Thomas Ascher Named Chief Executive Officer Of Nasdaq Liffe Markets

Nasdaq Liffe Markets (NQLX) has announced the appointment of Thomas A. Ascher as chief executive officer of the exchange. Formerly executive vice president, Interactive Brokers Group, where he worked both out of Greenwich, CT, and Chicago, he is responsible for the strategic, long-term vision and operations of NQLX which, this spring, will introduce single stock futures. With offices in Chicago and London, Ascher will work from NQLX headquarters in New York City.

As a member of Interactive Brokers' steering committee, Ascher oversaw the company's initiative to offer options linkage, becoming the sole firm connecting all five U.S. options exchanges. Most notably, Ascher was integral to the recently announced strategic joint venture between the Boston Stock Exchange, Bourse de Montreal and Interactive Brokers to create a new U.S. securities options exchange. During his tenure at Interactive Brokers, he also was charged with oversight of sales, marketing and key relationships with financial institutions and exchanges.

A member of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) since 1986 and a director from 1994 to 1999, Ascher in 1997 was named vice chairman of the board of directors and chairman of the executive committee, the highest member appointment at the exchange.

Among Ascher's industry and civic involvement are service on the Options Clearing Corporation nominating committee (2001-Present), a trustee on the Cincinnati Stock Exchange (1997-2001), and a member and committee chairman of the Economic Club of Chicago.

Hugh Freedberg, chief executive of LIFFE, said, "Tom Ascher brings the kind of diversified experience that the organization has been seeking as well as an impressive business network that will help bring the exchange even higher visibility."

Richard Ketchum, president of Nasdaq, added, "Tom is a great addition to the NQLX team. He is a leader who will put top priority on responding to the changing demands of the marketplaces and NQLX customers."

Robert Fitzsimmons, presid ent and chief operating officer of NQLX, said, "Tom's experience and broad vision is not entrenched in a single financial school-of-thought, but adheres to the variety of uses of security futures. I am excited about working with him to implement our plans and explore a number of potential product additions that will best serve the end user."

NQLX is a fully electronic, federally regulated exchange formed as a joint venture between The Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.® and LIFFE (London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange). It will initially list single stock futures on the largest U.S. companies through LIFFE's electronic trading platform, LIFFE CONNECT™. For more information on NQLX, visit: www.nqlx.com