CEO Letter - August 2025

Welcome to the August edition of Focus.

This month, we open with an in-depth interview with Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed, the new CEO of Bursa Malaysia. With over three decades of experience across capital markets, legal services, and investment banking, he brings a clear vision for the Exchange’s future – one that centres on innovation, inclusivity, and long-term impact. From strengthening Malaysia’s leadership in the Islamic capital market to expanding sustainability and data capabilities, he outlines the steps Bursa Malaysia is taking to build a more dynamic, accessible multi-asset exchange.

We also spotlight a significant development in India’s power sector with the long-awaited launch of electricity derivatives. For years, the absence of futures markets has limited risk management and planning across the energy value chain. With new regulatory clarity and SEBI’s recent call for proposals, India is finally laying the foundation for more efficient, resilient and investment-ready electricity markets. It’s a story of transformation – where each market participant gains the tools to move from reacting to forecasting.

Data quality remains a core focus across global markets. In this issue, we delve into ESMA’s 2024 Report on Quality and Use of Data, which outlines both progress and persistent challenges under EMIR and SFTR. As regulatory expectations continue to rise, we examine how market participants are responding – including the role of analytics tools like DTCC’s Trade Reporting Analytics service in providing real-time insights and benchmarking.

We also explore how exchanges are rethinking infrastructure through Colocation-as-a-Service. Traditional colocation models often create high barriers to entry, but Private Cloud solutions like Beeks Exchange Cloud are changing the game. By offering secure, low-latency infrastructure without the need for upfront hardware investment, exchanges are expanding access and accelerating deployment for a broader range of firms.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Focus, which brings together perspectives and developments shaping the next chapter of market infrastructure.

We look forward to sharing more with you in September.