Many have computer science or programming backgrounds. Most occupy business-unit executive positions, often in the C-suite. They are responsible for the high-tech machinery of modern financial markets — engines running at speeds faster than the eye can see.
These are the leading system designers, managers and innovators spotlighted in Institutional Investor’s inaugural Trading Technology 30. They range from, at the top of the list, the technology executives of globe-spanning exchange operators — NYSE Euronext’s Dominique Cerutti, CME Group’s Kevin Kometer and Nasdaq OMX Group’s Anna Ewing — to, at No. 30, Tom Sosnoff, an options technology pioneer running a new-media start-up.
Eleven of the 30 represent exchanges. Several others are from buy- and sell-side firms and other ventures that run bourselike alternative or over-the-counter markets or trading desks hooked closely into exchanges. Whether focused on equities, fixed income or derivatives, all have evolved into technology companies.
NYSE Euronext, for example, in addition to maintaining its own infrastructure, sells systems to other markets — a $500 million-in-revenue business that Cerutti expects will reach $1.5 billion by 2015. At Singapore Exchange, a customer of Nasdaq OMX’s competing market technologies unit, the goal of CEO Magnus Böcker (No. 10) is to run the fastest bourse in the world, with transaction speeds well under 100 microseconds.
It is a constant “arms race” to keep up with ever-rising trade, quote and messaging volumes while staying abreast of technology advances as well as regulatory changes.
The Trading Tech 30 were selected by II editors and staff after considering nominations and other input from industry experts. The leadership criteria include career accomplishments and contributions made at both individual companies and to the industry at large; scope and complexity of executive responsibilities; and pure technological innovation.
| Rank | Name | Title Company |
| 30 | Tom Sosnoff | Chief Executive Officer Tastytrade |
| 29 | Saro Jahani | Chief Information Officer Direct Edge |
| 28 | Scott Ignall | Chief Technology Officer Lightspeed Financial |
| 27 | Jaime Jofre | Chief Technology Officer Pragma Securities |
| 26 | Jorge Alegria | Senior Vice President, Market Operations BMV Group |
| 25 | Joshua Walsky | Chief Technology Officer Broadway Technology |
| 24 | Michael Liberman | Chief Operating Officer BlueMountain Capital Management |
| 23 | Jerry Dobner | Chief Technology Officer GFI Group |
| 22 | Tony Weeresinghe | Head of Global Development London Stock Exchange |
| 21 | Tal Cohen | Chief Executive Officer Chi-X Global Holdings |
| 20 | Richard McVey | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer MarketAxess Holdings |
| 19 | Ben Sylvester | Head, U.S. Equity Trading Group J.P. Morgan Asset Management |
| 18 | Jay Spencer | Chief Technology Officer Tradeweb Markets |
| 17 | Mark Beeston | Chief Executive Officer, Posttrade Risk ICAP |
| 16 | Daniel Friel | Chief Information Office International Securities Exchange |
| 15 | Thomas Peterffy | Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Interactive Brokers Group |
| 14 | Richard Prager | Head of Global Trading BlackRock |
| 13 | Nigel Faulkner | Chief Information Officer, Global Equities Credit Suisse |
| 12 | Chris Isaacson | Chief Operating Officer BATS Global Markets |
| 11 | Gregory Tusar | Americas Head of Electronic Trading Goldman Sachs Group |
| 10 | Magnus Bocker | Chief Executive Officer Singapore Exchange |
| 9 | Chip Carver | Chief Operating Officer Markit Group |
| 8 | Brian Conroy | President Fidelity Capital Markets |
| 7 | Gerald O’Connell | Chief Information Officer Chicago Board Options Exchange |
| 6 | Raymond Tierney | President and Chief Executive Officer Bloomberg Tradebook |
| 5 | Michael Blum | Head Getco Execution Services |
| 4 | Edwin Marcial | Chief Technology Officer IntercontinentalExchange |
| 3 | Anna Ewing | Chief Information Officer Nasdaq OMX Group |
| 2 | Kevin Kometer | Chief Information Officer CME Group |
| 1 | Dominique Cerutti | President and Deputy Chief Executive Officer NYSE Euronext |
