Argentinian by birth, Nicolas Aguzin, who joined JP Morgan in 1990 in Buenos Aires as a financial analyst, has lived in Hong Kong for the last decade. A 30-year veteran of JP Morgan, he was CEO of JP Morgan, Asia Pacific from 2013 to 2020, followed by a stint as the CEO of JP Morgan’s International Private Bank until May 2021, when he became the first non-Chinese CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX).

“I’ve been asked many times what attracted me to HKEX, and quite simply I think this business is perfectly placed – right spot, right time – to capitalise on a super exciting new chapter ahead,” Aguzin says. “As the most international city in China, and the most Chinese city outside of Mainland China, connectivity is at the heart of Hong Kong. It has a unique ability to bring together culture, communities, capital and commerce. This gives Hong Kong an important role to play in a world that needs more connectivity. I am as excited about what lies ahead, as I was when I first came to work in this fantastic city nearly a decade ago.” 

During his first year as CEO, Aguzin has emphasised the importance of connection through HKEX’s three strategic imperatives; namely connecting China and the world, capital with opportunities, and the present with the future. The initiatives implemented under his leadership, including sustainable investments in the Greater Bay Area, have also strengthened ties with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Aguzin ended his three-year term on February 29, 2024, handing over leadership of the exchange to Bonnie Chan Yiting, who was co-chief operations officer before stepping up to become the first woman to serve as CEO of HKEX.