GRASSHOPPER PTE - Key Persons
Alex Wong - Chief Investment Officer
As Chief Investment Officer, Alex Wong leads Grasshopper's strategic investment decisions in becoming Asia's premier trading firm. His insights and thought leadership have consistently delivered success in key transformation work.
Alex began his career in Kuranda Trading as a click trader, where guts and glory were the battle cries on the trading floor, and wrote greybox algorithms to help his trading. He transited to fully automated quantitative trading as Head of the HFT desk at Toji Trading LLC, and then as the Head of the Systematic Trading team in Grasshopper. With his diverse experience and fondness for difficult problems, Alex offers an incisive perspective to alpha research and capture.
He often quotes, "All men dream; but not equally… But the dreamers of day are dangerous men. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible."
Alex graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelors in Physics and Financial Mathematics. He has won the Lijen Industrial Development Medal and the Jurong Shipyard Prize.
James's career with Grasshopper began in the period between the two Asian financial crises: a period of volatility as well as great opportunity. Over a period of a decade and a half, he has partnered with the firm's founder to evolve Grasshopper from a two-man team, to a dynamic fintech company with a well-deserved reputation as a regional powerhouse.
As capable a trader as he is a corporate leader, James's ethos is underpinned by a deep commitment to doing what's right for the firm as well as what's best for its people. His perspective on leading Grasshopper has also been informed by his early career in organisational psychology.
Prior to becoming CEO, James has held positions as CFO, COO and Head of Trading at the firm.
Together they conceptualise their first custom algorithmic programme. James would move on to become a key executive for Grasshopper.
James Leong, our longest tenured Grasshopper, was appointed CEO of Grasshopper. Prior to becoming CEO, James has held positions as CFO, COO and Head of Trading at the firm. Entered Thai and Malaysian markets.
John Lin - Chairman, Founder
After graduating with an Engineering degree from Cornell University, John worked his way up from a clerk position in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Since then, he's lived and traded internationally in London and Tokyo, and now calls Singapore home. John founded Grasshopper in 2006, and plays an active role in guiding vision and strategy as its founder and Chairman.
John's passion for teamwork, culture, and innovation makes him an inspiring mentor and visionary thinker. He devotes significant time and energy to influencing a better future for the next generation.
At the start of 2019, John was interviewed on Michael Covel's prolific podcast with over 7 million listens, Trend Following. Catch the episode here.
When the doors of the SIMEX open outcry trading pits closed, our Founder, John Lin, opens a window. He sees a gap in the fresh frontier of electronic trading and sets off to create Grasshopper.
Sachar de Vries has spent a decade building the technological foundations of Grasshopper. As the first IT hire, Sachar was pivotal in the firm's transformation from first time electronic traders to regional tech powerhouse.
Now, as Chief Technical Officer, Sachar leads technology strategy and helps the trading teams leverage Grasshopper's proprietary trading platform.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Sachar previously held roles at Essent, Kabelcom, the second largest internet provider in the Netherlands. He moved to Singapore in 2008, and can be found travelling the region in search of the best places to kitesurf and hit waves.