It was with great sadness that FEE received the news of Jörgen Holmquist’s passing on 28 March 2014.

A public member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) since 2011, Jörgen Holmquist became the first independent chair of the IESBA in September 2012. While Jörgen’s main professional activity was chairing the IESBA, he was also the chair of the European Corporate Governance Institute and the European Fisheries Control Agency, a special advisor to European Commissioner Maria Damanaki, and a senior advisor at the international public affairs consultancy Interel.

Prior to joining the IESBA, he was the director general for the European single market and financial market regulation in the European Commission, from 2007 to 2010. Before joining the European Commission in 1997, he served in the Swedish Ministry of Finance for twenty years, seven of them in Washington D.C., and from 1993-1997 as the senior civil servant responsible for the Swedish public finances.

Jörgen was highly knowledgeable in many areas of work of FEE. He has always proved an outstanding and insightful source of ideas and challenges. In October 2013, the leaders of the European accountancy profession had the opportunity to engage with him when he talked to the FEE Members Assembly. His remarks were, as ever, greatly inspiring and appreciated. Jörgen was a key figure in Brussels and Europe will miss his European passion and commitment; many at FEE will also miss a friend.

FEE conveys to his wife and children their deep condolences at this difficult time.