Christopher Forbes appointed Head of CMC Markets Singapore Invest

CMC Markets Group has appointed Christopher Forbes as the Head of CMC Markets Singapore Invest Pte. Ltd.

CMC Markets Singapore has recently secured a Capital Markets License from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in order to offer Equities, ETFs, Options and Futures to customers.

Ath the new entity, Christopher Forbes will spearhead the launch of “Invest”, marking the investment platform’s debut in Asia.

The launch of Invest in Singapore is part of CMC Markets’ 3-year strategic plan to expand the CMC Invest platform and to enhance its Next Generation platform for its CFD business.

CMC Markets’ Singapore CFD business is operated through a different entity – CMC Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. – which has been authorised and regulated by MAS since 2007.

Christopher Forbes will be responsible for the entire launch journey of CMC Invest Singapore, leading up to the soft launch on 31 March 2023 and beyond, as the operation aims to make trading accessible to all using unique tools and by capitalising on new technology.

CMC Invest Singapore: Reduced charges, FX spread transparency, ESG, Options

At CMC Invest Singapore, customers will not be charged any platform, settlement, or custody charges and will be shown the FX spread, a feature commonly kept opaque by online brokers.

The platform allows access to the entire range of listed products, not just the top traded — as such, customers can enjoy depth and breadth of access. Key features of the platform include Trading View Charting, ESG rankings, pre/post market trading, access to Opto Research, and an Options and Wealth platform to follow.

Christopher Forbes, Head of CMC Invest Singapore, said: “CMC’s decision to make Singapore the first location in Asia to launch Invest is testament to the 16-year success we have had in this market. The launch reflects our long-term commitment to our clients and our belief in Singapore’s strong regulatory infrastructure. Our purpose is to offer a comprehensive product suite and feature-rich platform, backed by unrivalled technology and experience for our customers. Ultimately, we want to provide a great value-for-money service in a transparent and trusted manner.”

“Great value-for-money service in a transparent and trusted manner”

Christopher Forbes is the Head of CMC Invest Singapore and serves on its Board of Directors. Before joining CMC, Christopher served as the Head of Trading at the Clermont Group, the family office of billionaire Richard Chandler. At Clermont, Christopher led the Capital Markets and minority Private Equity Investments portfolios which included leading funding rounds for early-stage businesses who were influencing culture, including neo-banks and a digital lending business. His role was to originate, negotiate, close and then help scale these businesses. He also founded Zavian Capital, a wealth management business in Singapore.

Christopher started his career on the Morgan Stanley graduate scheme in 2007, where he rotated through Treasury, Operations and the Equities Divisions before joining the Delta One trading team, specialising in ETFs, Custom Baskets, Sector Swaps/ Futures and Financing across global multi-asset classes. Christopher earned a BA in Business Management and continues to focus on businesses through his independent Board seats in a Health Care Fund and Clean Energy Transition.

Matthew Lewis, Head of APAC and Group Director commented: “Christopher was hired to lead CMC Invest Singapore’s ambitious growth to existing and new clients within Singapore and South-east Asia. His extensive background in Trading, Wealth Management, and ASEAN markets position him perfectly to elevate our brand and grow market share in the region. His appointment also shows concerted effort from CMC to attract top talent in the industry to reinforce our status as the largest investment and trading solutions platform globally. We are delighted to have Chris onboard, and we have every confidence in the timely delivery and successful launch of Invest.”