EQONEX announces international sales team to show off digital asset offering

Rick Steves

“It is time to show the world the quality of the EQONEX group offering, and I am excited to welcome such a high caliber group of salespeople to the organization”.

EQONEX has made a series of hirings, adding Alex Phillips, Malcolm Baker, Matthew Allott, Metin Simsek, and Bjorn Rosendahl to the international sales team.

The Singapore-based digital asset trading company is led by chief executive Richard Byworth and is moving fast to expand its footprint across the globe as institutional demand for digital assets grows at an exponential rate.

Richard Byworth, Chief Executive Officer at EQONEX, said: “Institutional participation in crypto is at an inflection point. Our institutional clients and professional crypto traders want to work with experts they can trust, and our investment in highly experienced professionals reflects our commitment to delivering a best-in-class, compliant and transparent cryptocurrency platform”.

Alex Phillips has joined EQONEX as Group Head of Sales, making him the leader of the international sales team. He joins the firm from Dymon Asia Capital, where he was Head of Trading for the past six years.

His 17-year career in the financial markets includes roles of Head of Trading for Asian markets at Millennium Capital Partners and global equities and derivatives sales and trading at BNP Paribas, Martin Currie, and RBS.

Alex Phillips, Group Head of Sales at EQONEX, said: “I have watched EQONEX disrupt the cryptocurrency market for some time now, and have been impressed by the company’s reputation, the sophistication of its product suite, and its track record as the first crypto-asset exchange to have met the stringent criteria to list publicly in the U.S on Nasdaq.”

The firm also hired Malcolm Baker as Head of Group Sales for the European region. He brings over 30-years of multi-asset financial services expertise, including roles at CME Group in Asia and as a founder of FX FWD, an FX Swaps Pricing solutions provider for brokers and traders.

Malcolm Baker, Head of Group Sales Europe, said: “The unprecedented demand for digital assets and the relatively few places that meet the rigorous standards imposed by regulators, puts EQONEX in an almost unmatched position in the marketplace. It is one of the only organizations that offer a fully comprehensive and truly global suite of digital asset services, that meet the standards of regulatory compliance and financial transparency demanded by institutions and professional traders.”

The hiring spree continues with Matthew Allott, appointed as Asset Management Head of Sales, overseeing asset management sales after years at Optimus Trading, managing around $200m in AUM across derivatives, commodities, and digital.

Matthew Allott, Asset Management Head of Sales at EQONEX, commented: “I am delighted to join EQONEX. Its full ecosystem of digital asset services is highly compelling. In particular, the Bletchley Park Fund has demonstrated mind-blowing returns with 80% of the portfolio being market neutral. The alpha-centric market-neutral fund of fund strategy is exactly what institutional investors need in volatile crypto markets. It’s great to be part of such a high-performing team.”

For Germany, EQONEX went with Metin Simsek. The new Head of Investment Products for Germany is in charge of sales and distribution after spending more than a decade in equity derivative sales at UBS Investment Bank and four years at HSBC.

Metin Simsek, Head of Investment Products for Germany at EQONEX, said: “In Germany, we are readying for the launch of a retail investment crypto product that will bring digital assets to the customer in an easily investible format, making it accessible for all. It is very exciting to be working with such a great team on the launch of such an innovative product. The opportunity to be at the forefront of the development of a full suite of digital asset financial services was too good to pass up.” Mr. Simsek said.

Last but not least, Bjorn Rosendahl was recruited as Head of Sales for Custody. Prior to this role, he was Head of Custody of EMEA at J.P Morgan International Private Bank and held positions at Pictet Group, Reuters, and Deutsche Bank.

Bjorn Rosendahl, Head of Sales for Custody at EQONEX, said: “As digital assets become increasingly important for institutional investment portfolios, investors require a custodian that meets the highest regulatory standards. Digivault, the EQONEX group’s custodian, delivers a fully customizable, regulated, insured, industry certified, and accredited solution. It is an honor to work alongside such a strong and diverse range of talent from finance through to the government security industry,” said Mr. Rosendahl.

“Over the past three years we have built an exceptional one-stop shop for crypto and digital assets. With last week’s announcements of the new marketing hires and with Alex and the team being put in place this week, we are now well positioned for the next phase of growth. It is time to show the world the quality of the EQONEX group offering, and I am excited to welcome such a high caliber group of salespeople to the organization”, said EQONEX chief executive Richard Byworth.

EQONEX was previously known as Diginex. The firm rebranded after a few years with the old name and hired Chris Ashe as its new Chief Technology Officer, succeeding Ray Hennessey who transitioned into a consultancy role within the company.

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