London Stock Exchange Group is delighted to announce the appointment of John Wilson as Chief Executive of Baikal, its pan-European non-display trading platform.
Baikal will offer customers a new proposition in European equities trading by combining algorithmic and smart order routing technology with a multilateral non-display liquidity pool.
John has over 20 years of experience in financial markets, most recently as Founder and Managing Director of the financial consulting firm, Expert Analysis Group. He has also served on the Executive Committees for both Equities and Fixed Income and as Head of Equity and Fixed Income Research at Lehman Brothers; and on the Equity Executive Committee for Japan and as Head of Japan and UK research at UBS. An engineer by training, John has also worked in the oil industry and management consulting industry.
Currently, John is actively engaged in evaluating the new range of options for implementing Baikal. Following the break-up and acquisition of Lehman Brothers’ businesses, the Exchange has received and is exploring a number of interesting alternative proposals for delivering Baikal. It hopes to be in a position to say more about these revised plans in the next few weeks.
Clara Furse, Chief Executive of London Stock Exchange Group and Chairman of Baikal, said:
“I am delighted that John has agreed to become Baikal’s Chief Executive. With over twenty years’ experience in investment banking, I feel sure that he will justify the strong positive response we have had to Baikal particularly from major buy-side institutions. John’s appointment is a key milestone for this exciting venture.”
John Wilson said:
"The desire of investors to access deeper pools of liquidity through a neutral venue is greater than ever and Baikal, as an exchange-led solution, will meet this need in a unique and differentiated way. I am excited at the prospect of redefining the liquidity landscape.”
Baikal will be a pan-European MTF (multi lateral trading facility) offering a neutral liquidity venue, which will:
- Create a new non-display European equities liquidity pool offering the most efficient execution for customers seeking lower market impact costs for institutional size orders; and
- Order route to the widest range of displayed and non-displayed European equities liquidity.
The Baikal team will be based at Paternoster Square in dedicated offices in the London Stock Exchange Group buildings.