ASX appoints first female CEO, Helen Lofthouse
“I am honoured and humbled to be chosen as the CEO of ASX given the critical role it plays in Australia’s financial markets.”
ASX has promoted Helen Lofthouse from Group Executive Markets to Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 August 2022.
Markets is ASX’s largest business by revenue, responsible for cash and derivatives trading, including equities, interest rates, commodities and energy products, and the benchmarks business and international sales.
Helen Lofthouse has been playing the role of Group Executive of Markets at ASX since July 2021, having first joined the exchange group in 2015 as Executive General Manager, Derivatives and OTC Markets.
Her accomplished financial markets executive career counts with more than 20 years of experience in cash equity and debt markets, listed and OTC derivatives, and clearing and settlement services, including the past almost seven years at ASX.
The new ASX chief executive was previously based in London where she was a Managing Director at UBS. Before that she worked in various senior roles at JPMorgan.
Best candidate to steer ASX
Damian Roche, ASX Chairman, said: “Given the high calibre of experienced candidates attracted to the position, we are delighted that the outstanding choice to lead ASX as its new CEO comes from within the organisation. It is testament to Helen’s qualities and highlights the strength within ASX’s executive ranks. It also reflects the Board’s confidence in the strategy and performance of the company in recent years. We look forward to the fresh ideas and enthusiasm Helen will bring to the role as our new CEO. Her appointment ensures a smooth and orderly CEO transition. ASX’s exciting future is in strong and capable hands.”
“The Board has been consistently impressed with Helen’s exceptional capability and demonstrated leadership, and believe she is the best candidate to steer ASX. Helen has successfully managed changing priorities in dynamic environments, and done so while delivering critical market infrastructure. She has a strong understanding of our values and strategy, and a proven ability to lead large and diverse teams and deliver growth. Importantly, Helen is already known and highly regarded by our people, customers and regulators, and has a deep understanding of the regulatory environment in which ASX operates.”
Helen Lofthouse, the upcoming CEO of ASX, said: “I am honoured and humbled to be chosen as the CEO of ASX given the critical role it plays in Australia’s financial markets. I have been working with an extremely talented and dedicated group of people right across ASX, including at the executive level, in ASX’s derivatives and OTC markets and clearing businesses, and more recently in cash equities and the various risk, compliance, technology and operational teams who support them. It has been an exciting and rewarding experience.
“As a member of the senior executive leadership for almost seven years, I have strong working relationships with people and teams throughout the organisation. I am looking forward to helping shape ASX’s future as we continue our transformation and leverage our technology platform to deliver further value for customers, staff, shareholders and the investing public. I am also indebted to Dominic Stevens for ensuring ASX is in a strong financial, operational and technological position, and with considerable growth optionality when he leaves.”
The retiring CEO, Dominic Stevens, will continue as CEO until 31 July 2022, and will be available to advise and assist ASX with transition until 30 September.
“Dominic has driven the execution of our strategy to build an exchange for the future. He has done a great deal to contemporise the organisation, improve the resilience and functionality of our operating platforms, position ASX to capitalise on new growth opportunities and lift the experience for our customers”, said Damian Roche.
