FNG Exclusive… FNG has learned that the management of startup crypto exchange GCEX have tapped once again into their past, hiring Torben Gregers Friis as Managing Director – EMEA.

Torben stated:

“When I joined Saxo Bank in 2001 online trading like the internet was on the cusp for the next wave of innovation. Similar today blockchain and crypto trading is growing at such rapid pace that we must embrace the essential elements of it whereby we are ready for the next wave of innovation in this area occurring right before our eyes.”

GCEX, which calls itself “Digital Brokerage 4.0”, is an advanced digital asset and currencies technology solution for institutional and professional clients.

Headquartered in London, GCEX is part of the GC Group. The company was established in 2018 in response to demand for regulated and compliant exposure to the digital asset market. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, GCEX provides funds, brokers, asset managers, professional traders and banks with an advanced suite of integrated financial technology products including AI applications, allowing clients to automate on-boarding, offer and trade digital assets and currencies with tight spreads, deep liquidity from Tier 1 banks and solutions for clearing.

GCEX was founded by Lars Holst, who worked for several years with Mr. Friis at Saxo Bank in the early 2000s. Mr. Holst went on to co-found the CFH Group which was sold to Playtech for $120 million in 2016. In setting up and building GCEX he has turned to many of his former CFH and Saxo Bank colleagues. We recently reported that GCEX hired Søren Bjerregaard to head sales, a role he held for Mr. Holst at CFH Clearing for more than 10 years.

Torben Gregers Friis worked as noted above in sales at Saxo Bank from 2001-2004. From 2005-2008 he was Institutional Sales Director at IG, before moving on to become COO of ActivTrades. He has also served on the board of CFI.