NEW YORK*  |  CHICAGO*  |  LONDON  |  TOKYO*  |  SYDNEY*  |  WORLD HEADQUARTERS: ADA, MICHIGAN, USA*

As a veteran of the financial futures and commodities markets and a professionally licensed trader, Gary L. Tilkin envisioned a better solution for his clients who were trading exchange-traded currencies. The current alternatives lacked in market accessibility and customer service, so in 1997, Tilkin set out to create a solution at his own risk. The result was the creation of Global Forex Trading, Division of Global Futures & Forex, Ltd., one of the first firms in the United States to offer online forex trading.

Tilkin invested his personal capital and resources in the venture, believing that it if he created a better way to trade the markets, traders would soon follow. In the beginning, the small sales force was based out of Tilkin’s home in a small Midwest city. A true speculator, Tilkin’s investment paid off, and his vision was realized: Today, the privately–held company serves customers in 120 countries from offices in New York City, Chicago, Tokyo and Sydney, Australia. Tilkin led GFT to its current position as a world–class online currency trading firm that serves its customers by focusing on three principles: technology, service and integrity.

From the beginning, Tilkin recognized that technology could overcome service issues caused by the obstacles of dealing through the physical trading floor of the currency futures exchange. Tilkin had a vision of the industry shifting from an exchange-traded system to an over-the-counter model, and set out to create a top-rate company fuelled by exceptional trading software that would satisfy the needs of all types and levels of traders. He realized that the cumbersome service issues that came along with calling in orders to be placed on the trading floor of the futures exchange, could be solved by providing secure, reliable, high-speed internet trading services.

Tilkin introduced GFT’s DealBook® FX trading platform, providing customers with exactly what they asked for – easy market access, analysis, charting, order-placement and many other features all in one package, and all for free. Tilkin listened to customer feedback, and in 2004, introduced DealBook® FX 2 with even more integrated tools. As GFT continued to surpass its competitors in growth, Tilkin continued to focus on exceptional software, customer service and supervisory practices to set it apart from other firms.

Tilkin’s focus on innovation, integrity and solid financial growth led to his designation as a regional winner in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® program for the financial services category. He then went on to be named as one of only three in the nation to earn the status of EOY National Finalist for the financial services category. GFT’s 15,518 percent growth rate from 2004-2005 led to the honours of being named as one of “50 Companies to Watch in Michigan,” and ranking 16th on Deloitte’s list of the 500 fastest-growing technology companies in North America.

Tilkin is in tune with global business demands, which drive the forex market. By creating software that adapts to multiple currency bases and creating a global workforce with offices and partners around the world, GFT identifies with the needs of a global audience, reaching customers in more than 120 countries.

In 2006, Tilkin established GFT Global Markets UK Ltd., a sister company to GFT and a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Futures & Forex, Ltd. GFT Global Markets offers spread betting, contract for difference and forex trading services to customers throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. GFT Global Markets leverages the same high standards of service and technology that GFT is built on.

Simon Mansell has more than 25 years of experience in global financial services. As chief operating officer of GFT Global Markets UK Ltd., Mansell is responsible for developing new products and services, implementing dealing and trading technology, compliance as well as delivering internal and external information systems activities.

Before joining GFT to start up the UK operation, Mansell was an executive for 14 years with the Intercapital Group of companies, which created ICAP plc, the largest inter-dealer broker in the world. His roles within the ICAP Group ranged from group finance director to managing director of a subsidiary of the group, which was one of the oldest spread betting firms in the industry. Prior to his position with the ICAP Group, Mansell worked in the futures business with GNI and then with Prudential-Bache, where he was a financial controller covering futures, forex, treasury and fixed income bonds.

Mansell’s knowledge and experience in electronic brokering across global financial markets provides solid leadership for the day-to-day operations of GFT Global Markets U.K. In addition, his experience in securities, ranging from bonds and corporate debt to shares and metals, brings with it long-standing relationships so traders can be assured of reliable pricing for all of GFT Global Markets’ online trading derivatives. Mansell holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and is also a qualified accountant.

Gareth Thomas has multinational professional experience across many types of financial markets and will build upon that experience to lead the dealing and trading desk for GFT Global Markets. He has held responsibilities dealing spot forex, contracts for difference, spread betting and futures, and also has a background in working with leading technologies for the entire trading industry.

For seven years, Thomas held a position with the leading French bank, Credit Lyonnais Group. Initially starting on the foreign exchange desk in London, Thomas quoted exchange for physicals in futures trading (EFPs), as well as spot forex to Western and European countries.

Thomas’ dealing and trading experience led him to Denmark through CLG to work with a well-known European bank and CFD firm. There, he developed a forex internet platform for the mutual benefit of both companies. Following extensive internet-based platform development, Thomas spent two years in New York on the capital markets desk for CLG, where he was responsible for managing and quoting financial futures and contracts for difference (CFDs) to the spread betting industry.

Thomas returned to London in 2003 and later was appointed assistant director of soft commodities (coffee, cocoa, sugar and orange juice) in 2004. For the newly named Calyon Bank, Thomas developed and implemented the dealing operation for its sugar execution desk. Formerly, Thomas worked on the corporate foreign exchange trading desk at NatWest Bank, at multiple locations throughout the U.K.

Mark Ticehurst has worked in the contract for difference and spread betting industry for more than 20 years, and his experience is invaluable in maintaining GFT Global Markets’ reputation for first-class customer service throughout the world.

As a former employee of one of the oldest spread betting firms in the world, Ticehurst has gained extensive experience and knowledge in the spread betting and CFD industry. His leadership has been demonstrated in a wide variety of roles, from dealing on sports and financial market-making desks to supervising credit and client services.

His expertise in overseeing and processing all client applications, credit and debt management and client counterparty risk allowed him to develop a new trading desk for another leading spread betting and trading firm in 2003. In addition to helping establish the firm’s London office, he quickly moved to lead the day-to-day responsibilities for credit and risk management.

Ticehurst was educated at Heathfield College, and started his employment in the spread betting industry in 1985 as a back-office junior, before quickly moving on to leadership and management roles.

Martin Slaney has been involved in the financial betting industry for over 10 years. In 1995, Slaney helped establish the Australian office of a leading UK spread betting company. He went on to co-found another spread betting company, and served as the senior dealer in the company’s London office. Slaney also played a leading role in designing the industry’s first interactive online trading platform, serving as the company’s head of internet trading.

In 2003, Slaney was appointed as the managing director of the first real-time betting exchange for financial markets. With the broad and detailed knowledge Slaney has acquired of financial derivatives and trading platforms, he is well-suited to build upon GFT’s reputation for innovation and technical excellence with GFT Global Markets’ spread betting services.

Slaney was educated at Sheffield University and holds a dual honours bachelors degree in Japanese and business studies, and has a postgraduate diploma in marketing from the University of Central England, Birmingham.

*Services offered through Global Forex Trading.