CHICAGO, Aug 04, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- CME Group, the world's largest and most diverse derivatives exchange and the world's leading marketplace for equity index futures and options, today announced that it has expanded its equity index product team by appointing Helen Flanagan as Director, Equity Markets, and Phillip Hatzopoulos as Director, Equity Products - OTC. These newly created positions are designed to focus on selling and marketing CME Group's suite of benchmark equity index products to current and potential clients worldwide.
Flanagan, 44, will be responsible for facilitating CME Group's equity product growth strategy, including increasing trading volume and distribution of equity index futures and options and assisting in the development and launch of new products and services across all asset classes. Hatzopoulos, 42, will be responsible for developing new equity index products and services related to the over-the-counter (OTC) market and promoting CME Group's existing equity index products as tools to replicate and hedge OTC transactions.
"Building on our strong growth momentum, we are expanding our equity team, with the addition of Helen and Phillip, to further support our position as the leading provider of the most liquid exchange-listed equity index futures and options on futures on the world's most recognizable domestic and foreign equity indexes," said Scot Warren, Managing Director, Equity Products. "Helen and Phillip's extensive experience in exchange-traded and OTC markets and deep understanding of our customers' needs enhances our ability to pursue new growth opportunities and attract new users to our markets."
A broad array of equity index futures trade at CME Group, including offerings on large-, medium- and small-cap equity indexes as well as technology and global equity benchmarks provided by S&P, NASDAQ, Dow Jones, MSCI, Nikkei and FTSE. Today an average of 3.2 million electronically traded "mini" equity index contracts trade each day.
Flanagan joins CME Group with over 20 years of experience in the derivatives industry, most recently serving as Vice President of Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities/Equities as a salesperson of global futures and interest rate products for Goldman Sachs & Co. In this role, she was responsible for directing futures sales and marketing coverage for the firm's top Midwest clients. Her previous leadership roles at Goldman included Vice President, Futures Sales and Execution in New York and Vice President/Manager of the firm's CME Group Eurodollar Desk. Flanagan earned a bachelor's degree in policy and administration management from Indiana University. She is a Series 7, 3 and 63 registered representative.
Hatzopoulos joins CME Group from Morgan Stanley where he most recently served as Vice President, Fixed Income Sales, and was responsible for structuring and selling fixed income products to hedge funds, insurance companies and money managers. He also has worked for Fuji Securities Inc. and as a proprietary floor trader. Hatzopoulos earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master's in finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology's Stuart School of Business. Hatzopoulos holds the CFA designation and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Chicago. He is a Series 7 and 63 registered representative.