Rik Ghijsels - Global Head of Risk
"Compared to most of the banking sector, IMC is a flat, non-political and dynamic organization"
Name: Rik Ghijsels
Location: Amsterdam
Job title: Global Head of Risk
Job description: Responsible for the global Risk Management department
Every day I’ll keep track of all risks across all offices. This involves daily talks with the Head of Risk in every office, as well as regular discussions with the Heads of Trading in different offices.
We believe in local risk management presence with a pro-active approach, operating close to trading with a primary focus on market, liquidity, credit and operational risk.
Expect the unexpected
The events of 2008 showed that extreme events or scenarios that never happened can happen. We have always looked at stress events, but now we are even more creative in focusing on the unexpected.
I also read daily position and risk reporting, while following the financial markets and their potential impact on our positions. I maintain contact with our clearing organizations and I often meet with our Technology departments.
A wide-ranging career
Earlier in my career I worked as an options trader at Rabobank International and Head of Structured Products Trading at Mees Pierson, which was taken over by Fortis. I then joined Cardano, an IMC subsidiary, advising large clients on key financial risks and executing derivative overlays to control them.
Obviously, this experience is invaluable in my current role. And although IMC is focused on hiring young talent, I think it’s useful to sometimes hire people with experience from outside IMC.
New ideas
IMC is a very dynamic company with a 24-hour presence in the financial markets around the globe. Compared to the most of the banking sector it is a flat, non-political and dynamic organization where everybody is highly motivated with a drive to be the best.
This enables a very short time-to-market for new ideas. I will be involved in such ideas, or new trading activities, at an early stage, in Amsterdam and around the world.
At the end of the day and outside work I like to spend time with my family or meet friends for drinks and/or dinner. I also like to travel and read. In terms of sports I used to play soccer, but at the moment I play tennis and occasionally squash.