Singapore

Grasshopper appoints CEO

Grasshopper, a Singapore-headquartered trading firm, has announced the appointment of James Leong as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Leong was most recently the firm’s Chief Financial Officer, having been affiliated with the firm for over 14 years. He first joined the firm as its Head of Trading in H2 2006, having previously been a Psychologist for the Singapore Ministry of Defence.

The firm was founded by John Lin in 2006, who currently serves as the firm’s Chairman, who prior to founding the firm was Chief Trader at Nikko Securities, according to his LinkedIn.

Of Leong’s appointment, Lin said: “I have complete faith in James as the leader and visionary who will keep Grasshopper at the forefront of the market’s changing needs. His drive for innovation, together with a deep sense of accountability to our team and to the local trading ecosystem, has been integral to the firm’s journey to date. James also exemplifies our culture — as a private and independent company — of staying humble and continuously learning.”

James Leong, CEO, Grasshopper, said: “Change has been the primary constant during my tenure at Grasshopper: from the 2008 financial crisis, to the technological and regulatory shifts that have driven us to keep evolving. It is my privilege to work with our team of exceptional people through the current period of global uncertainty, as we continue shaping the future of trading in Singapore. Grasshopper is unique in our depth of experience in the Asian financial markets, as well as in our commitment to supporting our local market. I look forward to leading the firm into our next wave of growth.”

Michael Syn, Head of Equities, SGX, a partner firm of Grasshopper, said: “Grasshopper is one of our valued partners on SGX’s equity and derivatives platform. Under James’s leadership, I am confident that Grasshopper will continue contributing to the development of Singapore’s capital markets.”

Hiromi Yamaji, President & CEO, Osaka Exchange, another one of the firm’s partners, said: “In our dealings with Grasshopper, they have always operated with transparency and collaborative-ness. I look forward to our continued partnership with Grasshopper as James takes on the new role of CEO.”