Investment Banker Matteo Cassina Joins Saxo Bank to Ramp-up Institutional Division
Saturday,11/01/2014|00:04GMTby
Adil Siddiqui
Saxo Bank’s steady approach to the vibrant institutional sector has been bolstered by the appointment of the former President of Citadel Execution Services. The Danish bank that offers multi-asset trading solutions in financial instruments has selected Matteo Cassina as Global Head of Institutional Business in a newly created role which will be based in London. The move reinforces Saxo’s commitment in enhancing its position in the institutional trading environment.
Saxo Bank has been gradually improving its infrastructure to ensure it can compete in the complex institutional market which services, tier 1 and 2 banks, asset and fund managers and corporate clients. In a discussion with the CEO of Saxo Markets, the bank's UK arm, earlier this year, Forex Magnates learned that Saxo Bank has been focusing its resources in building the key infrastructure to support the needs of firms in the B2B sector. Torben Kaaber explained: “Earlier in 2013 we announced the launch of our Prime offering, we appreciate the requirements of the institutional market and have dedicated the right resources to build and deploy efficient systems, whether its connectivity or market structure.”
Matteo Cassina has been an active participant in investment banking for over 20 years. He has served in senior positions at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. Co-CEOs and co-founders, Kim Fournais and Lars Seier Christensen commented in a joint statement: "The appointment of a Global Head of Institutional Business is a major strategic step for Saxo Bank. Matteo brings considerable experience and senior market presence, which will prove invaluable as we continue to grow our business rapidly in both the institutional and private retail space. We are proud to have Matteo Cassina on board to drive the institutional growth out of London.”
Advancements in technology have reduced the gap between pure retail and institutional brokers. In addition, firms in the broking sector are technology centric and generally have a head start against banks when deploying and reacting to new initiatives in the e-trading landscape. Mr. Cassina appreciates the positive role technology can play as a key differentiator, he explained in a statement: "I worked for traditional investment banks for almost two decades and feel extremely excited about the opportunity to leverage the latest technology to empower our clients to engage with the markets in an innovative new environment. My last 20 years have been about banking; the next will be about applying radical new technology within the investment banking sector."
Saxo Bank was one of the first brokers to launch a multi-asset electronic Trading Platform pre-millenium. The firm launched its benchmark Saxo Trader in 1998. A person close to the firm informed Forex Magnates that the developers and programmers of the first generation of the trading terminal were Russian specialists who had vast experience in the development of sophisticated systems including defence systems. Saxo Bank boasts an IT team exceeding 300 and has spent over $275 million on IT infrastructure, management and maintenance over the last few years, according to its website.
Mr. Fournais and Mr. Christensen added: "Having refined our award-winning multi-asset trading platform for many years, we are approaching the tipping point where traditional players with old mainframe infrastructures are becoming less competitive. Saxo's cloud-based solution is disrupting the old ways of doing business in the same way that we have seen technology radically change other industries."
Saxo Bank has been active among the buy-side, with several clients including Mercury Forex and Insch Capital Management, two Swiss fund managers. However, through the new appointment of an ex-Cital President it's evident that the bank is keen to target the large managers with AUM of $500 million plus.
Saxo Bank was crowned Best Broker and Best Proprietary Platform at the recent Forex Magnates 2013 Award Ceremony held in London in November.
Saxo Bank’s steady approach to the vibrant institutional sector has been bolstered by the appointment of the former President of Citadel Execution Services. The Danish bank that offers multi-asset trading solutions in financial instruments has selected Matteo Cassina as Global Head of Institutional Business in a newly created role which will be based in London. The move reinforces Saxo’s commitment in enhancing its position in the institutional trading environment.
Saxo Bank has been gradually improving its infrastructure to ensure it can compete in the complex institutional market which services, tier 1 and 2 banks, asset and fund managers and corporate clients. In a discussion with the CEO of Saxo Markets, the bank's UK arm, earlier this year, Forex Magnates learned that Saxo Bank has been focusing its resources in building the key infrastructure to support the needs of firms in the B2B sector. Torben Kaaber explained: “Earlier in 2013 we announced the launch of our Prime offering, we appreciate the requirements of the institutional market and have dedicated the right resources to build and deploy efficient systems, whether its connectivity or market structure.”
Matteo Cassina has been an active participant in investment banking for over 20 years. He has served in senior positions at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. Co-CEOs and co-founders, Kim Fournais and Lars Seier Christensen commented in a joint statement: "The appointment of a Global Head of Institutional Business is a major strategic step for Saxo Bank. Matteo brings considerable experience and senior market presence, which will prove invaluable as we continue to grow our business rapidly in both the institutional and private retail space. We are proud to have Matteo Cassina on board to drive the institutional growth out of London.”
Advancements in technology have reduced the gap between pure retail and institutional brokers. In addition, firms in the broking sector are technology centric and generally have a head start against banks when deploying and reacting to new initiatives in the e-trading landscape. Mr. Cassina appreciates the positive role technology can play as a key differentiator, he explained in a statement: "I worked for traditional investment banks for almost two decades and feel extremely excited about the opportunity to leverage the latest technology to empower our clients to engage with the markets in an innovative new environment. My last 20 years have been about banking; the next will be about applying radical new technology within the investment banking sector."
Saxo Bank was one of the first brokers to launch a multi-asset electronic Trading Platform pre-millenium. The firm launched its benchmark Saxo Trader in 1998. A person close to the firm informed Forex Magnates that the developers and programmers of the first generation of the trading terminal were Russian specialists who had vast experience in the development of sophisticated systems including defence systems. Saxo Bank boasts an IT team exceeding 300 and has spent over $275 million on IT infrastructure, management and maintenance over the last few years, according to its website.
Mr. Fournais and Mr. Christensen added: "Having refined our award-winning multi-asset trading platform for many years, we are approaching the tipping point where traditional players with old mainframe infrastructures are becoming less competitive. Saxo's cloud-based solution is disrupting the old ways of doing business in the same way that we have seen technology radically change other industries."
Saxo Bank has been active among the buy-side, with several clients including Mercury Forex and Insch Capital Management, two Swiss fund managers. However, through the new appointment of an ex-Cital President it's evident that the bank is keen to target the large managers with AUM of $500 million plus.
Saxo Bank was crowned Best Broker and Best Proprietary Platform at the recent Forex Magnates 2013 Award Ceremony held in London in November.
Bank of London Product Head: “Clients Don’t Want to Wait for Cutoff Times” On-Chain
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
