Saxo Bank Expands into Belgium

LONDON, October 31, 2011 -

Saxo Bank, the specialist in online trading and investing, has announced the opening of its branch in Brussels in order to provide Belgian investors with access to international financial markets. Géraud Missonnier has been appointed Director of Saxo Bank Belgium.

The opening of the new office in Brussels is a strategic move by Saxo Bank in order to meet the growing demands of Belgian investors and strengthen its position as a major player in online brokerage, both in Europe and internationally. The Belgian branch will provide investors with the opportunity to participate in more than 25 stock markets and a wide range of financial instruments available through Saxo Bank’s award-winning trading platforms.

Appointed Director of Saxo Bank Belgium, Géraud Missonnier will take over the operational implementation in Belgium and the organisations development in the Belgian market.

In addition to its offer to individual investors, Saxo Bank also offers a White Label solution (WLC - White Label Clients) for financial institutions allowed to hold their clients’ funds. Saxo Bank’s technology offers White Label Clients the ability to provide their clients with a unique trading offering whilst maintaining the characteristics of their brand, their visual identity, and their logo. This new expansion will allow Saxo Bank Belgium to reinforce existing partnerships and focus on developing new opportunities.

Géraud Missonnier, Saxo Bank Belgium Director declared: “By expanding into Belgium, Saxo Bank clearly intends to win over a market made up of high-potential investors. Indeed, a recent survey by NYSE Euronext conducted among active European investors revealed that 91% of the surveyed Belgian investors already use the Internet to buy and sell financial products. Our multi-product online platform combined with competitive rates corresponds perfectly to the expectations of those Belgian investors. Our aim? To become a major player in online brokerage in Belgium.”

Founded in 1992, Saxo Bank is the second largest bank in Denmark by market capitalization. World leader in forex and CFDs, as well as known and renowned for its online trading solution, Saxo Bank also benefits from its sponsorship of the “Team Saxo Bank - Sungard” cycling team represented in Belgium by Nick Nuyens who made his team proud by winning the Tour of Flanders in April, 2011.

Nick Nuyens was present at the grand opening of the new office in Brussels, along with Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Institutional Reform, Didier Reynders, and Lars Seier Christensen, co-founder and co-CEO of Saxo Bank.

Saxo Bank Belgium’s Offering in Brief:

- Multi-product trading platform providing clients with direct access to 25 stock markets and more than 20,000 financial instruments via a single account

- Very competitive rates on Forex, CFDs, Stocks, ETFs, and Bonds

- Support and help for clients: an appointed adviser to answer client requests and the possibility of a meeting in the Saxo Bank offices

- Trading platform available three different ways: software downloaded to a PC, a platform available on the Internet, or from a smartphone (or PC tablet) connected to the Internet.

- Free online training

- Daily economic newsletter and stock exchange advice.

About Saxo Bank:

Saxo Bank is a leading online trading and investment specialist. The three specialised and fully integrated trading platforms; the browser-based SaxoWebTrader, the downloadable SaxoTrader and the SaxoMobileTrader application are available in over 20 languages. Saxo Asset Management accommodates high-net worth private clients and institutional investors. In 2011 Saxo Bank continued the diversification of its business and launched Saxo Privatbank. In 2010, the Saxo Bank Group had a net banking income of 443 M€ (87 M€ net result). The Group is headquartered in Copenhagen with offices throughout Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Australia.

About Saxo Bank Belgium:

Launched in October 2011, Saxo Bank is registered with the National Bank of Belgium (Boulevard de Berlaimont 14, 1000 Brussels, www.nbb.be) on the list of credit institutions governed by the law of another Member State of the European Economic Area with a registered branch in Belgium. Saxo Bank Belgium enables private individuals, banks, and brokers to trade forex, CFDs, stocks, futures, options, and other derivatives via its online trading platforms. Saxo Bank Belgium is wholly owned by a Danish bank, Saxo Bank, founded in 1992 by Kim Fournais and Lars Seier Christensen.  The Saxo Bank Group, headquartered in Copenhagen, currently employs more than 1,000 people from 62 different countries and is particularly present in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Singapore, Spain, Australia, Japan, China, Italy, Dubai, Prague, the Netherlands, Russia, and now in Belgium.

About Géraud Missonnier, Saxo Bank Belgium Director:

Gerald Missonnier, who has a Master’s Degree in Finance and a Specialized Master’s Degree in Management Stratégique International from the Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, as well as a second Specialized Master’s Degree in Finanzas Internacionales from the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), began his career at Lonlay & Associés as a Junior Consultant in wealth management and tax-exempt products. At the same time, he founded a forex investment club with seven investors. With a degree in Finance and a strong interest in the stock market, he joined Saxo Banque France in January 2009 as a Sales Trader. In that capacity, he developed and managed clientèle and also became a privileged contact person for French media (BFM Radio and Business, Reuters, Les Echos, Le Figaro, La Tribune, etc.) by providing analyses of financial markets (CAC40 and EUR / USD). He provided training in trading and gave lectures in Paris at significant conferences dedicated to investors active in the stock market. In October 2011, Géraud Missonnier was appointed Director of Saxo Bank Belgium; his goal is to develop Saxo Bank Belgium and manage the client portfolios.

PR Contact:
Kasper Elbjorn
Head of Group Public Relations
Saxo Bank
40 Bank Street
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5DA
+45-3065-4300
www.saxobank.com

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