SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: ASX Limited (ASX) announced that Helen Lofthouse has been appointed Managing Director and CEO of ASX, effective from Monday, 1 August 2022.

Helen Lofthouse is currently ASX’s Group Executive Markets, ASX’s largest business by revenue, responsible for cash and derivatives trading, including equities, interest rates, commodities and energy products, and the benchmarks business and international sales. She joined ASX in September 2015 as a member of the executive leadership team.

Ms Lofthouse was selected following a comprehensive and competitive search, which considered experienced and highly credentialled local and international candidates. The process was led by the Board with assistance from executive search firm Egon Zehnder.

Damian Roche, ASX Chairman, said: “Given the high calibre of experienced candidates attracted to the position, we are delighted that the outstanding choice to lead ASX as its new CEO comes from within the organisation.

“It is testament to Helen’s qualities and highlights the strength within ASX’s executive ranks. It also reflects the Board’s confidence in the strategy and performance of the company in recent years. We look forward to the fresh ideas and enthusiasm Helen will bring to the role as our new CEO. Her appointment ensures a smooth and orderly CEO transition. ASX’s exciting future is in strong and capable hands.”

Ms Lofthouse is an accomplished financial markets executive with more than 20 years’ experience in cash equity and debt markets, listed and OTC derivatives, and clearing and settlement services, including the past almost seven years at ASX. Prior to joining ASX, Ms Lofthouse was based in London where she was a Managing Director at UBS, and before that she worked in various senior roles at JPMorgan.

Mr Roche continued: “The Board has been consistently impressed with Helen’s exceptional capability and demonstrated leadership, and believe she is the best candidate to steer ASX. Helen has successfully managed changing priorities in dynamic environments, and done so while delivering critical market infrastructure. She has a strong understanding of our values and strategy, and a proven ability to lead large and diverse teams and deliver growth. Importantly, Helen is already known and highly regarded by our people, customers and regulators, and has a deep understanding of the regulatory environment in which ASX operates.”

Ms Lofthouse said she was delighted about the opportunity to become CEO of ASX: “I am honoured and humbled to be chosen as the CEO of ASX given the critical role it plays in Australia’s financial markets.

“I have been working with an extremely talented and dedicated group of people right across ASX, including at the executive level, in ASX’s derivatives and OTC markets and clearing businesses, and more recently in cash equities and the various risk, compliance, technology and operational teams who support them. It has been an exciting and rewarding experience,” said Ms Lofthouse.

“As a member of the senior executive leadership for almost seven years, I have strong working relationships with people and teams throughout the organisation. I am looking forward to helping shape ASX’s future as we continue our transformation and leverage our technology platform to deliver further value for customers, staff, shareholders and the investing public. I am also indebted to Dominic Stevens for ensuring ASX is in a strong financial, operational and technological position, and with considerable growth optionality when he leaves,” concluded Ms Lofthouse.