The Headhunter

Senior Fund Analyst - based London, pan-European remit

Our client, a leading global provider of investment research, is building their fund research business in Europe.

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about investing and helping individuals and their advisers make better investment decisions. Our client expects analysts to develop clear opinions on funds based on research that goes beyond mere performance and risk evaluation.  To research funds thoroughly, our client's analysts interview portfolio managers, undertake quantitative analyses using databases and monitor regulatory and media information. Analysts build expertise on specific fund houses, the fund industry and various economic sectors. The Senior Fund Analyst will be expected to write investment opinions, help shape methodologies, conduct research studies, make media appearances and represent our client at speaking engagements.

Excellent written and oral communication skills are necessary for this role. The ideal candidate will have at least five years of fund analysis or related experience in the UK market. Quantitative skills and additional professional certifications such as the CFA designation are a plus.

For more information, please call Aine Hall on +44(0)20 7392 2644

Pan-European Sales Director - Transaction Services - based London

Our client is a global organisation that enables transactions across many business areas. We are retained by their financial services business services division in London which sells buy-side and sell-side networking solutions in the transactions space.

We seek a Sales Director to manage a small London-based team that is targeted to grow revenues to a pan-European client across existing and new named clients. You will set the sales strategy across Europe.

You will have significant experience in the financial services and extranet market place and will have a good technical awareness of network telecommunications technology and infrastructure.

To discuss this role in confidence please call Aine Hall on +44 (0)20 7392 2644.

Nyfix Launches Euro Millennium Dark Pool

A press release on the Nyfix website states that Nyfix Euro Millennium have today launched their neutral dark pool of liquidity for pan-European listed cash equities. They state this "strategically significant event extends NYFIX's track record of delivering innovative services that meet the demands of its global client community."

Last week FinancialNews gave coverage to NYSE Euronext's announcement  that they had launched a trading link that accesses rival dark pools in a bid to offer streamlined access to conventional and unconventional pools of liquidity in the US markets. Here is the NYSE Arca press release.

Last week Banking Technology reported that partner testing has begun of Project Turquoise. Member testing is expected to begin over the summer.

Sales Executives - Sell-Side - based London

We are working with two firms - one a broker, one a data vendor. Each one seeks a Sales Executive selling different solutions but to the same user communities.

We are looking for Sales Executives with experience of selling data and analytical products to the sell-side community. You will have experience of growing revenues from existing users and finding new named clients. End-users are Sales, Traders, Research desks so a good network of contacts (users/decision makers) will be important. We are interested in candidates with experience of displacing competitor products in order to increase revenues. This a role where you'll be negotiating site licenses or individual user contracts. You will be expected to network directly within the dealing room environment so good Market Data contacts who will facilitate this also be important.

We are keen to meet candidates with a sales track record of over-performance against target.

To discuss these roles in confidence, please contact Aine Hall on +44 (0)20 7392 2644.

Who Dominates the Financial News Markets?

We have just read an AFP article that gives a good summary of market share in the financial news markets. The US and Europe are dominated by US firm Bloomberg and Canadian-British Thomson-Reuters (in the process of merging), who each have a third share of the global market. They are trailed at a distance by three US companies and one Swiss firm, according to Inside Market Data.

Here are some numbers from the article:

US-based Interactive Data, owned by British group Pearson, is the closest runner-up, with a five percent market share. Dow Jones, bought last year by News Corporation, holds a three percent slice, as does US rival FactSet. Switzerland-based Telekurs has a two percent share.

All these agencies provide financial information and services to finance professionals worldwide with the support of real-time data and electronic trading.

The global financial data market, excluding ratings, reached 12.5 billion dollars in 2006, according to Inside Market Data.

Here is the link to AFP's news article.