David Geale was appointed permanent executive director for payments and digital finance, and managing director of the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) in May 2025.

He is responsible for helping deliver the National Payments Vision and driving the FCA’s work on open banking and digital finance. David will also play a key role in the work to consolidate the PSR into the FCA. He is also responsible for supervising payments and cryptoasset firms.

David was previously director of retail banking at the FCA. He has worked at the FCA and its predecessor, the FSA, for more than 20 years, carrying out roles in policy and supervision. He was involved in leading and delivering policies such as the Retail Distribution Review and policy changes during the UK’s exit from the European Union.

More recently, David has led the FCA's work on developing a regime for cryptoassets as well as savings rates and reforming the mortgage market as set out in the FCA's letter to the Prime Minister on growth.

David had been the managing director of the PSR since June 2024.