The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has bolstered its criminal prosecution team by hiring David Kirk as its chief criminal ­counsel.

Kirk was previously director of the Fraud Prosecution Unit, a specialist branch of the Crown Prosecution Service. FSA director of enforcement Margaret Cole said: “The FSA has made a firm commitment to bringing criminal prosecutions to support our objective of achieving clean and orderly markets through credible deterrence. David will bring a wealth of experience of criminal prosecutions and will greatly strengthen our ability to bring more criminal actions, as we plan to do.” The FSA has also appointed Keith Foggon to head the digital evidence unit.

He was previously with the Serious Fraud Office.