Lopez joined British bank Barclays through its graduate recruitment scheme in 1996. During his ten years there he held a number of senior international positions, including Head of Global Inward Investment in London, Director of Business Banking in New York and Director of Business Development in India. In 2006, Lopez took up the position of Managing Director of Marketing & Communications at UK Trade & Investment, the UK government's foreign commercial arm. From 2009 to 2011, Lopez worked for the Mayor of London’s office, under Boris Johnson. During this time he led the establishment of London & Partners, London's promotional agency for business, visitors and students, and was its inaugural CEO. In 2011, the role of HM Consul-General to New York was opened up to applicants outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Lopez was confirmed as the successful candidate, becoming the youngest-ever British Consul-General to New York. As the senior British diplomat to New York for five years, he was responsible for promoting the UK’s economic profile, foreign policy and national security priorities, engaging at the highest levels of US political and business leadership. In addition, Lopez led the Department for International Trade's presence across nine cities in the US, working closely with multinationals on both sides of the Atlantic. During his tenure as HM Consul-General, he hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to New York in December 2014. Lopez also actively promoted the expansion of high-tech US startups into the UK and facilitated collaboration between the tech industries of both countries. In November 2013 he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In June 2016, Lopez left his diplomatic position and returned to the private sector. He became the COO at London-based technology company , a role he held for two years until July 2018. In 2016 Lopez became a special advisor to New York-based venture capital firm and in 2017 Innovate Finance, the industry body that represents and advances the global fintech community in the UK, announced that Lopez was joining its board as a non-executive director. In 2019, cybersecurity firm announced Lopez's appointment as its CEO. In 2020 Lopez was appointed to the Council of the University of Essex, his alma mater. Lopez speaks regularly on platforms across the world on topics including geopolitics and the intersection of market-disrupting technologies and government policy.
Personal life
Born in England to José Antonio and Elizabeth, and brought up in Spain, Lopez was educated at the Marists School of Zaragoza. Fluent in both English and Spanish, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics and a Master's degree in international economics and finance from the University of Essex. In 2012 he married his Australian fiancée, Susan Grieve. They have three children.
