Bonds.com Group, Inc. (OTC.BB:BDCGE) announced today that Thomas M. (Tom) Thees has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Bonds.com Group, Inc. effective June 1, 2012, and is now a member of the firm's Board of Directors.
This is the latest in a series of announcements by the firm reflecting its importance to the marketplace, and signaling a move toward the delivery of significant strategic initiatives for 2012.
Mr. Thees' appointment comes at a critical time in Bonds.com's development. We believe the firm is poised to grow in the context of the current environment and the evolution of fixed income market structure. Market trends, including the increased demand by traders and investors for real-time electronic access to liquidity and execution globally across asset classes, regulatory developments such as the Volker Rule's impact on proprietary trading, and an anticipated move by institutional and retail investors to fixed income in uncertain and volatile markets, indicate opportunities for Bonds.com.
Bonds.com's wholly-owned subsidiary Bonds.com, Inc. ("BCI"), a FINRA registered Broker Dealer and ATS, offers access to live liquidity and execution through its web-based electronic BondsPRO platform. BondsPRO provides professional traders over 70 thousand live prices (with 85 million price updates daily) on 10 thousand different issues from over 300 contributing counterparties. BondsPRO posts live, anonymous, and executable orders on a single bond or list basis, and permits price negotiation. Its all-to-all connectivity allows supply to meet demand, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing spread. BCI is a neutral counterparty to all trades, acting as a riskless principal.
Mr. Thees brings thirty years of industry expertise and experience in building both traditional and electronic fixed income businesses and operations, and is a recognized leader in global financial services. Prior to joining Bonds.com, he served most recently as Head of Investment Grade Credit and formerly as co-head of Fixed Income for Jefferies & Co., and previously served as Chief Operating Officer of MarketAxess Holdings, Inc. Mr. Thees spent 17 years in senior management positions of increasing responponsibility at Morgan Stanley & Co., 5 years at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., and also Citibank NA, and A.G. Becker & Co. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Bond Market Association (now SIFMA), including as Chairman of its Investment Grade Committee. He is a member of the Georgetown University Board of Regents, and just completed his tenure as the Interim CEO and Board Chairman for the Visiting Nurses Association Health Group in NJ. He graduated from Georgetown University with an AB degree in International Relations, where he was a George F. Baker Scholar.
George O'Krepkie, President of Bonds.com Group, Inc. said: "Since our inception, it has been our goal to bring a new model to fixed income, essentially creating the market center where none existed, bringing the benefits and efficiencies of a single platform to traders worldwide. We have established our platform and presence. Part of our growth plan was and continues to be attracting the best talent in the industry to achieve both our strategic and tactical goals. Tom's joining us is a testament to what we have achieved to date, and an indication that with his leadership and the skills we have assembled with our team, we are building the platform and team to achieve our vision for the industry and for the fixed income markets."
Tom Thees, Chief Executive Officer (effective June 1, 2012) of Bonds.com Group, Inc. said: "As market structure evolves, investors and traders demand innovative thinking and excellence in execution - the hallmarks of Bonds.com. Our clients are responding to changing markets worldwide. We are confident that we will build a global, technologically advanced market center for fixed income that meets the challenge of the current operating environment and sets the standard for the future of trading. My colleagues and I are committed to maintaining and growing the confidence our clients and investors have placed in us and we look forward to continuing to deliver unique approaches that will result in industry innovation and our continued growth."
Edwin (Ted) Knetzger, Chairman of Bonds.com Group, Inc. said: "Tom Thees joining Bonds.com, Inc. is a significant development for our industry, our clients, and our firm. With Bonds.com, Inc. our trader clients now have a cost effective and fundamentally new way to trade, without diminishing the critical role they play in their organizations. Our technology is backed by a deep-bench of industry professionals to meet client needs each trading day. In building our franchise worldwide we are confident that the firm foundation that is already in place will serve as a basis for Tom to lead our organization in significant growth across products and markets, while he simultaneously develops the infrastructure and resources to realize that anticipated growth."