Michael Coogan qualified as a barrister in 1981 and, following a short period in private practice, joined the Consumers' Association in 1983. Between 1984 and 1987 he worked at the Greater London Council and for its successor, the London Residuary Body. He joined the Building Societies Association in 1987, becoming Head of Legal Services of the BSA and Council of Mortgage Lenders in October 1993. He became Director General of the CML on 1 December 1996 to lead up the independent CML on its separation from the BSA on 1 January 1997. The CML represents the whole mortgage industry and its members include banks, converted banks, building societies, insurance companies and other specialist residential mortgage lenders.
As CML Director General he has overall responsibility for the management of the CML and is its main representative to Government, Parliament, regulators, outside trade and professional organisations. He is a regular spokesman for the mortgage lending industry at seminars, conferences and in the media.
He is married to Lyn, with a teenage daughter, Caitlin.