As Eurex celebrates 15 years in Singapore, the anniversary marks not only the growth of its presence across Asia, but also the development of its regional clearing capabilities. While the Singapore office has been an integral part of the Eurex network for over a decade, the Clearing & Risk Operations function was established in 2018, making it a relatively young yet rapidly growing part of Eurex global infrastructure.
In this interview, Su Mei Chan, Head of Clearing & Risk Operations Singapore, reflects on the development of the Singapore operations hub, the role it plays in supporting Eurex's global clearing business, and how technology and operational resilience will shape the CCP’s next chapter.
Su Mei, as Eurex celebrates 15 years in Singapore, what does this milestone represent from the perspective of Clearing & Risk Operations?
This anniversary reflects two important milestones. The first is Eurex's long-standing commitment to Asia and the steady expansion of our presence across the region over the past 15 years. The second is the growth of our Clearing & Risk Operations function, which was established in Singapore in December 2018.
Although the operations team is relatively young, it has quickly become an integral part of Eurex's global clearing infrastructure. Today, the team plays a critical role in supporting Eurex’s global clearing ecosystem by bridging time zones, ensuring business continuity, and strengthening operational resilience across regions.
Building a clearing operations hub from the ground up is no small task. What were the biggest priorities and challenges when establishing the function in Singapore?
Building the team required us to establish capabilities from the ground up while maintaining the high operational standards that clients expect across the Eurex network.
A key challenge was scaling rapidly without compromising global consistency. Processes needed to be fully aligned with Eurex’s established frameworks, while remaining adaptable to regional dynamics. At the same time, significant emphasis was placed on developing deep domain expertise and instilling a strong risk and control culture within the team.
The global nature of our service model adds another layer of complexity. While the team is based in Asia, the majority of the clearing members we support are located in Europe and U.S. This requires seamless coordination across regions, as well as a shared understanding of client expectations and market practices.
To enable this, a structured workforce strategy was introduced. Two expatriates from Europe are deployed to Singapore on two-year rotations, ensuring a continuous and consistent flow of knowledge, strengthening process alignment, and fostering strong collaboration between teams across regions.
How does having a dedicated clearing operations team in Singapore strengthen the service Eurex provides to clients around the world?
The presence of a clearing operations team in Asia delivers tangible benefits across the value chain.
Although most clients are located in Europe and the U.S., the Singapore team plays a crucial role as the “eyes on the ground” ahead of the European trading day. Through close monitoring of overnight batch processing, system readiness, and key risk events, the team help ensure that potential issues are identified and addressed before markets open.
This proactive approach strengthens operational stability, reduces risk, and enhances client confidence, ensuring that each trading day begins on a robust footing.
At the same time, for clients in India and across Asia, the regional presence provides greater accessibility, faster response times, and improved service quality, supporting their participation in Eurex’s clearing ecosystem.
Today, clients expect the same level of responsiveness and operational resilience during Asian hours as they do in Europe.
Su Mei Chan
Head of Clearing & Risk Operations Singapore at Eurex
As clearing volumes and product complexity continue to increase, how has the Singapore operations function evolved to support that growth?
Since 2018, the Clearing & Risk Operations function has continued to evolve to keep pace with increasing volumes and growing product complexity. Automation and process optimisation have been central to that strategy, allowing us to handle higher volumes while maintaining the accuracy and controls that clearing operations require. This is particularly critical given the team’s role in overnight monitoring and batch cycle oversight, where precision and timeliness are essential.
Standardised processes and integration with our global systems also ensure consistency across regions, while the increased use of monitoring tools and data analytics enables us to identify potential risks earlier and maintain operational readiness ahead of each trading session.
Looking ahead, how do you see the future of clearing operations evolving, and what role will Singapore play in Eurex's next phase of growth?
Technology will play an increasingly important role as Eurex continues to expand its clearing footprint in APAC. We see significant opportunities to leverage AI and advanced technologies to improve monitoring, exception handling, and operational decision-making. These technologies can enhance both efficiency and accuracy while reducing manual intervention and operational risk.
At the same time, maintaining operational resilience remains fundamental, particularly in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic market environment. Strengthening our follow-the-sun operating model will further enhance coordination between Europe and Asia, ensuring seamless global coverage.
Equally important is continued investment in people. Alongside our existing exchange program with Europe, we continue to create opportunities for colleagues in Singapore to participate in global projects, meetings, and initiatives, helping them build expertise while strengthening relationships across the organisation.
Having helped build the Clearing & Risk Operations function over the past seven years, what has been your biggest takeaway from that journey?
One thing has become very clear: successful clearing operations are built on trust. That means delivering resilience during periods of market stress, maintaining reliability through consistent operational excellence, and continually evolving to remain relevant as client needs change.
While Eurex Singapore marks 15 years, the Clearing & Risk Operations function is still in its early stages. Yet, in a relatively short time, it has established itself as a critical enabler of global operations, quietly ensuring that each trading day begins smoothly and reliably.
As we look ahead, our focus remains clear: to continue strengthening this foundation and delivering world-class clearing operations that support the growth, stability, and integrity of global financial markets.
