With nearly 140 employees from 18 different countries working at the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE), there are many stories to tell and every more journeys to cover. In this series, we sit down with some LuxSE employees to talk about how they came to work at our exchange, what life at LuxSE is like for them and get their words of wisdom for those looking to start a career in their field.
To kick off this series, we sat down with João Rainho, Senior Market Data Officer in LuxSE’s Markets & Surveillance department.
João’s journey to LuxSE
It’s been nearly 17 years since João packed his bags and followed his wife to Luxembourg to pursue a journey very different to the one that he carved out for himself in his native Portugal.
A stint in the Portuguese Navy followed by 10 years at a highway company seem like a far cry from where he finds himself today, sitting at his desk in the Markets & Surveillance department on the top floor of LuxSE’s offices overlooking the edge of Luxembourg City Centre.
It was during his time working at the highway company that João took the plunge and decided to study for a License in European Studies from Universidade de Lisboa.
Touchdown in Luxembourg
When it came time to touch down in the Grand Duchy, João was close to finishing his studies. As the home of many European institutions, his hopes for his future in Luxembourg were high.
After spending some years at the European Parliament, João took his first jump into the world of finance. In the 10 years that followed, João worked in a fund services company which allowed him to create excellent contacts and hone his skills – one of those contacts would turn out to be his future Markets & Surveillance colleague Camilo Realpe, Head of Market Data Services at LuxSE.
International team
João joined LuxSE in 2020 and like many others who joined a new company that year, he didn’t get to meet his new colleagues face-to-face for a number of weeks. After deciding to take a step out of his comfort zone by joining LuxSE, this could have led to a tough start, but happily – it didn’t.
"Honestly, I was surprised by how welcome I felt. My colleagues made me feel like I was part of the team from day 1."
From Luxembourg to Colombia and Moldova with a few more stops along the way – this team might take the award for the most international team at our exchange.
"There are 10 people in my department, covering 8 nationalities and speaking 11 languages in total. The mix of cultures and perspectives is, in my opinion, a big plus and it brings diversity to the views and opinions within the team."
A typical day in the office
When it comes to João’s day-to-day life as Senior Market Data Officer, most of his day is taken up with analysing, discussing and commercialising the market data generated by LuxSE – a key area of LuxSE’s business.
Another key area of his work involves data quality and with that comes a strict routine. At 12:00, 16:00 and after our markets close every day, you’ll find João at his desk performing data controls on the instruments that will be listed on that day. In between those slots, his time is taken up with calls and meetings that help bring LuxSE’s leading market data to users all over the world.
"I’m lucky to be part of a team where we get along very well and there’s an excellent collaboration. This makes coming to the office easy. The contact with other European counterparties is also something I really enjoy as it makes each meeting or conversation interesting."
When asked if he had any words of wisdom for someone that would like to pursue a career within his department, João’s advice is simple yet important:
It’s a traditional, but at the same time exciting company. We are not afraid of innovation and we embrace creativity. Come with an open mind, new ideas and a good mood. All of that is welcomed at LuxSE – and along with a will to work, it’s the recipe for success!
João Rainho, Senior Market Data Officer, LuxSE
Ready to take the next step in your career?
More about the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Located in the heart of Luxembourg city, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) is home to over 41,000 international securities and an equally international variety of teams covering listing, trading, information services and of course, the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) - the world’s first and still leading platform dedicated to sustainable finance.
By joining LuxSE, you will become part of an independent stock exchange with over 5+ decades of transforming international capital markets.
By joining LuxSE, you will become part of an independent stock exchange with over 5+ decades of transforming international capital markets.
