Obituary: Brian Taylor

From the E1000 Volume 1:

“One of the most influential technologists/managers behind the scenes in the industry across the world and the full technology stack.”

RIP Brian Taylor. I know I was not alone in feeling entirely shocked to hear of his demise yesterday.

Relatively speaking, there are, I am sorry to say, precious few parishioners with a genuine passion for making markets — and making better markets. Brian was staunchly in the latter camp — driven to improve the world one bourse at a time. He fulfilled more than 120 client mandates in almost as many countries across the world. It was a glittering career, building one of the first modern CSDs (Malaysia, 1985) and creating, operating and advising a multiplicity of exchanges and market infrastructures across the world from the Bahamas to Ukraine, Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia and far beyond. Indeed, Brian worked across all continents, often on behalf of a multiplicity of multinational banks including the World Bank, EBRD, EIB, EU OJEC, US AID). Brian retained a great passion for building markets of all sizes — right down to the very small. He had done great work with Gibraltar, and was trying to get the Welsh SE off the ground a decade ago.

Brian was an experienced C-suiter running Plus Markets in London amongst many other ventures.

In his own — quintessentially correct words — “Brian is renowned for solving complex problems that others cannot resolve and we have delivered major projects where “big name” advisors have failed. Brian is extremely professional and honest, providing totally objective and analytical advice.”

I always valued Brian’s counsel and admired the fact that he did not adhere to the tawdry practice of supporting other advisors no matter how useless, feckless or linear their ability to perform, often with a blithe disregard to actually resolving the client’s project. Far from it, his focus was results and delivering the best result in a sensible timescale at all times.

We’ve lost a great bourse builder. Vale Brian Taylor, market maven, exchange guru, gentleman. Our condolences to his wife, Helen.

This Obituary was published in Exchange Invest Issue 2329 on April 20th and is reproduced free of charge here to ensure Brian’s incredible legacy is remembered clearly.