Laurent Durand is the co-head of the legal global banking and market (with a focus on markets businesses and advisory activities such as mergers and acquisitions and securitisation) at HSBC Continental Europe which he joined in 2007. He started his career as a broker in Paris and then spent 15 years in the legal department of ABN AMRO in France. Laurent was chairman of the legal committee of AMAFI (the French Association of the Financial Market professionals) for many years and regularly and actively participates in market committees to develop financial law and adapt it to profound changes in the market and to the expectations of the various local stakeholders. What motivates Laurent is complex transactions that require the combination of different legal techniques to achieve new, innovative products that are as close as possible to customer needs. He is also motivated by the management and the collaboration with a great team of lawyers, full of talents and values!