--- title: Bill O'Brien Joins Direct Match description: Bill O'Brien Joins Direct Match --- ![websites-group](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/new-MMG-01.svg) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-new-marketsmedia-logo.svg)](https://www.marketsmedia.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-traders-redlogo.svg)](https://www.tradersmagazine.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-bestexe-logo.svg)](https://www.bestexecution.net/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-menu-fidesk-logo.svg)](https://www.fixglobal.com/) [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/dropdown-fixglobal-new-logo.svg)](https://www.fixglobal.com/) - [*Facebook*](https://www.facebook.com/MarketsMedia/) - [*Twitter*](https://twitter.com/marketsmedia) - [*Linkedin*](https://www.linkedin.com/company/markets-media-llc) - [Newsletter](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match#popup-newsletter) #### Want the latest news on securities markets -- FREE? Sign up to receive exclusive articles on topics including: - Equity market structure - Profiles of buy-side investment firms - The evolution of multi-asset-class trading - Regulation and its implications for markets - The search for liquidity in fixed income markets - The convergence of fintech and capital markets Select one or more newsletters you would like to receive: menu [![Markerts media](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/MarketsMedia_August2021/images/header%20logo.svg "Markerts media")](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/) - [Treasuries](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/treasuries) - Treasuries - Bill O'Brien Joins Direct Match Search - [Home](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/) - [Trending](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/trending) - [Featured](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/daily-email-feature) - [Sectors](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/sectors) - [From The Markets](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/from-the-markets) - [AWARDS](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/tag/events) - [Newsletter](https://awards.marketsmedia.com/newsletter-sign-up) - [Newsletter](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match#popup-newsletter) Hide search Search - NewsLetter ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/trading-up-occ-iex-select-board-members-citadel-lands-lieblich-573x379-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-57-AM.jpg) [ON THE MOVE: Citi Hires Artie Ambrose;...](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/on-the-move-citi-hires-artie-ambrose-natalie-a-brown-to-mesirow) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Depositphotos_445735906_L.jpg) [Trading Adapts to ESG and Sustainable...](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/trading-adapts-to-esg-and-sustainable-investing) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-917493152-Jul-07-2022-09-34-19-09-AM.jpg) [Focus on FX Execution Connectivity](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/focus-on-fx-execution-connectivity) ![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Depositphotos_333839538_L.jpg) [TRACE Turns 20](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/trace-turns-20) 04.06.2016 By Rob Daly Treasuries # Bill O'Brien Joins Direct Match 04.06.2016 By Rob Daly [Share](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) [Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US+ETFs+Have+Record+Net+Inflows&url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) After almost two years out of Wall Street’s public eye, former Direct Edge CEO William O’Brien has surfaced as the executive chairman of Direct Match, a startup electronic treasury-trading platform operator. “Bill’s market structure expertise across all asset classes coupled with his understanding of electronic trading and prior success in leading high-growth companies, make him and ideal chairman for Direct Match,” said Jim Greco, founder and CEO of Direct Match. “I was drawn to Direct Match because it is at a very similar stage when compared to my tenure at Direct Edge,” O’Brien added. “It was at a similar size in terms of the number of employees at a very early stage. Direct Match has 19 employees and Direct Edge had 18 employees when I arrived in 2007”. ![William, O'Brien,Direct Match](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) William O’Brien, Direct Match O’Brien started working in electronic markets in 2000, when we was named chief operating officer of Brut ECN. Four years later, he moved to Nasdaq, where he focused on markets, new listings and data distribution business lines. O’Brien is best known for his tenure as CEO of Direct Edge, which launched in 2007. While there, he grew the alternative trading system’s dual matching engine operations model to one of the top four stock exchanges until he negotiated the Direct Edge’s acquisition by competing exchange operator Bats Global Markets at the start of 2014. After the transaction, O’Brien remained at Bats for six months before departing in July 2014. In his new position, O’Brien will contribute to to the Direct Match’s overall strategy, development, and operations, according to a corporate announcement. Much of his focus over the next few quarters will be spent preparing for the launch of Direct Match’s trading platform, which uses a central limit order book to match trades in a price-time priority. “When trying to build an all-to-all market, you have a lot of different constituents, such as traditional dealers, proprietary trading firms and the buy-side community of investors,” Greco told Markets Media. “Getting them all together takes some time.” So far Direct Match has signed up five undisclosed firms that have committed to provide liquidity on the platform once it is up and running. The firm also finished its Series A round of funding in late January, in which no dealer or proprietary trading firm participated, according to Greco. [Share](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) [Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US+ETFs+Have+Record+Net+Inflows&url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://articles.marketsmedia.com/obrien-joins-direct-match) ![email](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/Markets%20Media/email.svg) ### NEWSLETTER SIGN UP And receive exclusive articles on securities markets ### Related articles 1. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/trading-across-the-pond-Jul-07-2022-09-33-17-07-AM.png?width=376&height=250&name=trading-across-the-pond-Jul-07-2022-09-33-17-07-AM.png)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/eu-achieves-electronic-trading-of-standardized-otc-derivatives) Regulation ## [EU Achieves Electronic Trading of Standard OTC Derivatives](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/eu-achieves-electronic-trading-of-standardized-otc-derivatives) ISDA warns on proposed changes to post-trade deferrals regime. 07.07.2022 By Shanny Basar 2. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/EMCA-WINNERS.jpeg?width=376&height=250&name=EMCA-WINNERS.jpeg)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/european-markets-choice-awards-2022-the-winners) Latest News ## [European Markets Choice Awards 2022 – The Winners](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/european-markets-choice-awards-2022-the-winners) On 5 June Markets Media held its first in person European Markets Choice Awards event in London. 07.06.2022 By Markets Media 3. [![](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1064158516-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-97-AM.jpg?width=376&height=250&name=iStock-1064158516-Jul-07-2022-09-34-11-97-AM.jpg)](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/global-investment-banking-fees-fall-to-three-year-low) Equities ## [Global Investment Banking Fees Fall to Three-Year Low](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/global-investment-banking-fees-fall-to-three-year-low) M&A activity had the slowest opening six months in two years. 07.06.2022 By Shanny Basar [![MarketsMedia](https://articles.marketsmedia.com/hubfs/MarketsMedia.svg "MarketsMedia")](http://marketsmedia.com) - [About us](https://www.marketsmedia.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/careers) - [Contact](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/contact) - [Advertise](https://www.marketsmediagroup.com/advertise) - [Newsletter](https://awards.marketsmedia.com/newsletter-sign-up) - [Corporate Site](https://marketsmediagroup.com) - © 2026 Markets Media Holdings LLC - - Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy {{ standard\_footer\_includes }}