Chicago-based R.J. O’Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, announced today the appointment of Brad Giemza as Managing Director and Chief Risk Officer. Giemza will serve on RJO’s senior management team.
Giemza has nearly two decades of experience in financial services risk, clearing and technology management. He now leads the RJO risk department, overseeing all risk activities and chairing the corporate risk committee. He is relocating to Chicago from Southern California.
Gerald Corcoran, RJO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said:
Brad is a seasoned veteran of our industry with a great appreciation for the vital role of risk management to our business. He’ll be a great leader for our talented risk team, and his technology expertise will ensure we remain at the cutting edge of our field in risk management.
Giemza, who reports to Corcoran, commented:
Brad Giemza
I’m excited to join the RJO team and be a part of an organization that not only has played a major role in the history of the industry but also is forward thinking and innovative.
Prior to joining RJO, Giemza spent three years at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) Americas, Union Bank, serving most recently as Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking and Capital Markets IT. In that role, he was responsible for aligning technology, risk and operational objectives and accountable for the implementation of services for interest rate derivatives, commodities and foreign exchange trading for Union Bank and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi United.
Prior to MUFG he spent seven years at Newedge Group as Senior Director, where he most recently served as Global Head of Risk IT. He also held senior roles at the firm in clearing and straight-through processing. Early in his career, Giemza spent eight years at JPMorgan Chase, rising to Vice President, Technology Program Manager in 2004.
A member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) and an Executive Board member of the International Regulation Technology Association, Giemza earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago.