"Enchanté, Madame!" Eurobank boss, Jean-Paul Trichet, meets Sharon Bowles

A year ago South West Herts resident and Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles was appointed Chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Europe's top committee responsible for the regulation of financial services. At the time Sharon was tipped by the Financial Times to become one of the most powerful people in European finance. Since then her reputation for fairness and impartiality and her outstanding ability to master and analyse complex briefs has propelled her to the centre of international affairs.

Now the specialist financial industry newspaper Financial News has put Sharon in the top ten financial regulators in Europe, along with Bank of England Governor, Mervyn King and (see picture) the President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Paul Trichet. The recognition is all the more noteworthy since this is the first time Financial News has ever put a political figure into one of their listings.

Commenting on her Top Ten listing Sharon said, "I feel very flattered, but it is also sobering to realise how many people in the City, around Europe and further afield are watching what I am doing."

"It is also a recognition of the power of the European Parliament and the importance of my Committee. I work regularly with the rest of the 'top ten regulators' and indeed part of my job is to hold several of them to account. We will all be working together over the coming year to shape new financial regulation."

We must all congratulate Sharon Bowles on her well-deserved success and it is good to know that the Liberal Democrats can supply talented people well able to deliver competently in a demanding job crucial for the stability of our finances. The European Community is the largest and most powerful economic bloc in the world - so this is no mean achievement on Sharon's part. Mind how you go, George Osborne!