thrilled to have been included in the FinTech40, but it is very much a team effort; they have been fantastic and I thank them for all their support.”

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