Gary Simmons

Gary is the Managing Director of AFME High Yield division, for which he leads AFME’s efforts to lower costs and increase efficiency in the execution of high-yield transactions and to address any related legal and regulatory issues, and which also lobbies for the reform of corporate insolvency laws. He also heads the AFME Equity Capital Markets division, which monitors business, legal and regulatory issues affecting European equity capital markets, and provides related policy, advocacy, and regulatory engagement for member positions. Gary is a New York-qualified lawyer and was previously a senior associate at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. After an initial period in New York, Gary spent several years in London, gaining extensive experience in cross-border and emerging markets debt transactions, particularly high-yield bond issuances, and leveraged loans. He has a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law (with honors) and a Bachelor of Arts (with highest honors) from Rutgers University. Following law school, Gary was a law clerk to the Honorable William H. Walls of the United States Federal District Court, District of New Jersey.