ex-UBS Director Sam Johnson joins iSAM Securities as the new Global Head of Sales

September 11, 2023 - iSAM Securities has announced that Sam Johnson joins iSAM Securities as the new Global Head of Sales. The firm's announcement today states that:

Following a successful 14-year career at UBS, Sam brings with him an impressive level of experience and insight that promises to usher in a new era of growth at iSAM Securities.

 

Beginning his career as a graduate on the Repo Trading desk in Zurich, Sam shortly returned to London in 2012 to work amongst the Credit Trading team, running the Senior Financial books where he stayed for the following 5 years. In 2017, he transitioned to a more 'macro' product focus, joining the Voice G10 spot trading desk, supporting the Precious Metals business and looking after the commodity-currency sector.

 

With a desire to upskill, Sam enrolled in a Data Science apprenticeship, designed and rolled out by UBS, where he found EFX and became fascinated by the world of programmatic trading. Shortly after, he joined the UBS EFX Trading team in 2019 where he eventually led the London office, becoming the firm’s SME on FX Fixings and running the Electronic Precious Metals franchise.

 

A Bright New Chapter at iSAM Securities

When asked what attracted him to iSAM Securities, Sam emphasised the company's stellar reputation, even during his previous role where iSAM was within his client purview, and its ability to maintain a dominant market position in what is one of the most fiercely contested parts of the market. He states:

 

“This is a rare and profoundly exciting opportunity for me to join a firm at an exciting time in its history, as it seeks to give its ambition the space and resource it needs to flourish. I’m excited to see where we can go from here.”

 

Embracing this new chapter in his career, Sam acknowledges the overlap between sales and trading skillsets in the systematic world. With both roles requiring a deep technical understanding of the offering, commercial awareness and the patience to understand and provision for client requirements, Sam envisions a future marked by both product innovation and service excellence, supporting the team in deepening existing expertise whilst also progressing to service clients who were historically out of reach.

 

Building Strong Client Relationships and Embracing Change

Sam views iSAM Securities as a partner for growth, with future development near deployment allowing them to cater to clients better and further than ever before. From liquidity provision to connectivity solutions to risk advisory, the offering has never been so cohesive or compelling.

 

This ambitious level of growth is supported by iSAM Securities’ existing business with a breadth of expertise and strong relationships that are a testament to an already successful team. A combination of maintaining trust and exciting new capabilities will take the group to the next level. Sam intends to focus on authentically building on a brand that is already known for its technical proficiency, preserving iSAM Securities’ reputation as a deeply compelling partner.

 

When asked about his plan to keep iSAM Securities ahead of the curve and adaptable to market changes, Sam shared his plans to achieve service excellence by prioritising client dialogue to inform future product innovation. He stated:

 

“While we’re busy working on the next generation of products for clients we’re simultaneously providing our Sales and Client Service teams with a similarly advanced set of tooling to enable and empower them to deepen client trust and be alive to the developing market thematics.”

 

As Sam Johnson assumes his role as Global Head of Sales at iSAM Securities, he brings a wealth of expertise, innovation, and a relentless commitment to enhancing the client experience. His journey to the forefront of electronic trading positions him perfectly to pioneer the next chapter of excellence at iSAM Securities.