MAS Markets Appoints Simon Naish as Head of APAC to Drive Institutional Expansion

MAS Markets has appointed Simon Naish as Head of APAC to spearhead its expansion into the Asia-Pacific institutional trading sector. For fintech professionals, this move signals a concerted effort by global liquidity providers to capture rising demand for sophisticated multi-asset infrastructure among regional hedge funds and family offices in a rapidly maturing market.

What was announced

The appointment of Simon Naish, which officially commenced in October 2026, marks a strategic pivot for MAS Markets as it seeks to establish a permanent regional footprint. Naish is tasked with leading the development and execution of the firm’s strategic vision across Asia-Pacific, focusing specifically on driving market penetration and building high-performing teams. The role involves positioning MAS Markets as a primary institutional liquidity partner for a diverse client base, including regional brokers, hedge funds, family offices, and professional trading firms.

Naish brings over three decades of experience in financial services to the role. His background includes significant tenures in institutional banking, brokerage operations, and financial markets trading. Most recently, he served as Country Head at ATFX Global, where he was responsible for market operations and growth across Australia. Prior to that, he spent 33 years at National Australia Bank (NAB), holding various senior roles in foreign exchange trading, institutional sales, and business development across the APAC region and global markets.

This leadership hire is part of a broader investment strategy by MAS Markets to invest in regional leadership and technology infrastructure. The firm is aiming to support an anticipated increase in institutional trading and liquidity demand across the region. Naish will work closely with the MAS Group senior leadership team to integrate these regional efforts into the company’s global multi-asset liquidity framework, ensuring the firm can meet the requirements of the APAC institutional trading community.

"Simon’s appointment to lead our APAC operations is a game-changer for MAS Markets. His deep expertise in institutional trading, his track record of building and scaling successful financial services operations across the region, and his strategic mindset align perfectly with our vision to become the go-to liquidity provider in Asia-Pacific. We’re delighted to have him leading this critical phase of our regional expansion."

Simon Blackledge, CEO and Founder of MAS Markets.

The companies involved

MAS Markets is a globally recognised provider of institutional-grade liquidity and trading solutions. The firm specialises in providing sophisticated trading infrastructure and multi-asset liquidity to a professional clientele. Operating under the broader MAS Group umbrella, the company has built its reputation on delivering reliable market access and execution services to institutional participants who require robust, low-latency environments. Under the leadership of Founder and CEO Simon Blackledge, the group continues to scale its operations by investing in regional expertise and technical infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the global financial community.

The firm’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region comes at a time when institutional demand for diversified liquidity sources is increasing. MAS Markets positions itself as a bridge between complex global markets and regional entities such as family offices and professional trading firms. By focusing on institutional-grade solutions, the company distinguishes itself from retail-focused brokerages, aiming instead for the higher-tier segment of the market where execution quality and depth of liquidity are paramount.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the shifting landscape of institutional access and global expansion within the trading sector. Recently, the publication covered how Monark and Valura Partner to Unlock Direct Pre-IPO Access for UAE and India Investors, highlighting the growing appetite for direct market access in emerging financial hubs. Additionally, the trend of high-level leadership appointments to drive international growth was seen when Base Markets Appoints Nazim Moussaoui as Head of Premium Clients to Drive Global Expansion. These reports underscore a broader industry movement where firms are aggressively hiring seasoned veterans to navigate the complexities of regional market penetration and premium client management.

What this means

The appointment of a 30-year banking veteran like Naish suggests that the "institutionalisation" of the APAC liquidity market is accelerating. As regional family offices and hedge funds move away from traditional banking silos toward more agile, multi-asset liquidity providers, firms like MAS Markets are under pressure to provide the same level of regulatory and operational rigour found in Tier-1 banks. This move places significant competitive pressure on established regional players who may lack the global infrastructure of MAS Group. The central question for the sector is whether boutique institutional providers can maintain their service edge as they scale into the fragmented and highly regulated jurisdictions of Asia-Pacific.