Forefront Communications

Episode 5: Rizwan Awan, TMX Group

Forefront Communications

Forefront Communications

Welcome to the latest episode of At the Forefront: Fintech Conversations. Launched late last year, this podcast is meant to help you stay informed as we highlight key industry developments and delve into the people, companies and thought processes that keep the capital markets and fintech humming. To learn more and listen to our earlier episodes here.

In our latest installment, Forefront Senior Vice President Michael Kingsley and Senior Consultant Rafi Reguer are joined by Rizwan Awan, TMX Group – President, Equities Trading & Head of TMX Markets, Products & Services for a robust discussion of his technology background having built some of the earliest algos for the Canadian markets.

Building off of episode 4 featuring Luc Fortin, President and CEO of the Montréal Exchange & Global Head of Trading for TMX Group, the trio take a deep dive into what 2022 looks like for TMX Group and TMX Markets, touching upon some of the exchange’s latest innovations including the new TSX Market on Close (MOC®), TSX and TSXV Dark Orders and more.

Time Stamps:

1:00 – You have a very interesting background that brought you to TMX in 2020, you started your career in trading technology?

2:09 – What was your experience of TMX prior to your arrival, and what changed for you after you actually became part of the organization?

3:40 – Could you speak a little bit about how your background matches why TMX turned to you for this role?

4:40 – The new Market on Close (MOC®) facility that was announced in October…can you tell us a little bit about that and what it means for TMX?

8:42 – Can you talk a little about the evolution of dark trading in Canada, which has been a little different than here in the US?

13:30 – In the last episode we spoke with Luc Fortin, we touched on TSX Venture Exchange, and we wanted to get into that a little bit, specifically how it is emblematic of how TMX is trying to promote the American audience’s recognition of better pricing in Canada.

Can you talk a little bit about in the framework we have talked about so far how the TSX Venture Exchange fits into that vision for TMX Group?

14:53 – Can you tell us some of the most popular businesses for retail investors listed on TSX Venture?

18:25 – What does 2022 look like for TMX Group and TMX Markets?

21:44 – How and why is TMX mirroring the way its enterprise functions to the way its clients function?