Former British prime minister David Cameron has been appointed to his first high profile commercial role, Reuters reported on Friday.
Cameron’s appointment comes amid a recent swirl of merger activity in the industry, including US credit card processor Vantiv’s acquisition of top UK payment company WorldPay in a $10 billion deal.
Cameron will take on an advisory post with the US-based First Data Corp., which handles credit- and debit-card transactions for around 6 million merchants worldwide, the company said in a statement on Friday.
In this role, Cameron will focus on consolidating First Data’s base in its key markets as well as promoting the company’s expansion into new regions of the world, the statement said.
It also coincides with a time of deep uncertainty in financial markets over the outcome of Britain’s decision to exit the European Union, a subject matter in which Cameron is particularly well-versed.
The British political scene remains volatile, with his successor Theresa May trying to face down a rebellion by some of her own lawmakers seeking to oust her.
Since leaving office soon after the June 2016 Brexit vote, Cameron has held a number of unpaid, voluntary posts, including presidency of the charity Alzheimer’s UK. More lucrative work has come through speaking engagements at a bureau that also represents former prime minister Tony Blair.
