Nasdaq said it has appointed Nikolaj Kosakewitsch as Head of European Market Services, effective immediately.
Kosakewitsch assumes full leadership of Nasdaq’s trading, listings, clearing and market infrastructure operations across the region, including its flagship stock exchange businesses in the Nordics and Baltics.
“A nearly decade-long Nasdaq veteran, Kosakewitsch joined the company in 2017 as President of Nasdaq Copenhagen and has since expanded his responsibilities across European equities, commodities, sales, and revenue operations,” said Nasdaq.
“He brings deep knowledge of the company’s European business, its clients, and the markets it serves. He is also an established voice in discussions with EU officials on policies that affect the competitiveness of Europe’s capital markets.”
Kosakewitsch said: “Our European markets have consistently been the deepest, most diverse and most active in the region, providing unparalleled access to capital and liquidity, and accounting for nearly 60% of IPO capital raised in Europe last year.
“I look forward to working alongside our exceptionally talented teams to build on this momentum, deepening relationships with clients, and collaborating with partners to deliver world-class services to support growth, innovation and opportunity in Europe.
“European capital markets are also at a pivotal moment, with efforts underway to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of the region’s financial ecosystem. I am excited to help ensure Nasdaq continues to play a leading role in that evolution.”
Kosakewitsch succeeds Roland Chai, who has been appointed to lead Nasdaq’s Digital Liquidity Networks (DLN).
Nasdaq said DLN is a newly formed organization “which builds on Nasdaq’s longstanding investments in digital assets and market modernization, bringing together liquidity platforms, tokenization capabilities, and a portfolio of financial technology solutions serving the digital assets ecosystem.”
Kosakewitsch added: “I am pleased to continue my close partnership with Roland in his new role as we further strengthen Nasdaq’s capabilities in always-on markets, helping to drive innovation and new opportunities for clients across Europe.”
A successor to Kosakewitsch as President of Nasdaq Copenhagen will be announced in due course.
Nasdaq also announced it agreed to acquire all the equity interests of LeveL Markets, LLC, one of the leading off-exchange equity execution venues in the United States.
“As market structure evolves and the boundaries between traditional and digital markets continue to converge, investors and market participants are increasingly seeking a broader range of liquidity solutions and market models that support different investment and trading objectives,” said Nasdaq.
“LeveL Markets’ capabilities will advance Nasdaq’s broader vision for always-on markets, expanding the company’s role in how liquidity is connected, capital is formed, and markets operate across an increasingly continuous global economy.
“LeveL Markets operates one of the leading Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) in the United States, providing a scaled, institutionally connected execution platform that processes hundreds of millions of shares daily and reaches more than 2,500 buy-side and sell-side clients.
“Following the closing, Nasdaq intends to invest in LeveL Markets’ technology, client offering, and long-term growth while maintaining continuity of operations and execution quality for existing clients …
“Following the closing of the transaction, LeveL Markets will continue to operate as a trading venue with its own dedicated management team within Digital Liquidity Networks, maintaining structural separateness, participant confidentiality, and operational integrity that are fundamental to its role in the institutional equity market.
“LeveL Markets will remain a registered ATS, subject to FINRA oversight.”