ITG RFQ-hub new SSPA member
The Swiss Structured Products Association (SSPA) welcomes ITG RFQ-hub to its ranks as a new passive member – this is another step towards a broad industry-wide representation, including issuers, buy-side and partners from the entire value chain.
Zurich, 1st September 2015. The SSPA has furthered its strategy of broad support in the Swiss marketplace with the addition of ITG RFQ-hub, an independent multi-dealer electronic platform on global exchange-traded and OTC (over the counter) products. RFQ-hub was founded in 2008 and was acquired in 2014 by ITG. ITG RFQ-hub has a large network of senior representatives from both buy and sell-side global financial institutions providing wide-ranging networking opportunities to SSPA. Requests For Quotes (RFQs) in structured products are organized and traded via the platform streamlining execution pre- and post-trade workflows and meeting emerging compliance requirements.
Jonathan LLamas, Senior Structured Products Business Developer at ITG RFQ-hub, about the SSPA membership: “Our platform aims at streamlining transactional workflows in line with regulation whilst generating innovative market intelligence through statistics. RFQ-hub’s SSPA membership underlines our commitment to the Swiss Financial market place. Simultaneously, we are pleased to contribute to the services of the Association.”
Expansion of the SSPA as an industry association
The SSPA represents the interests of the leading market players, which together account for about 95 percent of the market volume for structured products in Switzerland. SSPA President Georg von Wattenwyl: “With the admission of ITG RFG-hub, the SSPA is taking a further step in its strategy of broad market support. Our aim is to represent the common interests of the entire value chain of issuers, buy-side and partners as an industry association. We are delighted by this commitment from ITG RFQ-hub. The step underlines the strength and attractiveness of the Swiss financial marketplace.”
With a new membership structure, the SSPA increases its attractiveness and effectiveness. Not only the issuers as producers of structured products but also other players actively involved in the industry should be part of the association. In addition to the sales of structured products from issuers in or from Switzerland, particular focus will also be given to partners who hold advisory functions and sell the products to end-investors (“buy-side”), including banks, asset managers, B2B intermediaries and partners from the entire value chain. The expansion of membership to other market players aims to better cover the entire value chain.
