Deeper understanding leads to better outcomes
22 Dec 2021
SMBC Nikko Securities America Makes Two Senior-Level Hires for Its Fixed Income Sales & Trading Business
New York, NY – December 22, 2021: SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., a member of SMBC Group, today announced the appointment of two senior-level executives in its Fixed Income Sales & Trading (FIST) business. Robert (Bob) Welch has been appointed Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer for Nikko’s FIST business unit, and Christopher (Chris) Floyd has been appointed Managing Director, Head of Investment Grade (IG) Sales for Nikko’s FIST business.
Bob will partner closely with business heads to develop, drive, and monitor business strategy, performance, and financial budgeting. He will lead the day-to-day operations across FIST, including supporting business leaders as they manage and grow platforms, driving all aspects of technology into business processes and controls to further enhance productivity and profitability, and implementing new business and products.
Chris will lead the IG Sales team as well as cover at a senior level large institutional IG investors. He will be responsible for driving full connectivity between the largest IG investors and Nikko’s sales, trading, syndicate, and management teams to broaden and deepen Nikko’s IG relationships. He will add value for Nikko’s clients, traders, and syndicate desk by overseeing the execution of transactions in both the primary and secondary markets and providing timely and relevant market information to enhance Nikko’s distribution capability.
“We are very pleased and excited to have both Bob and Chris join the organization as senior leaders of our FIST business,” said Yunson Du, Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income Sales & Trading. “Their collective experience will enhance the execution of our strategy and deliver high-quality execution services to our institutional clients. The continued expansion of Nikko’s FIST business is a significant strategic priority, and Bob and Chris are a perfect fit to help support and lead the sustained growth of our business.”
Prior to joining SMBC, Bob served for 10 years as the Chief Operating Officer of Fixed Income with Jefferies LLC. In this role, he supported more than 400 professionals in sales, trading, research, and capital markets in North America, Europe, and Asia. He helped develop and implement strategic plans and was responsible for all aspects of front-office production support, operations, and administration, and directed all areas of technology that touched the fixed-income businesses.
Chris was Executive Director, Head of Investment Grade Sales at Fifth Third Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading the credit sales team and the distribution of high-grade corporate bonds to large institutional investors. Prior to joining Fifth Third Securities, he was President of Elefant Markets, Inc., a capital markets fin-tech start-up, where he led an electronic broker-dealer focused on the trading and distribution of IG corporate bonds through a proprietary trading and distribution algorithm. He oversaw all functions of the broker-dealer to include trading and distribution, operations, risk, compliance, technology, and finance until the successful sale of Elefant Markets, Inc. to Exos Financial. Prior to Elefant, Chris was Co-Head of Investment Grade Sales and Trading at Wells Fargo Securities, where he spent 14 years building a top-tier investment grade sales and trading franchise. Chris has spent more than 27 years as an institutional credit sales professional, having also worked at Morgan Stanley, Raymond James, and Merrill Lynch.
About SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. is a member of SMBC Group, one of the world’s largest global financial institutions. Based in New York City, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. provides investment securities and other financial services to corporate and institutional clients, focusing on North America and Latin America. SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. caters to institutional investors such as mutual funds, hedge funds, and other investment advisors.
About SMBC Group
SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 85,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges. As of September 30, 2021, its total assets were $2.16 trillion.
In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.
Media Relations Contact:
Mina Takahashi
+1 212-756-5593
mina_takahashi@smbcgroup.com
Bob will partner closely with business heads to develop, drive, and monitor business strategy, performance, and financial budgeting. He will lead the day-to-day operations across FIST, including supporting business leaders as they manage and grow platforms, driving all aspects of technology into business processes and controls to further enhance productivity and profitability, and implementing new business and products.
Chris will lead the IG Sales team as well as cover at a senior level large institutional IG investors. He will be responsible for driving full connectivity between the largest IG investors and Nikko’s sales, trading, syndicate, and management teams to broaden and deepen Nikko’s IG relationships. He will add value for Nikko’s clients, traders, and syndicate desk by overseeing the execution of transactions in both the primary and secondary markets and providing timely and relevant market information to enhance Nikko’s distribution capability.
“We are very pleased and excited to have both Bob and Chris join the organization as senior leaders of our FIST business,” said Yunson Du, Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income Sales & Trading. “Their collective experience will enhance the execution of our strategy and deliver high-quality execution services to our institutional clients. The continued expansion of Nikko’s FIST business is a significant strategic priority, and Bob and Chris are a perfect fit to help support and lead the sustained growth of our business.”
Prior to joining SMBC, Bob served for 10 years as the Chief Operating Officer of Fixed Income with Jefferies LLC. In this role, he supported more than 400 professionals in sales, trading, research, and capital markets in North America, Europe, and Asia. He helped develop and implement strategic plans and was responsible for all aspects of front-office production support, operations, and administration, and directed all areas of technology that touched the fixed-income businesses.
Chris was Executive Director, Head of Investment Grade Sales at Fifth Third Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading the credit sales team and the distribution of high-grade corporate bonds to large institutional investors. Prior to joining Fifth Third Securities, he was President of Elefant Markets, Inc., a capital markets fin-tech start-up, where he led an electronic broker-dealer focused on the trading and distribution of IG corporate bonds through a proprietary trading and distribution algorithm. He oversaw all functions of the broker-dealer to include trading and distribution, operations, risk, compliance, technology, and finance until the successful sale of Elefant Markets, Inc. to Exos Financial. Prior to Elefant, Chris was Co-Head of Investment Grade Sales and Trading at Wells Fargo Securities, where he spent 14 years building a top-tier investment grade sales and trading franchise. Chris has spent more than 27 years as an institutional credit sales professional, having also worked at Morgan Stanley, Raymond James, and Merrill Lynch.
About SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. is a member of SMBC Group, one of the world’s largest global financial institutions. Based in New York City, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. provides investment securities and other financial services to corporate and institutional clients, focusing on North America and Latin America. SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. caters to institutional investors such as mutual funds, hedge funds, and other investment advisors.
About SMBC Group
SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 85,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges. As of September 30, 2021, its total assets were $2.16 trillion.
In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.
Media Relations Contact:
Mina Takahashi
+1 212-756-5593
mina_takahashi@smbcgroup.com