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Previously chairman of the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE) for the periods 1998-2003 and 1985-88, Williamson, 62, is currently a director of NYSE Euronext.

He is also chairman of Electra Private Equity plc, a director of HSBC Holdings plc, a director of Resolution plc, a senior advisor to Fleming Family and Partners, a director of Politeia and chairman of The Armed Forces Charities Advisory Company. Whilst chairman of Gerrard Group plc, he was a member of the Securities and Investments Board, now the Financial Services Authority which regulates London financial markets. He left this position in 1998 to take up the LIFFE appointment.

In 1995 he joined the International Advisory Board of the NASDAQ Stock Market, becoming chairman in 1996 and from 1995-1998 was a governor-at-large of the National Association of Securities Dealers in Washington, NASDAQ's parent company. He was a member of the Court of the Bank of Ireland from 1990-1999 and formerly a director of a number of UK public companies.

"It is an honour and privilege to welcome Sir Brian to the Climate Exchange board," said Dr. Richard L. Sandor, chairman of Climate Exchange Plc, and CCX's chairman and CEO. "His distinguished career as leader in the financial community is an invaluable asset to the Exchange and its worldwide membership. We very much look forward to working with him."

Sir Brian said, "Richard Sandor can reasonably claim to be in at the beginning of financial futures, single stock equity futures and emission trading. An invitation to join a board of a company of which he is chairman is irresistible".

Climate Exchange Plc is a holding company whose subsidiaries are principally engaged in owning, operating and developing exchanges to facilitate trading in environmental financial instruments including emissions reduction credits in both voluntary and mandatory markets.

The two main businesses are the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) which operates a voluntary but legally binding cap and trade system including an exchange for CO2 emissions as well as SOx and NOx contracts in the US and internationally, and the European Climate Exchange (ECX) which operates an exchange focussed on compliance certificates for the mandatory European Emissions Trading Scheme.

CCX, which began trading in 2003, is the world's first and North America's only legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system, as well as the world's only global system for emissions trading based on all six greenhouse gases.

CCX members are at the forefront of greenhouse gas management and mitigation, including offset providers and offset aggregators, and located throughout the United States. CCX members derive from all sectors of the global economy, including the public sector.

Emissions reductions being achieved through CCX by major utilities, corporations, cities, states and counties, are the only reductions in North America being achieved through a legally binding compliance regime, subject to independent third party verification provided by FINRA and price transparency.

Dr. Richard L. Sandor, the founder, chairman and CEO of CCX, is an economist and financial innovator who was named a Hero of the Planet by Time magazine in 2002 for his founding of CCX, and in 2007 as the "father of carbon trading".

Related links

• Climate Exchange plc
• Chicago Climate Exchange