Michael Newman Interview
Michael Newman
Michael Newman has been a good friend of Gary Wright, Director of ISITC Europe, since the early 2000s. When they worked together at the Trace Financial subsidiary, ‘Trace Datawise’. In those days they were selling software to convert financial messages into ISO15022. They didn’t sell much, but boy did they have a good time and forged a long-lasting friendship.
This City Chronicles interview gave Gary a good excuse to talk to Mick about his career in the City. Mainly it centred around his time working at the London Stock Exchange especially leading towards Big Bang in 1986. This was a significant period not only for the City but also for the Country, as it created the environment and toolset, where Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher could implement her privatisation policies.
Mick typically was front and centre in the technology development to produce the forerunners of front office trading systems we see today. Without Mick and people like him, the City would look very different. You can ask yourselves if that’s a good thing or not?
Mick also was fundamental part of the team that created Topic. That was the first online news wire system that carried announcements from Issuers but also important news that impacted share prices. He designed much of the system including the colour displays that now are familiar to all front office people.
SEAQ International (the Stock Exchange Automated Quotation system) was also a development that Mick had much to do with and cemented the City of London as the largest international capital market. Much to the dismay of those in Europe, at the time.
During this talk Mick takes us on a journey to a past that is important to understand, providing a snapshot into the old market, the characters and working environment that existed then, which eventually became the building blocks of the City today.
Mick worked for a host of different types of firms, all were instrumental in forging his career. The anecdotes in this video are from an era we will not see again and will give the listener a wonderful opportunity to take a step back in time and learn, but also we hope enjoy this unique experience.
Part One – Interviewed By Gary Wright, Director, ISITC Europe CIC
Part Two – Interviewed by Gary Wright, Director, ISITC Europe CIC
Michael Newman started his career in Financial services in 1975. He worked with a number of Stock Exchanges across the world, and was Services division marketing Director at London Stock Exchange for two years. He was an experienced Global IT Programme and Delivery Director/Head with an extensive background in managing change through either managing major projects or organising services primarily, but not exclusively in the financial services marketplace. Michael’s skill set lied in business solutions transformation using IT project management, this combined his strong technology and programme management skills, with business analysis and marketing exposure; ranging from the identification of new business opportunities to the provision of effective customer services. Michael was a Member of the Securities Institute. He has also produced IT strategic direction and implementation papers for the London Stock Exchange and Plus Markets, as well a operating at board and executive committee level in a number of different organisations. Michael has a BSc Pure Maths and a MSc Computer Science.
Thanks both for another great insight into the history and development of wholesale financial services in the UK. The foundations you laid here are still, and will be, visible for many years to come. A couple of key words stood out to me across the 2 sessions in Trust and Collaboration. These are 2 anchors we must maintain to run at the scale that future of finance demands.