People Moves: LSEG, West Highland, SEC, Fitch, Dash & More

West Highland Taps Data Vet Covall to Lead UK, Europe Push

New York-based data and trading systems support provider West Highland Support Services has hired Alan Covall in London to set up UK and European operations for the firm, as the first stage of an international expansion of its products and services.

Covall has previously served as market data and business development manager at Symphony Communication Services, prior to which he spent five years as head of market data and supplier management at Lloyds Banking Group. He was also executive director of market data for EMEA at Goldman Sachs. He’s also served roles at WestLB, Skyler Technology, CounterpartyLink, The Roberts Group, Prebon Yamane, and Reuters.

In his new role, he reports to West Highland CEO Steve Roe.

SEC Lands New CIO from Department of Homeland Security

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has named David Bottom as its latest chief information officer, overseeing security and information technology. He will start in January.

Bottom joins from the Department of Homeland Security, where he was CIO and chief data officer of the agency’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis. He’s also served for 10 years as a senior executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, including as director of its information technology directorate and deputy director of enterprise operations.

Bottom is currently on special assignment to the federal government’s chief information officer in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he is leading government-wide projects aimed at improving successful federal agency deployment of cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. He’s also worked at IBM, where he was chief innovation officer for its federal intelligence practice.

Steven Bonanno Takes CIO Reins at Dash

Dash Financial Technologies has named Steven Bonanno as its chief information officer, where he will report directly to CEO Peter Maragos. In this role, he will oversee the execution provider’s infrastructure and technology platform operations.

Bonanno joins from Bloomberg, where he was global head of risk operations for the firm’s Tradebook agency brokerage business. He also served as global head of alliance support, overseeing the unit’s move from an executing agency broker model to that of a fintech provider. Prior to Bloomberg, he served as Direct Edge’s CTO, which included taking the lead on merging Direct Edge with the ISE Stock Exchange and the launch of the EDGA and EDGX exchanges.

McCarthy to Take Over as LSEG’s CIO

Anthony McCarthy will assume the role of chief information officer at the London Stock Exchange Group starting on January 1, 2020, replacing Chris Corrado, who is leaving the company at the end of the Q1 2020. McCarthy is currently the CIO of LCH, the exchange’s clearinghouse.

Corrado also served as the exchange’s chief operating officer; that role will move to David Shalders, who will also retain his current responsibilities as chief integration officer.

Fitch Adds New Ratings Data & Research Role

Fitch Solutions has named Dan Champeau to the newly-created role of global head of ratings data & research, where he will report to Brian Filanowski, the president of Fitch Solutions. The role is designed to oversee the vendor’s credit market business and product line, including all research and data produced by Fitch Ratings.  

Champeau was previously managing director and global group head of public finance & infrastructure for Fitch Ratings, with a team of 250 employees spread across 15 offices globally.

Alerian Names Nasdaq Exec as Chief Administrative Officer

Information services company Alerian has named Kelly Spector as its chief administrative officer to help grow the vendor’s index business, including development of firm-wide strategic initiatives, regulatory engagement, and supporting advancements in Alerian’s index operations and offerings. She will also help integrate the recently-acquired S-Network Global Indexes.

Spector was previously Nasdaq’s global head of index operations & governance, and head of strategy for its global information services business.