Kathryn Zhao has been appointed as the Global Head of International API Product and Head of U.S. Product at OKX, as she disclosed in an interview with Traders Magazine. Based in New York, Zhao will lead her team in product development and delivery for both global institutional API clients and focus specifically on the U.S. market. She joined OKX in January 2026, bringing with her a wealth of experience from Cantor Fitzgerald, where she served as the Global Head of Electronic Trading. There, she successfully launched the Precision Algo Platform, which encompasses algorithmic trading across multiple asset classes, including equities, foreign exchange, fixed income, and cryptocurrencies. Before her tenure at Cantor Fitzgerald, she worked at JPMorgan as the Global Head of Algorithmic Quantitative Research.
In another significant leadership move, Brandon Peoples has been appointed as the global head of outsourced trading at Jefferies, also based in New York. His appointment comes as the firm, represented by Dean Gray and Joram Siegel in previous discussions, explores expansion in the outsourced trading arena. With over 25 years of experience, Peoples previously held the role of global head of outsourced trading at Cantor Fitzgerald since 2019. His career prior to that includes positions as head of domestic trading and operations at EastBay Capital, as well as a senior TMT trader at Diamondback Capital.
Mark Wetjen has joined Backpack US as President, with the company announcing his appointment. Wetjen brings a robust background in regulation from his previous roles, including serving as CFTC Commissioner, Acting Chairman, and Head of Global Public Policy at DTCC. He was a pioneer in advocating for regulatory frameworks and market infrastructure in the crypto space and will now spearhead Backpack’s U.S. expansion to integrate regulated, on-chain financial infrastructure with traditional finance.
In a noteworthy shift, Richard Worrell has departed LSEG after two years of service as co-head of equity trading and head of business development. With nearly three decades in the industry, Worrell previously led EMEA equity trading at Janus Henderson Investors and had earlier roles at Redburn and SEB.
Broadridge Financial Solutions has announced the appointment of Allen Weinberg as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. Joining from McKinsey & Company, where he was a Senior Partner, Weinberg specialized in digital, AI, and analytics practices, particularly within the North American Banking Tech and Ops sectors. His prior leadership at McKinsey included managing the Outsourcing and Offshoring practice.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has appointed Mel Gunewardena as the director of the Office of International Affairs and Senior Markets Advisor to Chairman Michael S. Selig. Gunewardena’s extensive experience includes roles as a managing director in Global Markets Trading at three globally systemically important banks (G-SIBs)—Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and State Street. He has held significant leadership positions overseeing risk businesses across North America, Europe, and Asia, and most recently served as chief market intelligence officer at the CFTC from 2019 to 2022.
For those with job changes or promotions to announce, further information can be sent to alyudvig@marketsmedia.com.
