Grasshopper Pte Ltd Announces Appointment of New CEO – James Leong

Grasshopper, a leading Singaporean proprietary trading firm and market maker, announced today its appointment of James Leong as chief executive officer with effect from 1 June 2020. He will succeed John Lin, the firm’s founder, in this role.

James Leong, Grasshopper’s new Chief Executive Officer

Leong is currently Grasshopper’s chief financial officer. Over his last 14 years with the firm, he has partnered with Lin to develop the firm into a major player within the global equity and futures markets, as well as a trusted partner of governments and regulators.

“I have complete faith in James as the leader and visionary who will keep Grasshopper at the forefront of the market’s changing needs. His drive for innovation, together with a deep sense of accountability to our team and to the local trading ecosystem, has been integral to the firm’s journey to date,” said Lin, who will remain at Grasshopper as chairman. “James also exemplifies our culture — as a private and independent company — of staying humble and continuously learning.”

“Change has been the primary constant during my tenure at Grasshopper: from the 2008 financial crisis, to the technological and regulatory shifts that have driven us to keep evolving. It is my privilege to work with our team of exceptional people through the current period of global uncertainty, as we continue shaping the future of trading in Singapore. Grasshopper is unique in our depth of experience in the Asian financial markets, as well as in our commitment to supporting our local market. I look forward to leading the firm into our next wave of growth,” said Leong.

Commenting on the appointment, this is what Grasshopper’s partners have to say:

“Grasshopper is one of our valued partners on SGX’s equity and derivatives platform. Under James’s leadership, I am confident that Grasshopper will continue contributing to the development of Singapore’s capital markets.” Michael Syn, Head of Equities at SGX.

“In our dealings with Grasshopper, they have always operated with transparency and collaborativeness. I look forward to our continued partnership with Grasshopper as James takes on the new role of CEO.” Hiromi Yamaji, President & CEO, Osaka Exchange, Inc.

About Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a leading Singaporean proprietary trading firm providing liquidity in global markets. With over a decade record of consistency and profitability Grasshopper’s cutting-edge in-house technology puts it at the forefront of developments in electronic trading. Headquartered in Singapore, Grasshopper has more than 60 employees spanning trading and technology.