big xyt, an independent provider of market data analytics, has appointed Richard Hills as Head of Client Engagement. Working alongside Mark Montgomery, Head of Strategy and Business Development, Hills’ appointment will accelerate the implementation of big xyt’s 2020 strategic business plans.   Based in London, Hills joins big xyt from Société Générale, where he launched and built the equities electronic trading business, going on to become Global Co-Head of Cash Equities Execution encompassing electronic, program trading and high touch execution.   In this newly appointed role Hills will help to drive client innovation using a partnership engagement model. Hills will be

Meraki Global Advisors has made two senior hires: Eric Savitz, a 20-plus year veteran of the outsourced trading industry, has joined as Co-Head of Trading, and Gregory Sutton, a hedge fund professional for 14 years, has also joined Meraki as Chief Operating Officer. Both will be based at the firm’s offices in Park City, Utah.  Savitz comes to Meraki with extensive experience in financial markets, most recently at Weeden Prime Services, where he was the Head of Outsourced Trading. He was responsible for trading global equities and managing all aspects of the prime brokerage offering. Prior to Weeden, Savitz was a

Alternative credit specialist CIFC has appointed David Walker as Head of Research. In this role, Walker will be responsible for leading CIFC’s US credit research platform and overseeing its robust team of 20 research analysts. 

Reformis, an international business transformation consultancy, has appointed Tom Cunningham as Head of its new UK Advisory Practice.Cunningham, who joins from IHS Markit, is tasked with developing the new service, enhancing the Reformis offering as a strategic partner and adviser. Taking up his role with immediate effect, Cunningham will be based in Reformis’ London City office, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Brian Woodham. Brian Woodham said: “Reformis has a strong reputation on the buy-side of the asset management sector as a deliverer of business transformation and technology consulting. Following our 2018 rebrand and new management team, we’ve positioned the business

Chicago-based futures brokerage and clearing firm RJ O’Brien & Associates (RJO) has appointed John H Porter to a new strategic advisor role. Porter will be the lead macro-economic speaker at RJO conferences worldwide, will share his analysis of market and geopolitical conditions with the firm’s global client base, and will serve on the firm’s Investment Committee. A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Porter has decades of experience in roles including Chief Investment Officer, Chief Economist and Global Head of Fixed Income at major organisations ranging from the World Bank, to hedge funds, to Barclays and AXA. RJO Chief Sales Officer Dan Staniford, says:

The Fixed Income Division of INTL FCStone’s wholly owned subsidiary, INTL FCStone Financial, has hired Drew Doscher as Head of Distressed Debt Sales and Trading.  Doscher will build INTL FCStone Financial’s distressed debt trading capabilities and lead the Company’s strategy for distressed loans and debt, private credit, private equity, trade claims and litigation stubs. He will be reporting to Robert LaForte and Anthony DiCiollo, Co-Heads of Global Fixed Income. Robert LaForte, Co-Head of Fixed Income at INTL FCStone Financial Inc, commented on the appointment, “Drew’s thirty years in this space through many cycles will be invaluable as we build out our distressed debt

CloudMargin, creator of a collateral and margin management solution native to the cloud, has appointed Miriam Marascio as Head of Client Services.Marascio has extensive client services leadership experience at global post-trade technology giant Clearstream Banking SA, part of the Deutsche Boerse Group. In the role reporting to CEO Stuart Connolly, Marascio is now responsible for the end-to-end care of CloudMargin’s clients, including onboarding, support and ongoing relationship management. CloudMargin clients include brokerage firms, banks, asset management firms, insurance companies, outsourcers and technology providers, and they range in size from small institutions to Tier 1 global banks. Connolly says: “We are