Agency broker and transaction cost analysis (TCA) provider ITG has appointed former Nomura executive Bahar Brown as head of analytical sales for Asia, based in Hong Kong.
Brown takes up a newly created role, consulting to ITG's buy-side clients on alpha preservation trading strategies that builds on growing demand for trade cost analytics in the region. She reports to Ofir Gefen, ITG's Asia Pacific head of analytical products and research.
Previously, Brown worked in investment bank Nomura's electronic and programme trading team for two years, with a further two years in Lehman Brothers' electronic trading group. Prior to that, she held roles in the direct market access/algorithmic sales team at Deutsche Bank in Asia and with Citigroup's wealth management group in the UK.
“Trading costs in Asia are generally higher than in other regions,” said Gefen. “The Asian fund management industry has a growing awareness that these costs affect fund performance and that analysis and changes to trading processes can reduce costs to improve fund value. Bahar combines knowledge of the Asian buy-side with in-depth experience of electronic trading which will be vital in helping our clients successfully understand their trading costs and implement changes.”
Brown's appointment follows the Asian launch of ITG's dark liquidity aggregation tool, POSIT marketplace, in March 2010. ITG appointed its former Europe CEO David Stevens to lead the firm's Asia-Pacific business in June.