David Newns, a finance professional with over 25 years of experience, joined SIX Group as Head of SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) in 2021. With a deep knowledge of DLT applications in financial services, David advocates for wholesale CBDC as a foundational component for the successful deployment and leveraging of the full potential of DLT and blockchain technology within the global capital markets. Having an extensive background in traditional finance, he understands the importance of investor protection, robust control environments, a clear governance framework, and adherence to regulatory obligations when applied to the digital asset space. David led SDX to achieve significant milestones, including issuing the first digital bond and tokenizing equity shares. In 2023, SDX made history by settling securities transactions in wholesale CBDC.
Mathias Studach joined SDX in July 2018 as Head Finance, Risk and Organizational Development. He has a wealth of experience in financial markets, especially in the management and implementation of enabling-technologies, strategy and controlling. In his previous role as Head Technology at a Swiss private bank in Zurich, he was responsible for the digital transformation of the company and the technological implementation of their Blockchain Asset Management Solution.
Marco Kessler joined SDX in October 2018 and has been a key member of the team since its beginning. Marco brings 14 years of experience in capital markets and digital transformation to SDX. During his time at Accenture, Marco contributed significantly to large-scale digital transformation programs for global Swiss banks, particularly in wealth management, advisory and core banking segment. His expertise lies at the forefront of innovation, driving the adoption of digital assets in capital markets and financial market infrastructures.
Throughout his career, Marco has specialized in management and technology consulting, with a focus on business architecture for financial services and IT technology strategy. His contributions to SDX have been invaluable, as he continues to play a pivotal role in building the platform from the ground up. Marco’s dedication to driving innovation and his deep understanding of financial markets make him an integral part of the SDX team.
Björn Flückiger joined SDX in February 2024, bringing over a decade of legal expertise in financial market law and fintech regulation, both in the public as well as the private sector. Amongst others, Björn was an integral part in the setup and operationalization of FINMA’s Fintech unit, contributing significantly to various regulatory policies, including the development of FINMA’s ICO and stablecoin guidelines. Furthermore, as a member of the Federal Department of Finance’s working group, he played a pivotal role in the introduction of the forward-looking Swiss DLT bill in 2021. Prior to joining SDX, Björn worked for UBS, providing legal and regulatory advice on the bank’s fintech and digital banking initiatives. Most recently, he served as Head of Legal Services and Regulatory Affairs at Crypto Finance Group, where he managed all legal and supervisory matters of Crypto Finance’s FINMA-licensed entities.
Loïc Guezennec joined SDX in September 2022 as Head Technology Officer. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry and has been developing technology for trading, wealth management, risk and compliance, in both small and large organizations.Prior to SDX, Loïc was CTO and Head of Development at Lombard Odier. His other appointments include Head of Platform Engineering at Credit Suisse and Head of Engineering at Swissquote.
Martin Vetsch joined SDX in July 2022 as Head Operations. In his role, he is responsible for client onboarding, client support and SDX’s day-to-day operations. Martin is an entrepreneur and a senior banking professional with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining SDX, Martin demonstrated his leadership, strategy, and operational skills, while holding various executive positions in global banks and Swiss regulated entities including Credit Suisse, Vontobel, and VP Bank.
