The Futures and Options Association has appointed Kathleen Traynor as director of regulation, effective January 2011.

Traynor joins the FOA from London Stock Exchange Group, where she was head of regulatory strategy.

Prior to that role, she was senior associate, equity markets, at the UK’s Financial Services Authority.

She also spent six years at TSX Group (now TMX Group, operator of Canada’s stock and derivatives exchanges) as senior legal counsel.

Traynor replaces Jane Green, who left in September to join Association of Financial Markets Europe.

FOA chief executive Anthony Belchambers says: “Kathleen is a key appointment for the FOA at a time of major regulatory change. Her expertise will prove invaluable as we continue our efforts to ensure that the legal and regulatory framework, as well as being effective in sustaining public confidence and market orderliness and integrity, is proportionate to the differentiated trading activities, customer bases, services and business risks of FOA member firms.”