Citi’s Former Exec Matthew Cousens Joins Clear Street as MD, Head Electronic Execution for EMEA

Clear Street, a prime brokerage and financial infrastructure firm, has tapped Matthew Cousens to lead its electronic execution operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Clear Street Eyes EMEA Expansion with New Leadership

Based in London, Cousens will focus on building out the company’s execution capabilities to better serve institutional clients in the region. The move reflects Clear Street’s broader strategy to strengthen its international footprint by deepening its expertise and operational capacity outside the United States.

"Lots to do here as we look to build on the success that Clear Street has already achieved. But with a great team coming together here in London, we have a very exciting future ahead," Cousens wrote on LinkedIn today (Monday).

Cousens previously held the position of Head of EMEA Equities Equities Equities can be characterized as stocks or shares in a company that investors can buy or sell. When you buy a stock, you are in essence buying an equity, becoming a partial owner of shares in a specific company or fund.However, equities do not pay a fixed interest rate, and as such are not considered guaranteed income. As such, equity markets are often associated with risk.When a company issues bonds, it’s taking loans from buyers. When a company offers shares, on the other hand, it’s selling pa Equities can be characterized as stocks or shares in a company that investors can buy or sell. When you buy a stock, you are in essence buying an equity, becoming a partial owner of shares in a specific company or fund.However, equities do not pay a fixed interest rate, and as such are not considered guaranteed income. As such, equity markets are often associated with risk.When a company issues bonds, it’s taking loans from buyers. When a company offers shares, on the other hand, it’s selling pa Read this Term. Prior to that, he served as the Managing Director for Citi for two years and as the Head of EMEA Execution Sales.

In another major executive move last year, Clear Street brought Edward Tilly as President. Tilly joined the company after a decade-long tenure as Chief Executive Officer at CBOE Global Markets, Inc., during which he reportedly boosted market capitalization from $2 billion to more than $18 billion.

Recent Developments at Clear Street

Last year, Clear Street announced plans to buy the algorithmic execution solutions firm focusing on the US and Canadian equities. Clear Street reportedly entered into an agreement to acquire Instinet's Fox River algorithmic trading business.

Commenting about the plans, Gerry Milligan, the President and Head of the Americas at Instinet, said: “This transaction provides clear benefits to both firms. It allows Instinet to streamline our existing execution Execution Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a co Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a co Read this Term services offering and continue to concentrate our investment efforts on our core algorithmic platform. Additionally, we believe that the Fox River platform will be a great complement to Clear Street's product suite.

According to the company, as reported by financemagnates.com, this move will enhance the brokerage sector and offer solutions for buy-side and sell-side firms, especially quant-driven funds in the US and Canadian equities markets.