Plato Partnership, the not-for-profit member organisation bringing creative solutions and efficiencies to today’s equity marketplace, has admitted Liquidnet, the technology-driven, agency execution specialist, as its inaugural Strategic Partner.

Liquidnet brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in capital markets to the Partnership. Leveraging their unique perspective, Liquidnet will play a pivotal role in shaping and informing Plato’s initiatives across the capital markets landscape.

As a Strategic Partner, Liquidnet will actively participate in three of Plato’s core initiatives:

• Plato Strategic Initiatives Group aims to identify issues and opportunities to improve equity market structure. In cooperation with industry providers, the Group develops a range of solutions to benefit all market participants.
• Plato’s Market Innovator (MI3) programme identifies key challenges facing the marketplace and sponsors independent academic research to help solve them. This includes identifying better ways of executing trades, lowering costs, and improving the quality of processes required to support the execution lifecycle.
• Turquoise Plato Expert Group aims to deliver market model enhancements to improve equity block liquidity and deliver increased efficiencies in anonymous equity block trading.

Chris Jackson, Global Head of Equity Strategy and Head of EMEA Equities at Liquidnet said “At Liquidnet, we are big supporters of the work that Plato is doing to help the investment community navigate our evolving markets. We have always focused on applying technology to make financial markets more efficient and we’re looking forward to working with Turquoise, the buy and sell side members of the Plato group to bring solutions to the industry’s most difficult challenges.”

Mike Bellaro, CEO of Plato Partnership, said “Plato is committed to innovation, and the admission of Liquidnet as a Strategic Partner is a major innovation for our Partnership. As the first electronic liquidity specialist (ELS) to join, Chris and the team at Liquidnet hold a truly unique perspective on the marketplace and significant untapped potential. We are thrilled to have their extensive expertise and strategic insights on board to help propel our strategic initiatives.”

Christoph Hock, Head of Multi-Asset Trading at Union Investment and Buy Side Chair of Plato Partnership, said: “By inviting Liquidnet to join the Partnership, Plato takes a major stride towards fostering innovation and addressing pressing challenges within the equity landscape. The expertise and perspective that Liquidnet brings to the table will enrich our efforts to enhance market efficiency and drive transformative initiatives for the benefit of all market participants.”

Salvador Rodriguez, EMEA Head of Global Execution Services at Instinet and Sell Side Chair of Plato Partnership, said “As a long-standing member and sell-side chairman of Plato, I’ve watched the Partnership continuously adapt to maintain its creative and innovative approach. The admission of Liquidnet is a major step forward and holds promise in addressing the critical challenges we currently face as a marketplace. I eagerly anticipate the practical solutions that will emerge from Liquidnet’s participation – they will no doubt prove instrumental in the next phase of Plato’s journey. 

Source: Plato