Chief Trading & Risk Officer, John Hayes: To Thrive Under Pressure

Written by in News on September 8, 2020

Foreign exchange trading is an industry that sends some running and draws others in. It can be high-risk, ever-changing, and unbelievably fast-paced. For some, this sounds like a nightmare, for others, a dream come true. Shift Connect’s Chief Trading & Risk Officer derives passion and excitement from the nature of the industry. John thrives under pressure and works to constantly refine his keen eye for detail while expanding his extensive, diverse industry knowledge. 

John resides in Calgary, where he is from, having also lived in Vancouver, Stockholm, and Chicago. He loves dogs, playing golf and squash, collecting and drinking wine, and traveling, which he’s done extensively. Of course, he’s also a big fan of the Calgary Flames. 

He earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia and since graduation has traded professionally in options, futures, commodities, bonds, equities, and currencies. He loves trading and finds the most exciting part of his career to be “volatility, risk vs. reward.” He says “you never know what’s lurking around the corner,” and while that may sound daunting to some, it’s these situations and keeping quick, collected, and nimble that keep John increasingly passionate, year after year. 

Not only does volatility make his job completely different from one day – or one minute – to the next, the industry itself shifts on a constant basis. John finds this to be an extremely rewarding aspect of what he does. “I get to experience new challenges on a consistent basis and take them head on.” 

John finds financial technology especially exciting because “everything is becoming more electronic and new, convenient ways of doing things are constantly emerging.” 

He was greatly impacted from simply doing what he does and having “a few key mentors that were eager to teach and see me succeed in the very beginning.”

If he were to offer advice to a junior in his position then, he would emphasize minding the details, “precision is key.” In addition, he says it is of the utmost importance to “be honest with yourself and others.” 

John works fast and stays agile to mitigate risk, maximize reward, and stay completely on top of industry trends. In his position, he keeps a sharp eye on the present while always looking to the future. 

It’s not easy, but he loves what he does and looks forward to watching the industry evolve even further. 

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