Q&A with Saxo's new Australian CEO
Ben Smoker knew the man he wanted to be by the age of 10. His first job was as a derivatives trader at Deutsche Bank and, after a 20 year career in financial services, he has been newly-appointed as the Australian head of Saxo Capital Markets. He tells us about his excitement for the role, and shares some stories of the people, advice and experiences that have shaped his life so far.
Ben Smoker knew the man he wanted to be by the age of 10. His first job was as a derivatives trader at Deutsche Bank and, after a 20 year career in financial services, he has been newly-appointed as the Australian head of Saxo Capital Markets. He tells us about his excitement for the role, and shares some stories of the people, advice and experiences that have shaped his life so far.
What are you most looking forward to in the new role?
The plethora of innovative product and technology solutions at Saxo's disposal has me feeling very excited about what we can bring to the market here in Australia.
What are your biggest goals for the first 12 months?
To answer this I like to look at the Saxo AU business as having two models, firstly the B2B model, and secondly the B2C model. My main goal for the next 12 months is to grow our footprint in the institutional space (B2B) by seeking to facilitate and augment existing and new institutional client business models, leveraging the innovative pallet of global markets trading technology Saxo has at its disposal. In the retail space (B2C) we've been experiencing promising growth here in Australia over the past few years. My goal here is to build on this solid foundation by looking for ways in which we can augment the offering which is better tailored to the AU landscape.
...and your greatest challenge/s?
The term disruptive technology has been thrown around so frequently these days that it has almost become cliché. That said, fintech disruption is indeed a major force to be reckoned with for all financial services organisations here in Australia. It's moving at a cracking pace and the nation's intellectual capital is heavily focused on pitching Australia as a serious global contributor to its evolution. The challenge for Saxo is to remain ahead of the curve and stay true to our mantra of facilitating the 'disruptors' and the 'disrupted' via our innovative trading technology solutions.
Who do you most admire and how have they influenced your life/work?
I remember watching the movie Chariots of Fire when I was 10 years old that tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics - Eric Liddell (400m Gold Medal) and Harold Abrahams (100m Gold Medal). Their raw passion and drive to succeed, ability to stay true to their core values, whilst remaining ever the gentlemen and men for others had me thinking from a young age - "I want to be like those guys".
What is the best advice you've been given?
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." (Albert Einstein)
Where did you grow up?
Mosman, Sydney.
What was your very first job?
Graduate Trainee Derivatives Trader Deutsche Bank - fresh out of Uni. I remember I didn't quite know what a derivative was in the interview but was dying to get into trading stocks.
Do you have a secret skill/hidden talent?
Hopefully, if I'm blessed with any degree of talent in anything, I've shared it with a few people, so I guess there's nothing hiding there... But you can certainly strike singing and cooking from the list!
Is there a particular cause or charity you support?
McGrath Foundation - Breast Cancer Research. Great cause and not just because I love cricket!
