BUILT ON A STRONG REPUTATION
Founded in Dubai in 2009 and soon after with the addition of our London entity, GMG today continues to expand and attributes its success to its 30-strong team of professionals based in the Middle East and London. Our founders and the wider team boast a depth of global experience working across several financial markets - including equities, options, FX, futures, derivatives, and bonds.
GMG has grown rapidly over the years to become one of the most respected and distinguished inter-dealer brokerage houses in the region. Today the company assists and represents over 200 financial institutions primarily engaging in local currency transactions throughout the GCC, MENA, Turkey, AFRICA, Russia, CE-3 ( Poland/Hungary/Czech Republic), and South Africa markets.
GMG fuses both global and local knowledge to provide clients with the best possible service across the many financial products it offers.
MEET OUR TEAM
Marco Saviozzi
CEO
Marco Saviozzi attained an MBA in Finance from the IEMI, Genève, before starting his career in corporate sales at Xerox.
After 12 months in sales, Marco’s career changed direction as he took his first job in financial markets, joining the Paris office of French firm Viel (now Tradition). In 1993, Marco was headhunted by prestigious London firm ICAP and was appointed as Head of the French Franc IRS Desk. He quickly rose to become part of the management committee as Co-Head of the Euro Desk. From there Marco would eventually move to the New York office to head up the Equity Derivatives team.
In 2007, following 14 years of service at ICAP, Marco drew on his years of experience in the financial markets industry and opened Newedge – a Calyon / Societe Generale brokerage arm in Dubai. After taking well to business in the United Arab Emirates, Marco formed GMG as Co-Founder merging efforts with a group of experienced professionals.
When not facilitating trades on the trading floor, Marco can be found on the golf course, horse racing or watching his favourite sport – Formula 1.
Mohamed Hafit
Chief Operating Officer
Mohamed graduated from Paris 10 University, France, with a degree in Banking & Insurance majoring in asset management.
Following his graduation in 1996, he began his career in the financial industry as a Supervisor on the MATIF Market (Paris Exchange) at Liaud-Securite Future S.A.
He later transitioned to MF Global, where he held the position of a middle officer,
Mohamed achieved success in managing the Cash Flow and Derivatives desk at Rothschild & Cie Banque, located in Paris.
Mohamed joined GMG at its inception in 2009 and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Applying his wealth of knowledge and experience in the financial industry, he ensures a supreme level of efficiency, accuracy, and control in all daily transactions arranged at GMG.
With his strong background and years of experience in various financial institutions, Mohamed brings invaluable expertise to the company.
His dedication and meticulous approach to operational management contribute to the smooth functioning of GMG's operations, ensuring that the company delivers top-quality service to its clients.
Seyf Trad
Managing Partner
Seyf Trad holds a Master’s degree in International Finance and Business from ESLSCA Paris. He joined GMG at its inception in 2009 as co-founder.
In partnership with Marco, Seyf has made significant contributions to the overall structuring and direction of the company and takes an active interest in the day-to-day running of the firm. Seyf specializes in Middle Eastern foreign exchange currencies and interest rate derivatives and has over eight years of experience in the industry.
He also serves as a member of GMG’s executive management team and board of directors. Prior to joining GMG, Seyf worked with both Marco and Laurent at Newedge Group, where he held the position of Senior Broker, assuming responsibility for the overall setup and operation of the Middle East FX and Interest Rate Derivatives desk.
Jasmine Hatami
Director – Compliance & MLRO
Jasmine Hatami was appointed Director for GMG Brokers LTD in 2020 and is responsible for the oversight of the London entity and covers the role of Compliance and MLRO. Jasmine has over 25 years’ experience in the world of Banking. Having started as a Rates trader at Bank of America Milan in 1990 she then moved to London to Head the Lira Rates Desk at Prebon Yamane in 1992. In 1995 she was headhunted to join the market leader ICAP, she joined their thriving Lira desk and later moved to become a senior member of their EURO IRS desk.
Jasmine holds a BA in Economics and Marketing from John Cabot University and is fluent in 5 languages. Outside of the office Jasmine can be found with a paint brush in hand as she places her memories and inspiration into practice whereby creating amazing artwork.
Neil Petch
Chairman
With a long standing history of business successes, Neil Petch is recognized in the UAE and beyond as a visionary entrepreneur with a passion for helping others establish and grow their own businesses. With vast experience across many fields in the commercial sector, Neil brings with him a fresh perspective, along with cross-industry-proven techniques to the Finance industry, which can often be a closed shop.
Having founded Virtuzone in 2009, he quickly established it as the region’s leading company formation expert. Neil launched Virtugroup, a holding company which sees him sit as Chairman on the boards of several enterprising businesses throughout the UAE, including GMG.
Wayne Copeland
Chief Financial Officer
Wayne Copeland was appointed as Chief Financial Officer of GMG in December 2020 and is responsible for heading up the finance function of the GMG group of companies. With over 20 years of experience in running finance departments, Wayne is well versed with creating change and implementing efficient systems, procedures and building great finance teams.
Prior to Joining GMG Wayne worked for various financial services companies which were mainly focused on wealth management in London and Dubai. Away from implementing change and improving the bottom line in terms of cost control, Wayne enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
Lakshmi Ponnangan
Chief Legal Officer | GMG (Dubai) Limited
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Lakshmi Ponnangan is the Chief Legal Officer of GMG (Dubai) Limited, leading the Group’s legal, regulatory, and corporate governance strategy across Dubai, London, and Amsterdam. With over 22 years of experience across DIFC, UAE, and Indian jurisdictions, she combines strategic insight with deep legal and compliance expertise. A qualified lawyer since 1999 and a postgraduate holder of a Master of Laws (LL.M.), Lakshmi began her career in private practice before advancing to senior in-house positions, including Head of Legal & Corporate Affairs, FCA-approved Director (SMF3), Chief Compliance Officer, and MLRO. She has led regulatory license upgrades, complex settlements, and high-stakes dispute resolutions.
Certified in DIFC Common Law, Laws and Court Practices, Lakshmi advises to GMG’s Board and Executive Committee on legal, regulatory, and governance matters.
Joiz Vergara
Back Office Manager | GMG Group
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
With over 13 years of experience in financial operations, Joiz leads the back-office function across GMG’s global branches. She oversees the seamless execution of post-trade processes, ensuring timely and accurate transaction management across various asset classes. Her expertise spans trade reconciliation, settlements, and operational regulatory reporting. Known for her precision and strong leadership, Joiz plays a vital role in maintaining GMG’s operational efficiency, accuracy, and reliability across all post-trade workflows.
Thando Vokwana
Managing Director | GMG Africa (Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg, South Africa
Thando Vokwana is the Managing Director of GMG Africa (Pty) Limited’s Africa office in Johannesburg, South Africa. With over 15 years of experience in the banking sector, he has built a career specializing in market making for rand-denominated products across fixed income, interest rates, and foreign exchange markets. Thando has held senior positions at both leading international and South African banks, with his most recent role being at Goldman Sachs. Throughout his career, he has developed deep expertise in financial markets, trading strategies, and liquidity provision bringing both local and global perspective to the African financial landscape. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a regular market commentator, frequently contributing insights on South Africa's financial markets.
Barbara Gross
Managing Director | GMG Europe B.V., Prague Branch
Prague, Czech Republic
Barbara Gross is the Managing Director of GMG Europe B.V. and Head of its Prague Branch. With over 20 years of experience in financial markets, she brings extensive expertise in fixed income, interest rate derivatives, and foreign exchange. Before joining GMG, Barbara held senior roles at leading European financial institutions, where she developed strong client relationships and led broking teams across Central and Eastern Europe. At GMG, she oversees the firm’s European operations, driving commercial strategy, electronic trading initiatives, and client engagement across the region.
