CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 12 2023 34 As the CEO of Saxo UK, Charles White-Thomson is responsible for leading the business in a stable and fully compliant manner, with a keen focus on the strategic and commercial business direction of the company. He has a strong belief in the importance of encouraging business leaders to share their views, and speak openly, but recognises that such debates are becoming increasingly difficult to conduct in the UK, a situation he decries. His personal core values incorporate trust and clarity, and celebrate differences of thought, which he sees as being vital and healthy in the business world. “Life is not a dress rehearsal and I want to be able to look back and be proud of what I helped to build and was associated with.” The trading industry is a fast-changing world, driven by increasingly sophisticated clients who are seeking to invest. Charles sees the key assets required to positively service this client base as being a wide range offering, delivered through efficient mobile-based technology. Saxo UK is a subsidiary of Saxo Bank, and is divided into two business sectors. This consists of a retail trading platform boasting top level, intuitive trading tools, and an institutional business side that partners with brokers, banks and wealth managers. Chief Executive Officer Charles White-Thomson has recently been recognised as the Multi Asset Trading CEO of the Year 2023 – UK, following which we decided to take a closer look at the company. He determines that the technology needs to embrace well-informed content, and also include active risk management tools. The Institutional side of the business is progressing towards a partnership model, as opposed to buy or build. This means that the banks and wealth managers have adopted the need to concentrate on what they do best, looking after their clients. This encompasses bringing in partners to deal with the need for balanced and accurately honed technology stacks and multi asset offerings. Charles believes that 2024 will be the year of the win-win partnership, in this respect. Charles has long standing military connections within his family, stretching all the way back to his great-great-great uncle who was killed during the 1854 Charge of the Light Brigade. He joined the army himself after leaving school, and served with the Grenadier Guards. Following his military service, Charles joined Barings Securities (yes, that Barings!) which became part of ING following the unauthorised trading activities of the infamous Nick Leeson. US Investment bank DLJ took over the department soon after, and then merged with Credit Suisse, where Charles worked for 15 years in various roles. Eventually, the time came for Charles to make a change, and he and his wife set up an Interior Design business. Managing this business was an eye-opening experience in many ways for Charles, and is something that has forever enhanced his outlook. He then came into the same orbit as Saxo, which subsequently led to his appointment as nonexecutive director on the UK Board. It was from there that he ultimately ended up in the position he occupies today, as CEO. Charles’ style as a business leader combines structure and flair, and always seeks to set a positive example to follow. He finds it helpful within such a complex industry to concentrate on simple plans, with performance judged by weighing checks and balances to ensure everyone is on board, and heading in the right direction. Saxo deals with thousands of clients, all expecting and deserving of an exemplary experience from the investment platform. To do this it dissects and analyses each step of the client journey, aiming to learn from and fix any pinch points or blockages. Saxo is seeking to raise its profile in the UK, and further refine its offerings. One thing Charles would dearly like to see is more education around money at the school level, which would help students to understand finance better. Words such as multi asset, investment, trading, risk management, and mutual funds would be far less offputting to people if they had the opportunity to learn about the terms during school. Company: Saxo UK Web Address: www.home.saxo/en-gb Contact Name: Anaam Raza Saxo - Helping the Discerning Trader Since 1992
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