R.J. O'Brien Taps John H. Porter for New Strategic Advisory Role

Veteran Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist Brings Market Expertise to RJO Clients Globally

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Mar 18, 2020, 07:30 ET

CHICAGO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based R.J. O'Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, has tapped John H. Porter to take on a new strategic advisor role. Porter will be the lead macro-economic speaker at RJO conferences worldwide, will share his analysis of market and geopolitical conditions with the firm's global client base, and will serve on the firm's Investment Committee.

A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Porter has decades of experience in roles including Chief Investment Officer, Chief Economist and Global Head of Fixed Income at major organizations ranging from the World Bank, to hedge funds, to Barclays and AXA.

RJO Chief Sales Officer Dan Staniford said: "John has truly outstanding credentials, and we're thrilled to bring his insights, experience, global perspective and analytical expertise to RJO. His passion for understanding human behavior through the study of psychology gives his market analyses a unique and interesting context."

Porter said: "I'm excited to share my views on the market and geopolitical climate with RJO's valued clients throughout the globe. RJO is well positioned to attract large institutional clients while still having the flexibility to provide solutions and service offerings that are unique to the industry."

From 2013 to 2018, Porter was Global Head of Fixed Income and Structured Finance at AXA Investment Managers in London, managing more than $500 billion in assets, leading a campaign to increase the firm's presence in Asia and developing its expertise in emerging markets. He served on the firm's Management Board and Executive Committee as well as the AXA Group Investment Committee.

Previously, Porter spent 15 years at Barclays Capital in London, serving as Managing Director and Global Head of Portfolio and Liquidity Management and for two years as Global Head of Economic Research. Before joining Barclays, Porter was Chief Economist and Principal of Summit Capital Advisors in Summit, New Jersey, where he performed all macro-economic analysis and developed specific investment strategies in North America, Europe and Japan for a fixed income and currency-based hedge fund. Prior to Summit, he was for three years Director and Principal of the Paris subsidiary of Moore Capital Management.

For 10 years, Porter served in senior roles at the World Bank in Washington, including Senior Economist from 1983 to 1988 and Chief Investment Officer from 1988 to 1993.

Porter's extensive educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Relations, Magna Cum Laude, from Harvard College. He earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Summa Cum Laude from the Sorbonne at the University of Paris following graduate studies at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He then earned a Master of Arts Degree in International Economics from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Porter was awarded fellowships from numerous institutions, including Harvard, Columbia and Princeton University. He is a member of the UK Society of Investment Analysts. Porter is fluent in French and conversant in Italian, German and Spanish.

About R.J. O'Brien & Associates
Founded in 1914, R.J. O'Brien & Associates is the largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, serving more than 80,000 institutional, commercial and individual clients globally, in addition to a network of approximately 300 introducing brokers (IBs). RJO services the industry's most expansive global network of IBs, a vast array of middle market firms and many of the world's largest financial, industrial and agricultural institutions. The firm offers state-of-the-art electronic trading and 24-hour trade execution on every major futures exchange worldwide. RJO has received the FOW International Award for Non-Bank FCM of the Year for the past four years. Wealth and Finance International Magazine named the company's private client division, RJO Futures, 2018's Most Trusted Financial Brokerage Firm. At the HFM US Quant Awards 2020, RJO won the award for Best Independent FCM – the eighth honor bestowed by the HFM Global publications on RJO and its UK affiliate. R.J. O'Brien was also the top-ranked broker in Oil Options and Structured Products in Europe in the 2019 Energy Risk Commodities Rankings.

SOURCE R.J. O'Brien & Associates