When we last interviewed John Gunn, Chairman and Founder of Global Investment Strategy, he reflected on a career that began shortly before Black Monday in 1987 and on the principles behind the creation of GIS.
When work began on the new Global Investment Strategy UK website, one question kept coming up: what should someone understand about us before they read about a single service?
In the world of institutional investing, speed has always been the sharpest edge. From co-location centres hugging stock exchanges to microwave towers slicing across continents, low latency execution has evolved into a full-scale technological arms race. But now, a new frontier looms, one that promises not just faster execution but a redefinition of how market participants interact altogether.
We often think of markets as engines of capital but in truth, they function far more like engines of perception. Every tick in price is a response to a signal, a data point, a policy shift, a rumour, a tweet. If you want to understand market moves, you need to stop asking “What’s the valuation?” and start asking “What information just got priced?”.
Prior to the 1900s, the most competitive trading edge might have been a carrier pigeon. Fast-forward to 2025, and we’re talking about quantum-timed algorithms, laser networks, and fibre paths engineered through mountains to save microseconds.
In the bustling world of investment markets, the spotlight often shines on dramatic stock surges, bond yields, or the latest financial innovations. Yet, behind these headline-grabbing moments lies a crucial but understated force keeping the entire system running: clearing services. Think of them as the quiet backstage crew ensuring that every scene of the financial play unfolds seamlessly.
Prime broking serves as a cornerstone of modern financial markets, enabling high-net-worth individuals, institutional investors, and fund managers to access a wide range of trading and investment services. From global multi-asset trade execution to securities lending and risk management, prime brokers act as a vital bridge between sophisticated investors and the markets they navigate.
In the fast-paced world of financial markets, speed is everything. For traders, especially those engaged in high-frequency trading (HFT) or executing large volumes, low-latency execution is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity. Over the years, advances in technology and infrastructure have reshaped the trading landscape, making low latency a cornerstone of competitive trading strategies.
Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralised cryptocurrency, has sparked debates since its inception in 2009. Over the years, it has gained legitimacy as an asset class, but the question remains: Can Bitcoin become a mainstream currency? While hurdles remain, several factors indicate that Bitcoin could eventually fulfil this role, potentially reshaping the global financial landscape.
Looking back over the last century, trade execution has evolved dramatically in the UK’s financial markets. From the manual open outcry system to today’s algorithmic trading; execution speed has gone from minutes to milliseconds. This shift has enhanced market transparency, liquidity, and the precision of large trades, reshaping the landscape for institutional traders.