Luke Byrne
Asian Cash Equities
Hong Kong

As a Junior Sales Trader on the Asia Cash Equities desk my role is focused around servicing my clients as well as my colleagues. Progressing to be a Senior Sales Trader is a process of integration into existing client relationships, forging new relationships and becoming more and more market savvy.

Trading Asian markets means enduring a long day in order to cover the earliest opening market in New Zealand to the latest closing market in India. Of course everybody's day is tailored differently depending on the markets they focus on. I personally cover Japan to Singapore hours. The morning is spent analyzing news, generating flow and pitching trading ideas to clients. In Cash Equities we typically sit as an agency only broker between the client and the stock exchange. For the most part, our trading hours are restricted to the exchange opening hours. Outside of this, all our time is spent talking to clients so as to generate orders for execution when the exchange is open. Once the exchange is open our traders will execute orders live on the exchanges, it is the job of a Sales Trader to monitor these trades and make sure the client's best interest is serviced.

In some situations we will engage in Over-The-Counter (OTC) or 'Grey Market' trading. This is typically pre Initial Public Offering (IPO) or suspended stock that is not available for trading on the exchanges. We are able to connect buyers and sellers in the same way ICAP's traditional interdealer broking business does. My role is to oversee this process and make sure all our buyers and sellers match before reporting to the exchanges on the day of the IPO or re-listing.

One of my roles is as the representative within Asia Pacific for ICAP's in-house valuation and market timing tool 'Apollo'. It's my responsibility to promote the product to clients across the region and provide trading strategies and trading ideas generated from Apollo.

I have also taken a role assisting the capital advisory team in the origination and execution process of corporate private placements (across capital structure), including distribution to potential investors and investor introduction.

Everybody wants to work for the best possible firm in their industry, as the world leader in interdealer broking, ICAP was the obvious choice.

My career choice has not been affected at all by the current economic climate. All industries are struggling at present (except pawn brokers!) and it's tough to starting to build a career anywhere. I want to work in financial markets and the current climate hasn't changed that. My only objective now is to be involved as markets recover and build my career aggressively that way. In terms of my career choice moving to Asia, I couldn't be better positioned to take full advantage of the growing Asian economies.

My advice to someone considering a career at ICAP would be to make sure you completely understand what ICAP do and where they fit into the City. You need be aware of how demanding the job can be, at times you will need to be resilient and have a thick skin. If you enjoy performing under pressure and being given the opportunity to make your own success, ICAP is a very good place to be.

Interpersonal skills are your most important skills to succeed. You are essentially a sales person. You have to sell yourself and your business. You have to make someone want to pick up the phone and trade with you, because they can trade with anyone, so it's up to you to make sure they chose you. You will do this by the person trusting you, believing you are working for them and of course being technically and intellectually sound. You have to deal with a wide range of personalities, it's up to you to manage these relationships and work well with people. Every client is different and it's up to you to deal with them and make them do business with you.

You also have to be very fast thinking and quick on your feet. Markets can move very quickly and mistakes can cost millions. You ability to think fast, solve a problem and work something out on the spot is essential.