Meet the Team
Sonny Schneider, Managing Director
Sonny is the founder and Managing Director of Schneider Trading Associates, a wholly owned subsidiary of STA Holdings LTD. Founded in 1998, Sonny started Schneider to facilitate electronic market screen based trading of futures, options, equities and CFD’s. He works closely with his team of directors to ensure that Schneider is an environment where professional traders and brokers can reach their full potential.
Having started his career in 1995 at Birkbeck College, performing administrative and database management duties, Sonny quickly worked his way up to being a self- employed trader following a period at Credit Anstalt Global Futures LTD. As a self-employed trader in 1998, he traded predominantly in European Debt Derivatives. Sonny became Managing Director of Schneider in 2002. Since then, he has continued to drive the business forward, helping new traders develop through the Professional Trader Programme and maintaining a flagship arcade for experienced traders.
Contact
Tel. +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Email: business.development@schneidertrading.com
Richard Brown, Director of Business Development
Richard is responsible for the day-to-day management of all direct client contact, both new business and existing relationships. His role encompasses the management of the Training & Development, Brokerage and Account Management divisions. He is the clients’ first point of contact ensuring they are treated fairly regarding any disputes with system suppliers and the exchanges. Richard is also responsible for initiating product development, expanding access to the contracts traded and the trading systems used.
Originally from the United States, Richard has been working at Schneider since 2005. He has over twenty years’ trading experience and came to Schneider following periods at Arbitrage Specialist Investments LLP, Amikon Investments Ltd and MarketSound Ltd, with ten years trading experience on the Liffe floor.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Email: business.development@schneidertrading.com
Rob Thatcher, Director of Information Technology
Rob is responsible for all of Schneider’s IT engineering, software development and manages the front-line support teams. His technical knowledge and experience in specific systems also allows him to support the engineering team. Rob has been working at Schneider since 2005 when he joined as a Senior Architect working on network design and development. He has since worked his way up through senior roles, being appointed Director of IT in April 2011.
Prior to joining Schneider, Rob worked at Mako Global Derivatives (Formerly Saratoga Ltd) and Salomon Smith Barney (Citigroup) in various IT capacities.
Contact
Tel. +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Steve Hills, Director of Business Resources
Steve oversees the Legal and Compliance responsibilities for Schneider. He is also responsible for Human Resources, Business Services and Client On-boarding. He has been in his current role since February 2011, but joined Schneider in the capacity of a non-executive director in November 2010.
Steve was Managing Director of Hills Independent Traders from 1989 until its trading activities were acquired by Van der Moolen when he assumed the role on Managing Director Van der Moolen Derivatives Limited. Prior to that, he spent over 6 years as a Director of Liffe.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Ronny Munster, Director of Finance & Operations
Ronny is responsible for all the financial data of the company, ensuring that it is properly maintained, presented and reported to the Board and the Regulatory Authorities. His role is to enhance profitability through better understanding of business drivers. He has overall responsibility for the organisation of the Operations department which handles all clearing, settlement and treasury issues.
Ronny has been working at Schneider since May 2006, joining from Lloyds TSB. He has previously worked at the Ermitage Group, Riggs & Co, Lloyds TSB and JP Morgan Fundshub.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
John Calvert, Head of Broking
John is responsible for the day to day management and recruitment of the broking teams. He ensures that brokers have all the tools required to earn their brokerage, resolves any issues and verifies all teams are compliant with Financial Services Authority based rules and regulations.
A Chartered Accountant with over twenty years’ experience in financial services, John has been working at Schneider since January 2009 when he initially started as a consultant analysing the Schneider business systems. He took over responsibility for broking in August 2009. Prior to joining Schneider, John was COO of Primex Energy Brokers Ltd.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Email: brokerageprojects@schneidertrading.com
Matthew Silvester, Divisional Manager of Business Development
Matt heads up the Professional Trader Programme and is responsible for recruiting and training graduates on all aspects of trading, increasing the longevity of the traders’ careers as well as presenting extensive seminar and lecture programmes.
He has worked at Schneider as Graduate Recruitment and Training / Mentorship Manager and now Divisional Manager of Business Development & Head of Training. He has been working at Schneider since 2006 bringing a wealth of experience having started trading on the Liffe Exchange in 1989. He has previously worked with various well-known financial organisations including Deutsche Bank, NatWest and EDF Mann.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Email: training@schneidertrading.com
Ronnie Riddle, Director of Trading Services
Ronnie’s role in Trading Services means he is responsible for all of Schneider’s mid-office functions. His primary responsibility however is as Chief Risk Officer. He oversees the development and implementation of policies, procedures and processes for the identification quantification monitoring and control of all market credit and operational risks resultant from the trading activities of Schneider or associates and corporate entities utilising the services of Schneider.
Ronnie has been working at Schneider since 2005, joining as Head of Risk Management before becoming Director of Trading Services in 2007. He joined Schneider from HIT Securities Ltd having previously worked at ING Barings Futures & Options UK Ltd and KAS-Associatie NV.
Contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7664 4200
Stuart Boyle, Head of Training
Stuart heads up the Professional Trader Programme and is responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring graduates on all aspects of trading, increasing the longevity of their careers here at Schneider.
He has 6 years of trading experience, 4 as a self employed oil trader and 2 as a trainer & mentor within the training department. Stuart traded at Schneider in 2006 and has worked his way up to Head of Training in December 2011.
Prior to joining the company Stuart was a production manager for 10 years within the manufacturing field.
Giuliano Arrigo, Divisional Manager of Finance
Giuliano runs the finance division and is responsible for all of Schneider’s regulatory and statutory financial reporting.
He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2004.
Giuliano joined Schneider in 2006 as a Senior Management Accountant and worked his way up to Divisional Manager of Finance in December 2011.
Prior to joining the company, Giuliano worked at Richemont and Conde Nast Johansens in other finance roles.
