Multi-asset broker Saxo Bank has announced the appointment of Ashok Kalyanswamy (pictured at left) as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a member of its Executive Team. The appointment follows Ashley Latham’s decision to step down as CIO.
Kalyanswamy joins Saxo Bank with over 20 years of experience working in various senior technology positions at firms such as Lehman Brothers and Nomura and most recently served as Division Director and CIO for the Hong Kong securities division of Australia banking giant Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG).
In his new role, Kalyanswamy will be responsible for the strategic direction and operations of Saxo Bank’s global IT organisation, serving as the leader for the bank’s IT-team of around 500 employees. He will assume the role in January 2017 and will be based in Copenhagen.
This latest hiring is one of any changes Saxo Bank has made to its senior management ranks in 2016. Other executive moves this year at Saxo Bank include new heads for Saxo Bank Switzerland, Saxo Bank France, and Saxo Bank Australia, as well as adding ex Nomura exec Jeff Zorek as COO of Global Sales.
Commenting on the appointment, CEO and co-founder Kim Fournais said:
We are thrilled to be welcoming Ashok, who brings with him a wealth of experience in developing innovative information technology solutions for leading global financial institutions, and have him further strengthen the excellent foundation passed on from Ashley Latham. Technology has never been more important for the financial industry and it is absolutely key to our role as a financial markets facilitator. With Ashok’s extensive experience in this area and his renowned skills as a manager, I am sure that he will be a real asset for our IT organization, the firm as a whole, and thereby further strengthen our deliveries that enable our clients to access global capital markets.
Ashok Kalyanswamy added:
I am pleased to be joining Saxo Bank at a time of great change for the industry as financial institutions increasingly look at information technology innovation to more effectively service their clients. With a long history as a fintech innovator, Saxo Bank is uniquely positioned to benefit from these industry trends and I look forward to help drive the further development of Saxo Bank’s renowned technology.