Marex Hires Sucden Financial’s Former Chief Operating Officer for the Same Role in Abu Dhabi

After nearly two decades, Gavin Parker, the former Chief Operating Officer of Sucden Financial, is moving to Marex’s newly launched Abu Dhabi entity. His arrival followed Marex’s acquisition of Aarna Capital, an Abu Dhabi-based clearing, execution, and risk management firm.

A Long Tenure in Financial Operations

Parker has over 25 years of industry experience, including 17 years at Sucden Financial in London. He served as COO from 2015 to 2024, overseeing a wide range of functions including IT, back office operations, and client services, after joining the firm as the Director of Information Systems.

Before his tenure at Sucden, he held roles at several major financial technology and banking firms, including Trading Technologies, ION Trading, RTS Realtime Systems, Fortis Bank, and Mizuho. Parker confirmed the information about the new role on LinkedIn, saying: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Chief Operating Officer at Marex Capital (AD) Limited!”

Marex Doubles Down on MENA Region

Marex has recently intensified its focus on the Middle East and North Africa. The acquisition of Aarna Capital secures regulatory footing in the UAE and brings local market expertise and client relationships into Marex’s ecosystem.

Last year, Marex Group announced a deal to buy Aarna Capital Limited in a push to expand operations in the Middle East and enhance its clearing business. The acquisition, as reported by financemagnates.com, enabled the company to access nearly 180 local clients, comprising institutional investors, family offices, and corporate clients.

“This acquisition meets our strict financial criteria and is at an attractive valuation, representing three to four times expected profit after tax,” said Ian Lowitt, CEO of Marex. “We also retain some firepower from the capital raised in our IPO to support further growth investments, as we look to continue to expand and diversify our business.”

Marex Group plc went public last year, listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker MRX. The group filed for an IPO in the United States after the company dropped plans for a listing in the United Kingdom in 2021.