An ASIC report notes the boom in demand for this asset, saying it heightens the need for “better-quality data” about the size of this sector where estimates range between $1.8 billion and $188 billion.
CPA Australia has weighed into the debate about the cost to oversee the industry, adding its voice to those who argue the fee structure favours the larger funds.
EBS BrokerTec steps up marketing effort for FX action
Sara Gilbert
EBS BrokerTec, the electronic foreign exchange (FX) and fixed income trading firm, has lifted its marketing effort for FX in Australia and New Zealand with the recruitment of Sara Gilbert as head of buy-side sales for the APAC region.
Gilbert, an experienced financial systems marketer, was most recently a managing director of the big software company SS&C, based in Hong Kong. She continues to be based in Hong Kong for her new role, but intends to visit Australia and New Zealand frequently.
EBS BrokerTec is the main competitor to Thomson Reuters. It was started by a consortium of leading market making banks in 1990 to provide effective competition initially in spot foreign exchange. It has subsequently become the primary trading venue for EURUSD, USDJPY, USDCHF and more recently USDCNH FX trading..
Simon Winn, the Hong Kong-based head of sales for EBS BrokerTec in APAC, said last week that the company has moved away from being a single-product company – starting with its Central Limit Order Book, which is now EBS Market – to offer its own aggregation platform (EBS Direct) non-disclosed liquidity (EBS Select), opaque matching environment (EBS Hedge) and is making available to participants eFix Matching, which enables matching of buy and sell orders in regulated Global ‘fixings’. It will also be bringing live forwards and swaps service in the next three months.
The founding banks sold EBS to the big global broker ICAP in 2006, but Winn said the firm maintained a close relationship with the banks.
“Our position in the market is changing, which is why we brought in Sara [Gilbert],” he said. “We are the primary source of liquidity for a growing number of financial institutions, and hope to soon number the Australian super funds in this list.”
Winn joined EBS from the electronic matching service 360T, based in Singapore, last year. Gilbert’s remit covers Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan. She is making her first trip to Australia in the new role in August.
