MAS Markets names Simon Naish as Asia-Pacific head

MAS Markets has named Simon Naish as its new Head of APAC. The company says the appointment is part of a strategy to build a regional footprint in Asia-Pacific. Naish took up the role in October 2026.

What the company says

According to the release, Naish will lead development and execution of the firm’s strategic vision across the region, working with MAS Group’s senior leadership. His remit covers market penetration, team building and positioning MAS Markets as an institutional liquidity partner for regional brokers, hedge funds, family offices and professional trading firms.

CEO Simon Blackledge called the hire a game-changer. In a statement, he said Naish’s expertise in institutional trading and his record of scaling financial services operations align with the firm’s goal to become the go-to liquidity provider in Asia-Pacific.

Naish’s background

Naish was most recently Country Head at ATFX Global, where he oversaw market operations and growth across Australia. Before that, he spent 33 years at National Australia Bank, working across foreign exchange trading, institutional sales and business development, the company says.

Naish said MAS Markets has credibility in the global institutional space and that there is a genuine appetite in APAC for its offering. He said he is committed to building operational foundations and strategic partnerships to support growth.

MAS Markets is part of MAS Group, which also operates digital asset liquidity provider MAS Digital and funds manager MAS Fund. The company says its infrastructure is hosted in the LD4 and TY3 data centres. The firm says the appointment is part of a broader investment in regional leadership, technology infrastructure and partnerships in APAC.

The takeaway: MAS Markets is adding a senior APAC hire. The announcement does not mention specific Southeast Asian offices or clients.