New SGX CEO must accommodate all stakeholders

WHEN a sample of brokers, investors and newsroom colleagues were asked for their opinions on what the next chief executive officer of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) should do, these were their varied responses - he or she should dismantle the existing self-regulatory commercial model, raise the quality bar for listing, bring back the lunch break, attract more big name IPOs, ban computerised, algorithmic as well as high-frequency trading, try not to over-regulate the market, introduce more interesting products that investors want to trade and ensure that investigations into possible wrongdoings are completed promptly so that investors aren't kept in the dark for years on end.

However, out of 15 people approached, only one person mentioned that the new boss should also be able to think strategically and have the eye and necessary diplomatic skills to strike business collaborations and linkups with other exchanges.

More relevantly, only one other person said he or she should continue growing SGX's very profitable derivatives business, the foundations of which have been laid by outgoing CEO Magnus Bocker.