Institutional block crossing specialist Liquidnet has launched new services and made a number of personnel hires to enhance its execution offering to clients.
The Execution and Quantitative Services Group (EQS) will be headed by Rob Laible, who joined Liquidnet from Macquarie Securities in July this year as head of global performance.
EQS will aim to provide Liquidnet members with more efficient ways to source liquidity and satisfy best execution requirements.
“Algorithms and execution strategies are only as good as the liquidity they can access. Our established suite of algorithmic, analytic and quantitative products and services are the only ones that leverage Liquidnet’s deep and diverse pool of institutional liquidity. And as an unconflicted, agency-only broker with expertise in lit, dark, and block markets, we consult with Members and clients on ways to access liquidity, navigate market complexities, and access comprehensive analytics, all through an integrated trading platform,” said Laible.
To help rollout the new offering, Liquidnet has made three senior hires within the EQS team.
Scott Kartinen joins as head of algo development from UBS Securities. Roberto Malamut will become head of quantitative research, bringing 15 years of experience in algorithmic modeling, forecasting and trading, most recently at Agoge Capital. Lastly, Amar Vaidya joins from Shuban Capital and will build up Liquidnet’s suite of algos and enhance its smart order router strategies. New team members will be based in New York and report to Laible.
The firm said it will focus on rolling out the EQS offering to all the markets it operates in during 2015.